When opponents of the councilman's proposed laws overreact by claiming it will lead to a drastic change in the area, which fallacy are they committing?

When opponents of the councilman's proposed laws overreact by claiming it will lead to a drastic change in the area, which fallacy are they committing?

• A. Ad Hominem
• B. Straw Man
• C. Victory by Definition
• D. Leading Question

Answer: (B)

The opponents of the councilman's proposed laws are committing the Straw Man fallacy by exaggerating or misrepresenting the potential consequences of the laws to make them appear more extreme than they truly are. Instead of addressing the actual proposal and its specific implications, they construct a distorted version of the argument—or a "straw man"—and attack that inflated version. This tactic allows them to sidestep the real discussion and make it easier to refute the exaggerated claims rather than engaging with the nuances of the proposal. Using this fallacy often distracts from the actual issues and undermines productive debate.

The opponents of the councilman's proposed laws are committing the Straw Man fallacy by exaggerating or misrepresenting the potential consequences of the laws to make them appear more extreme than they truly are. Instead of addressing the actual proposal and its specific implications, they construct a distorted version of the argument—or a "straw man"—and attack that inflated version. This tactic allows them to sidestep the real discussion and make it easier to refute the exaggerated claims rather than engaging with the nuances of the proposal. Using this fallacy often distracts from the actual issues and undermines productive debate.