Straw Man & Ad Hominem

Straw Man Fallacy: An informal logical fallacy that distorts, twists, and/or oversimplifies an opponent position and/or argument and later claims to heroically defeat their opponent in a debate.  This is fallacious because distorting things is not the same as addressing someone's actual points.



The Straw Man Fallacy

I will use a Halo apologist straw man erected against a Colo Claw Fish as a sample.


First Arguer: Kyro "Sparkles"Seymour, a Colo Claw Fish

Sparkles is anti-war and is opposed to Halo because it is a bloodthirsty and obsessively militaristic gaming series.  Sparkles says, "War toy and violent videos are harmful and need to go because they teach violence.  I want to teach peace and harmony.  War toys like GI Joe and violent videos like Halo are a great disservice to peace because they send the wrong messages.  War is not a game, it is  pain and suffering.  Halo is overrated, over-hyped, and over-priced.  Halo fan boys think that this bloodthirsty game is the best game ever and that all non-Xbox games suck.  Halo is nonstop violence and I don't like that.  So Halo fan boy, please stop playing Halo and stop playing with war since nobody should be playing with war."  The video below PROVES that Mt Halo is military propaganda; therefore,  is a center-piece in Kyro the Colo Claw Fish's strong argument.



The Second Arguer: Halo Goon

The Halo apologist called Halo Goon resorted to apologetics and erected the following Straw Man Fallacy against Sparkles, "Sparkles, you are trying to give aid and comfort to the enemy and make us defenseless against otherworldly creatures.  If you have your effeminate way you sissy Colo Claw Fish, we will be doomed!"

Sparkles

Sparkles immediately detected a logical fallacy coming from Halo Goon.  Sparkles said, "Do I smell a logical fallacy; yes I do, it is called a Straw Man Fallacy what you just said right now.  I am not at all trying to give aid the the enemy, I am trying to bring peace, including peace through play.  You totally distorted my argument so you can claim victory you cheater.  A straw man is an informal logical fallacy that distorts, twists, and/or oversimplifies an opposing position and/or argument and later claims to heroically defeat their opponent in a debate.  This is highly illogical because distorting my argument does not constitute addressing  my points."

Argument Against The Person (Argumentum ad Hominem):  There are few types of ad hominem all of which involve verbally attacking the person instead of discussing the argument.  This is fallacious because attacking the person does not constitute discussing the actual points.

Ad Hominem Abusive: An informal logical fallacy that heaps verbal attacks onto their opponent with things like name-calling and profanity.

Ad Hominem Circumstantial: An informal logical fallacy that attacks their opponent's circumstances which are unrelated to the argument at hand in an effort to discredit what they say.

Poisoning the Well: An informal logical fallacy that presents unfavorable information (true or false) about their opponent which is unrelated to the argument  at hand to discredit what they say.

Ad Hominem Tu Quoque: An informal logical fallacy that tries  to make  their opponent appear  hypocritical in an effort to discredit what they say.

The Halo Goon said the following verbal attack against Sparkles, "Sparkles, you are just a girly eel boy who wants to end all manliness so you can be a pansy.  Of course you don't like Halo or the military, you are not manly enough and you are the milksop of the sea.  I will not listen to anything that you have to say Sparkles, since you are by far the #1 most effeminate sissy that I ever had the displeasure of meeting!  You are telling me to stop playing with war and Halo, but you keep being a sissy eel even when people like me tell you to stop."

Sparkles detected string of more logical fallacies from Halo Goon and said, "Now you are attacking me; yes you are, it is a logical fallacy known as an ad hominem.  In fact, what you just said was a string of ad hominem attacks against me.  Your first sentence was an ad hominem abusive containing efffemophobic name-calling and slurs.  You second sentence was an ad hominem circumstantial attacking my effeminate lifestyle instead of addressing my argument with an effemophobic epithet.  The third sentence poisoned the well by saying that you will not listen to anything that I have to say all because I am the most effeminate creature that you ever met and threw in an effemophobic slur.  Your fourth sentence was an ad hominem tu quoque telling me that I should  not tell you to play peace because I love to act femininely and then again, you used an effemophobic hate word.  Halo fan boy, you are resorting to effemophobic name-calling and outright attacks against me and you did not address even a single popint that I made.  Halo sucks because war sucks!  War is unhealthy for everybody, and that is a fact of life.  Peace rocks; you should  seriously try it, then maybe you would stop being so scared for once in your life.  There is nothing wrong with my effeminate behavior, it is perfectly fine."

Author's Note: The vast majority of Halo fans act like Halo Goon and spray ad hominem attacks and erect straw men like he does.  In fact, Halo Goon is modeled after the vast majority of real life Halo fan boys.  The funniest Halo ad hominem on record referred to Star Fox as "fruity tendo games".