

Here is a simple example of a red herring fallacy. A red herring can be a way to dodge a question, avoid talking about some point, or distract from the main issue. In debate and rhetoric, red herring fallacies occur when someone presents a piece of information that is actually irrelevant to the topic being discussed. Aringarosa’s character is meant to distract and mislead the reader so that the end reveal is more surprising (Fun fact: the Italian name “Aringarosa” translates to “red herring” in English. However, the novel later reveals that Aringarosa is actually innocent, and other people are pulling the strings.

That is why it’s extremely important to be able to point out when someone is presenting irrelevant information in their argument. Red herring fallacies are particularly troublesome not only because they’re fallacious, but also because they can completely stall any debate or conversation. Red herring fallacies are often used to obfuscate and derail a conversation, rather than facilitate a debate. A red herring fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone presents a seemingly important but actually irrelevant piece of information, in order to distract from the main topic being discussed. Red herrings also pop up in rhetoric and argumentation. For example, an author might introduce some plot point to distract the reader and mislead them so the ending is more surprising. In literature circles, a red herring is a narrative element that is meant to mislead readers by providing irrelevant information. Please do your own research before making any online purchase. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy.
