Red Herring

The Red Herring fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when a topic is introduced in an argument that does not directly relate to the issue being discussed. It is a form of misdirection that draws attention away from the original issue, and is often used to divert attention away from an argument's weaknesses. It is considered a fallacy because it does not add any relevant information to the discussion, but instead distracts from the original issue.

The term "red herring" is commonly thought to originate from the practice of using a strong-smelling smoked fish (which turns red during the curing process) to train or distract hounds from a scent trail during hunts. This same concept is applied to arguments, where irrelevant topics are used to distract the opponent or audience from the main point. These distractions can take the form of an emotional response, such as an appeal to fear or anger, or an irrelevant piece of information.

In an argument, the red herring fallacy is used to divert the discussion away from the topic at hand and onto a different, unrelated topic. This could be done as a way to avoid admitting one's own mistakes or weaknesses, or to sidestep the opponent's argument. It is considered a logical fallacy because it does not address the issue and instead focuses on something else. While it is sometimes confused with the "straw man" fallacy, the two are distinct: a red herring diverts attention to an irrelevant topic, whereas a straw man misrepresents the opponent's argument to make it easier to attack.

The red herring fallacy is a common form of argumentative fallacy, and can be seen in many debates and discussions. It is important to be aware of this fallacy and to recognize when it is being used in an argument. If someone is using the red herring fallacy, it is important to refocus the discussion on the original issue and to avoid being distracted by the irrelevant topics.