What Is a Red Herring Fallacy? | Definition & Examples

A red herring fallacy is an attempt to redirect a conversation away from its original topic. A red herring is used by introducing an irrelevant piece of information that distracts the reader or listener. This can be intentional or unintentional.

As a result, one can divert others’ attention away from the original discussion topic or avoid answering a difficult question.

What is a red herring fallacy?

A red herring fallacy is a form of logical fallacy or reasoning error that occurs when a misleading argument or question is presented to distract from the main issue or argument at hand.

Red herring refers to the piece of information that is used as a diversion. Mystery novels, for instance, often feature a character who draws the reader’s attention as a potential suspect but is ultimately proven innocent. In this case, the red herring is used as a literary device to send the reader down the wrong path, creating a plot twist and delivering a surprise ending.

Sometimes, a red herring is used as a rhetorical strategy to persuade others, or even used accidentally in argumentation, in which case we call it a red herring fallacy. For example, politicians often use it as a diversion tactic to evade difficult questions asked in public. Instead of answering the question, they may start talking about some unrelated topic to distract their audience.

What is a logical fallacy?

Logical fallacies are common errors in reasoning that render an argument logically invalid. Fallacies can be either illegitimate arguments or irrelevant points, and they can be identified because they lack evidence that supports their claim. Although they are not logically sound, they appear solid at first and therefore can easily go unnoticed.

Fallacies may be committed intentionally to persuade and deceive others, or unintentionally, for several reasons, such as ignorance or language barriers. They are categorized according to their logical structure as formal fallacies (like ecological fallacy) or their content as informal fallacies. The red herring fallacy is an informal fallacy. More specifically, it is a fallacy of relevance: it concerns arguments or statements that seem relevant although they are not.

Why do people use a red herring fallacy?

In general, people use a red herring fallacy to distract from the discussion. This can happen for several reasons. They may be attempting to:

• Reroute a discussion by steering it onto a highly controversial topic that is likely to attract people’s attention
• Confuse people by introducing a vague statement, causing them to forget the original topic
• Avoid answering a difficult question head-on, especially when people feel cornered or pressured to defend themselves
• Avoid discussing a personal matter during a friendly conversation

It is important to remember that people who commit a red herring fallacy do not always intend to manipulate others. Sometimes, they do it without even realizing it, and it can sometimes be a justified effort to change the subject.

Red herring fallacy examples

Red herring fallacy can be observed in different contexts, such as in the media, in politics, or in advertising.

Politicians often use the red herring fallacy to their advantage: by cleverly missing the point, they draw attention away from the argument or question.

Looking for unsound arguments like the red herring fallacy is important if we want to critically evaluate information that we encounter online.

How to respond to a red herring fallacy

It is important to be able to spot a red herring fallacy in others’ arguments so that a false line of reasoning won’t fool you. Depending on the situation, here are some ways you can respond to this fallacy:

• Point out to your discussion partner that they are using a red herring and challenge it before you are dragged off to an irrelevant point. For example, simply counter: “That’s a red herring. It has nothing to do with the topic.” Then go on to explain why their argument is irrelevant.
• People who deliberately resort to the red herring fallacy will probably refuse to admit that what they are saying is irrelevant to the conversation. In this case, the best way to deal with it is probably by circling back to the main topic, while offering to come back to the other person’s concerns later on.
• If you are unsure whether the other person is using a red herring or not, ask them to justify it or elaborate further on their argument.
• Sometimes, people don’t wish to divulge personal information and may use a red herring fallacy to that end. In this case, the best thing to do is to accept it and move on with the discussion.

Other interesting articles

If you want to know more about fallacies, research bias, or AI tools, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Frequently asked questions about the red herring fallacy

Why is the red herring fallacy a problem?

The red herring fallacy is a problem because it is flawed reasoning. It is a distraction device that causes people to become sidetracked from the main issue and draw wrong conclusions.

Although a red herring may have some kernel of truth, it is used as a distraction to keep our eyes on a different matter. As a result, it can cause us to accept and spread misleading information.

What is the difference between a red herring fallacy and a straw man fallacy?

Although both red herring fallacy and straw man fallacy are logical fallacies or reasoning errors, they denote different attempts to “win” an argument. More specifically:

• A red herring fallacy refers to an attempt to change the subject and divert attention from the original issue. In other words, a seemingly solid but ultimately irrelevant argument is introduced into the discussion, either on purpose or by mistake.
• A straw man fallacy involves the deliberate distortion of another person’s argument. By oversimplifying or exaggerating it, the other party creates an easy-to-refute argument and then attacks it.