Legal Definitions - stramineus homo

STRAMINEUS HOMO

Stramineus homo (str-min-ee-uhs hoh-moh) is a Latin term that means "man of straw." It refers to a type of argument that misrepresents an opponent's position in order to make it easier to attack. This fallacy is also known as a STRAW MAN.

• Person A: "I think we should invest more in education and healthcare."
  Person B: "So you want to bankrupt the country with your reckless spending?"
• Politician A: "I believe in stricter gun control laws to reduce gun violence."
  Politician B: "So you want to take away everyone's guns and leave them defenseless?"

In both examples, Person B and Politician B are creating a straw man by misrepresenting the position of Person A and Politician A. They are making extreme and exaggerated claims that are not actually what the other person believes. This makes it easier for them to attack the argument and discredit the other person's position.