Which situation exemplifies a 'Diversion' in argument?

Which situation exemplifies a 'Diversion' in argument?

• A. Mr. Bush discussing cookie recipes instead of election issues.
• B. Claiming we should wait for the hurricane season to predict outcomes.
• C. General Jeb Stuart's absence costing the South the Civil War.
• D. The need for a paper trail in voting systems.

Answer: (A)

The situation that exemplifies a 'Diversion' in argument is when Mr. Bush discusses cookie recipes instead of election issues. This instance illustrates a diversion because it intentionally shifts the conversation away from the relevant topic at hand—in this case, the serious issues surrounding an election—to something trivial and unrelated. By focusing on cookie recipes, the argument distracts the audience from engaging with the pertinent election-related discussions, thereby avoiding the core issues. In this context, a diversion is a rhetorical tactic where someone may mislead or distract from the main point to evade a difficult topic or to manipulate the audience’s focus. This technique often undermines the logical flow of discourse and can lead to confusion about what is truly important in the discussion.

The situation that exemplifies a 'Diversion' in argument is when Mr. Bush discusses cookie recipes instead of election issues. This instance illustrates a diversion because it intentionally shifts the conversation away from the relevant topic at hand—in this case, the serious issues surrounding an election—to something trivial and unrelated. By focusing on cookie recipes, the argument distracts the audience from engaging with the pertinent election-related discussions, thereby avoiding the core issues.

In this context, a diversion is a rhetorical tactic where someone may mislead or distract from the main point to evade a difficult topic or to manipulate the audience’s focus. This technique often undermines the logical flow of discourse and can lead to confusion about what is truly important in the discussion.