In an argument, a red herring can be any diversion that distracts attention from the main issue. The name of this distracter comes from a very strong-smelling cured fish that was once used, variously, to distract bloodhounds from the scent of escaping prisoners, or to distract hunting dogs from the trail of their prey.
What is an example of a red herring?
This fallacy consists in diverting attention from the real issue by focusing instead on an issue having only a surface relevance to the first. Examples: Son: "Wow, Dad, it's really hard to make a living on my salary." Father: "Consider yourself lucky, son.
What is the red herring theory?
A red herring is a logical fallacy in which irrelevant information is presented alongside relevant information, distracting attention from that relevant information. This may be done intentionally or unintentionally. A red herring is often used in movies, television and literature.
Why is it called red herring?
A herring is a type of silvery fish. So how did a red herring become an expression for something that throws a detective off their track? Herring swim in vast schools and are an important source of food in many cultures. When dried and smoked, they turn a reddish color, hence the name red herring.
What is the synonym of red herring?
phrase. 1'it's more of a red herring than a legitimate plot element' bluff, blind, ruse, feint, deception, subterfuge, hoax, trick, ploy, device, wile, sham, pretence, artifice, cover, smokescreen, distraction, expedient, contrivance, machination. informal dodge, put-on, put-up job.
What does red herring mean in politics?
It may be either a logical fallacy or a literary device that leads readers or audiences toward a false conclusion. A red herring may be used intentionally, as in mystery fiction or as part of rhetorical strategies (e.g., in politics), or may be used in argumentation inadvertently.
What is red herring in finance?
Key Takeaways A red herring is a preliminary prospectus filed with the SEC, usually in connection with an IPO—excludes key details of the issue, such as price and number of shares offered. The document states that a registration statement has been filed with the SEC but is not yet effective.
What is a red herring quizlet?
red herring fallacy. is an error in logic where a proposition is, or is intended to be, misleading in order to make irrelevant or false inferences. In the general case any logical inference based on fake arguments, intended to replace the lack of real arguments or to replace implicitly the subject of the discussion.