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Ed F

What Fallacy Is This? Focusing On An Insignificant Detail

If someone responds to an argument that has evidence that supports the conclusion, but instead of responding to the main points presented, focuses on some small, relatively insignificant detail and ignores the crux of the argument, is that a specific fallacy or just an instance of a red herring distraction?

For example, a legislator proposes a bill and argues why the legislation would make good law, and the opponent focused only on some relatively insignificant part of the the bill, ignoring the rest.

The term that comes to mind is "Nitpicking" but there is a fallacy called the "Nitpicking Fallacy" which is something else.

asked on Saturday, Jan 15, 2022 02:12:23 PM by Ed F

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TrappedPrior (RotE)
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If someone responds to an argument that has evidence that supports the conclusion, but instead of responding to the main points presented, focuses on some small, relatively insignificant detail and ignores the crux of the argument, is that a specific fallacy or just an instance of a red herring distraction?

It's a general red herring. Examples include nitpicking over spelling (far too common on the internet).

The term that comes to mind is "Nitpicking" but there is a fallacy called the "Nitpicking Fallacy" which is something else.

I think you're referring to the nutpicking fallacy, which is something very different (though I believe it would still fall under the category of relevance fallacies).
answered on Saturday, Jan 15, 2022 02:58:55 PM by TrappedPrior (RotE)

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account no longer exists writes:

I was going to ask this question, but this is probably the selective attention or the argument by selective reading which I don't know how to differentiate, it one makes argument x y z but only x is falsified and therefore they are wrong which is not inherently true. A red herring is still a correct term but I think it is more vague.

posted on Saturday, Jan 15, 2022 04:59:16 PM
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Ed F writes:
[To River]

Yes, I think River may be right.  Selective Argument and Argument by Selective Reading sound like it.

These 2 sound very similar; what's the difference?

[ login to reply ] posted on Saturday, Jan 15, 2022 06:21:44 PM
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TrappedPrior (RotE) writes:
[To Ed F]

selective attention doesn't necessarily imply focusing on insignificant details. Just that part of an argument is responded to, and the rest isn't.

argument by selective reading also doesn't imply nitpicking (though it does include it); just that, if someone made several claims or arguments, the weakest one is taken as if it were the best one, so when it is refuted, you act as if all the claims/arguments were refuted.

[ login to reply ] posted on Sunday, Jan 16, 2022 07:39:43 AM
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Ed F writes:

You're right.  The Nutpicking Fallacy is something completely different.

I also saw discussion of Nitpicking--focusing on the inaccuracy of a specific detail in someone's argument and making a big deal out of it.   That sounds like a Red Herring fallacy because the intent of focusing on the detail is to distract from the issue being discussed  (example: the U.S. has wasted $2 billion on some project.   There should be more accountability.  Response:  "actually, it was $1.85 billion. You should get your facts straight.")

That's basically what nitpicking is.   My questions was slightly different;  the responder doesn't nitpik about the accuracy of some detail, such as a number, but rather focuses on a relatively insignificant part of the other's argument.   

Example:  We should support the proposed budget which will provide important services for our community.    Response:   It's a terrible proposal.  It doesn't do anything to address...(some relatively insignificant issue which the responder harps on at length).

posted on Saturday, Jan 15, 2022 05:58:55 PM