The red herring fallacy is a logical fallacy where someone presents irrelevant information in an attempt to distract others from a topic that's being discussed, often to avoid a question or shift the discussion in a new direction.

What is an example of the red herring fallacy?

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 does the fallacy of the red herring refer to?

A red herring is a fallacy argument that distracts from the original topic. ... Red herrings are frequently used in: Mystery, thriller and dramatic novels. Political speeches. Children's conversations with their parents.