UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

The straw man fallacy involves distorting or oversimplifying an opponent’s position. The critic then attacks this weaker version instead of the original claim. This tactic gives the illusion of refutation without genuinely engaging the argument. Therefore the fallacy described is called straw man.

Option A:
Option A, red herring, diverts attention to an unrelated issue, distracting from the main argument. It does not necessarily involve misrepresenting the opponent’s view. Hence red herring is not the correct label here.

Option B:
Option B, false cause, assumes a causal connection without adequate evidence. It concerns causal reasoning rather than misrepresentation of positions. Thus false cause does not match the pattern in the stem.

Option C:
Option C accurately names the straw man fallacy as the practice of constructing an easier target by altering the original claim. This weaker version is then attacked as though it were the real argument. Therefore straw man is the best answer.

Option D:
Option D, ad populum, appeals to popular opinion as evidence for a claim’s truth. It relies on numbers rather than accurate representation of views. Consequently ad populum is not appropriate here.