In a discussion about university governance, what fallacy is present in the claim that students should choose the Board of Trustees solely by themselves?

In a discussion about university governance, what fallacy is present in the claim that students should choose the Board of Trustees solely by themselves?

• A. Leading Question
• B. Disproving a Minor Point
• C. Straw Man
• D. Ad Hominem

Answer: (C)

The assertion that students should choose the Board of Trustees solely by themselves exemplifies the Straw Man fallacy. This fallacy occurs when someone's argument is misrepresented or oversimplified to make it easier to attack or refute. In this case, the complexity of university governance, which ideally involves diverse stakeholders such as faculty, administration, alumni, and students, is reduced to a simplistic notion that only students should have a say. This misrepresentation ignores the valid arguments surrounding representation and shared governance, suggesting that a nuanced discussion about the roles of various stakeholders is unnecessary. By oversimplifying the issue, the argument diverts attention from the more substantial considerations required for effective governance, thus creating a distorted version of the original discussion about who should have input in Board selections.

The assertion that students should choose the Board of Trustees solely by themselves exemplifies the Straw Man fallacy. This fallacy occurs when someone's argument is misrepresented or oversimplified to make it easier to attack or refute. In this case, the complexity of university governance, which ideally involves diverse stakeholders such as faculty, administration, alumni, and students, is reduced to a simplistic notion that only students should have a say. This misrepresentation ignores the valid arguments surrounding representation and shared governance, suggesting that a nuanced discussion about the roles of various stakeholders is unnecessary. By oversimplifying the issue, the argument diverts attention from the more substantial considerations required for effective governance, thus creating a distorted version of the original discussion about who should have input in Board selections.