Within Informal Logic
Is That Point Relevant or a Distraction?
A vivid side issue can feel persuasive while leaving the original claim unanswered.
On this page
- How red herrings redirect attention
- When a side issue is actually relevant
- Practical tests for spotting topic drift
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
A red herring is an informal fallacy in which a speaker responds to an issue by introducing a different issue that sounds important but does not actually answer the original question. The diversion may be dramatic, emotional, morally charged, or only loosely related to the topic under discussion. What makes it fallacious is not that the new topic is uninteresting; it is that the original claim remains unaddressed. In everyday disagreements, workplace discussions, media interviews, and political debates, red herrings can create the impression that a response has been given when the central issue has merely been displaced. As a result, conversations often become longer and more heated while making little progress on the question that started them. [Internet]WikipediaInternetThe Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP… Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Within the broader family of informal fallacies, red herrings are usually treated as fallacies of relevance. The key problem is not whether the side issue is true or false, but whether it is relevant to the conclusion or criticism under examination. [stanford]plato.stanford.eduEncyclopedia of Philosophy FallaciesStanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyFallacies - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophyby H Hansen · 2015 · Cited by 422 — One division of inf… Encyclopedia of Philosophy [Scribbr]scribbr.comWhat Is a Red Herring Fallacy?| Definition & ExamplesApr 5, 2023 — More specifically, it is a fallacy of relevance: it concerns arguments or statements that seem relev…
How Red Herrings Redirect Attention
The mechanism is deceptively simple. Someone raises a claim, criticism, or question. Instead of engaging with it, another person introduces a new topic that captures attention and shifts the direction of the discussion.
Consider this exchange:
- Person A: “The report shows that our project missed its deadlines. Why did that happen?”
- Person B: “The team worked extremely hard and put in many unpaid hours.”
The second statement may be true and may deserve discussion. Yet it does not answer the question about missed deadlines. The conversation has moved from performance to effort.
Red herrings work because human attention is limited. Once a vivid alternative issue appears, people often begin debating the new topic instead of noticing that the original question remains unresolved. Researchers and theorists of informal logic have long treated this kind of diversion as a relevance problem: the audience’s focus is redirected away from the point that required evaluation. [Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]plato.stanford.eduEncyclopedia of Philosophy FallaciesStanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyFallacies - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophyby H Hansen · 2015 · Cited by 422 — One division of inf…
Several features make red herrings especially persuasive:
- Emotional force: A side issue involving fairness, loyalty, danger, or personal hardship can feel more urgent than the original topic.
- Moral appeal: Shifting from evidence to virtue often changes the audience’s priorities.
- Narrative attraction: A compelling story can be easier to follow than a technical argument.
- Topic proximity: The distraction is usually related enough to seem relevant at first glance.
Because the diversion often sounds connected to the discussion, listeners may not immediately recognise that the reasoning has changed tracks. [Purdue OWL]owl.purdue.eduOWLLogical FallaciesPurdue OWLLogical Fallacies - Purdue OWLRed Herring: This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposing…
Why the Diversion Often Feels Like an Answer
One reason red herrings are effective is that people naturally associate related topics. If a discussion concerns environmental regulation, employment, national identity, or public safety, many neighbouring issues are genuinely connected. A speaker can exploit those connections to move the conversation.
For example:
- Claim: “Is this chemical safe for consumers?”
- Response: “If we ban it, many workers could lose their jobs.”
Job losses might be a legitimate policy concern. However, they do not establish whether the chemical is safe. The question has changed from a safety assessment to an economic assessment. Unless the shift is made explicit, the audience may mistake a new debate for an answer to the original one. [Purdue OWL]owl.purdue.eduOWLLogical FallaciesPurdue OWLLogical Fallacies - Purdue OWLRed Herring: This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposing…
This explains why red herrings are not always blatant attempts to deceive. People often introduce them unintentionally. A speaker may genuinely believe that the side issue matters more than the original question. The reasoning is still defective if the response leaves the initial claim unanswered. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRed herringRed herring
When a Side Issue Is Actually Relevant
Not every change of topic is a fallacy. Real-world arguments frequently require context, and additional considerations can sometimes reveal that the original question was framed too narrowly.
Suppose a discussion begins with:
“Should this road be widened to reduce traffic?”
A participant might raise environmental damage, construction costs, or pedestrian safety. These points introduce new issues, but they are directly relevant to the decision being made. The scope of the discussion is expanding rather than being diverted.
A useful distinction is this:
- Relevant expansion: Adds considerations that bear on the original conclusion.
- Red herring diversion: Replaces the original issue with a different one.
The difference depends on whether the new information helps evaluate the claim under discussion. Informal logic emphasises relevance as a central standard for assessing arguments. A contribution can be important, true, and interesting while still failing that relevance test. [stanford]plato.stanford.eduEncyclopedia of Philosophy FallaciesStanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyFallacies - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophyby H Hansen · 2015 · Cited by 422 — One division of inf… Encyclopedia of Philosophy [Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]plato.stanford.eduEncyclopedia of Philosophy FallaciesStanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyFallacies - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophyby H Hansen · 2015 · Cited by 422 — One division of inf…
A Quick Comparison
Relevant contribution
- Question: “Did the policy reduce crime?”
- Response: “Crime statistics before and after implementation show a decline.”
The evidence addresses the claim.
[Red herring]WikipediaRed herringRed herring
- Question: “Did the policy reduce crime?”
- Response: “The policymakers worked very hard and care deeply about the community.”
The response shifts attention to intentions rather than results.
In the second case, the original question remains unanswered.
Practical Tests for Spotting Topic Drift
Red herrings are easier to detect when attention is kept on the exact claim being discussed.
Ask: What Was the Original Question?
After hearing a response, restate the issue in one sentence.
If the conversation began with “Is the evidence reliable?” and ends with “Are the critics trustworthy?”, there is a good chance the discussion has drifted.
Ask: Does This New Point Affect the Conclusion?
A simple test is to imagine the side issue being completely true.
Would that truth make the original conclusion more likely?
If not, the point may be irrelevant. Informal logic often frames relevance in terms of whether premises genuinely support the conclusion being defended. [The Fallacy Files]fallacyfiles.orgThe Fallacy FilesLogical Fallacy: Red HerringRed Herring is the most general fallacy of irrelevance. Any argument in which the premisses…
Ask: Has the Burden of Discussion Changed?
Red herrings frequently replace one burden with another.
For example:
- Original burden: explain a factual claim.
- New burden: defend a person’s character.
- Original burden: justify a policy’s effectiveness.
- New burden: discuss the motives of opponents.
When the required defence changes, topic drift may be occurring.
Return to the Unanswered Claim
A practical response is not to debate the distraction immediately. Instead, bring the discussion back to the unresolved issue:
- “That may be important, but how does it answer the original question?”
- “Before we discuss that, can we finish evaluating the evidence?”
- “What connection does that point have to the claim under debate?”
These questions force the relevance relationship into the open.
Common Places Where Red Herrings Appear
Red herrings are especially common in situations where a direct answer would be difficult, costly, or embarrassing.
In personal disagreements, they often appear as counter-complaints:
- “You forgot to pay the bill.”
- “Well, you never clean the garage.”
The second complaint may be legitimate, but it does not address the first.
In public debate, red herrings frequently emerge when evidence is weak. Discussion shifts from facts to motives, symbolism, identity, or unrelated controversies. Because these themes attract attention, they can dominate media coverage even when they leave the central issue unresolved. [Purdue OWL]owl.purdue.eduOWLLogical FallaciesPurdue OWLLogical Fallacies - Purdue OWLRed Herring: This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposing…
In organisations, they may appear during performance reviews, project assessments, or policy discussions when participants redirect attention from measurable outcomes to peripheral matters.
Why Recognising Red Herrings Matters
The damage caused by a red herring is not merely confusion. It changes what is being evaluated. Once the discussion shifts, the original claim can escape scrutiny altogether.
Arguments improve when participants distinguish between relevant context and genuine diversion. A conversation may broaden, introduce new evidence, or reconsider assumptions without becoming fallacious. The critical question is always the same: does the new point help answer the issue under examination, or does it merely draw attention away from it?
That question keeps the focus on relevance, which is the central weakness in a red herring argument. When the answer is no, the apparent response is not really a response at all. [Scribbr]scribbr.comWhat Is a Red Herring Fallacy?| Definition & ExamplesApr 5, 2023 — More specifically, it is a fallacy of relevance: it concerns arguments or statements that seem relev… [Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy]iep.utm.eduInternet Encyclopedia of PhilosophyFallaciesRed Herring. A red herring is a smelly fish that would distract even a bloodhound. It is also…
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Endnotes
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Title: Encyclopedia of Philosophy Fallacies
Link: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/fallacies/Source snippet
Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyFallacies - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophyby H Hansen · 2015 · Cited by 422 — One division of inf...
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Source: scribbr.com
Title: What Is a Red Herring Fallacy?
Link: https://www.scribbr.com/fallacies/red-herring-fallacy/Source snippet
| Definition & ExamplesApr 5, 2023 — More specifically, it is a fallacy of relevance: it concerns arguments or statements that seem relev...
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Source: plato.stanford.edu
Title: Encyclopedia of Philosophy Informal Logic
Link: https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2016/entries/logic-informal/Source snippet
red herring” arguments, which are common in ordinary discourse. In contrast with classical logic, both the AV and ARS criteria assess...
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Ignoratio Elenchi (Irrelevant Conclusion); Straw ManIn disputations, the use of a red herring fallacy is an attempt to redirect attention...
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Source: plato.stanford.edu
Title: Encyclopedia of Philosophy Informal Logic
Link: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/logic-informal/Source snippet
Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyInformal Logic - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophyby L Groarke · 1996 · Cited by 97 — Informal logic...
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Title: OWLLogical Fallacies
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Purdue OWLLogical Fallacies - Purdue OWLRed Herring: This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposing...
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Title: Red herring
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_herring -
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Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InternetSource snippet
InternetThe Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: List of fallacies
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallaciesSource snippet
List of fallaciesRed herring fallacies. edit. A red herring fallacy, one of the main subtypes of fallacies of relevance, is an error i...
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Title: Stanford University
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_UniversitySource snippet
Stanford Universitya private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Le...
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FallacyA fallacy is the use of invalid or otherwise faulty reasoning in the construction of an argument that may appear to be well-rea...
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Stanford UniversityAt Stanford, our mission of discovery and learning is energized by a spirit of optimism and possibility that dates to...
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stanford.eduinformal-logicThe account of argument that results establishes the criteria for good causal arguments, arguments by analogy...
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Title: logic informal
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Logic - Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyNov 25, 1996 — Its account of logical methods discusses fallacies, syllogisms, definitions, de...
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Senate votes to extend COLLEGE...
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Source: philosophy.lander.edu
Title: nature fall
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Nature of FallaciesInformal fallacies are considered one type of inductive argument rather that a separate category differing from deduct...
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Understanding Fallacies: Errors in ReasoningDec 9, 2025 — When reasoning goes wrong in a recognizable, patterned way, logicians call it a...
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Title: Red Herring
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af0STrY58i4Source snippet
The "Red Herring" Fallacy Explained in 2 Minutes...
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Red Herring Fallacy: Anuj Shah...
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Title: Red Herring Fallacy: Anuj Shah
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Red herring fallacy critical thinking arguments Red Herring - Critical Thinking Fallacies | WIRELESS PHILOSOPHY Wireless Philosophy...
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Internet Encyclopedia of PhilosophyFallaciesRed Herring. A red herring is a smelly fish that would distract even a bloodhound. It is also...
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Title: red herring fallacy
Link: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/rhetorical-devices/red-herring-fallacy/Source snippet
, ExplainedJun 2, 2022 — The red herring fallacy specifically involves using that irrelevant claim to redirect the discussion and avoid a...
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Link: https://www.fallacyfiles.org/redherrf.htmlSource snippet
The Fallacy FilesLogical Fallacy: Red HerringRed Herring is the most general fallacy of irrelevance. Any argument in which the premisses...
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Red Herring. A red herring is a smelly fish that would...Read more...
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Title: Why are so many athletes transferring from Stanford?
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Ambiguity, Red Herring, Straw ManFeb 13, 2026 — The fallacy lies in the assumption that there are only two mutually exclusive options, wh...
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Source: critikid.com
Link: https://critikid.com/red-herringSource snippet
Red herringA red herring is a distraction in an argument. You commit this fallacy when you shift to a related-sounding but irrelevant poi...
Additional References
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Link: https://www.thomism.org/logic/fallacies/index.html?name=Informal_FallacySource snippet
Informal FallacyHedging Fallacy · [No True]({{ 'no-true/' | relative_url }})... Relevance Fallacy · Ignoratio Elenchi · Quantum Physics Fallacy · Red Herring... • Interne...
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Source: bartleby.com
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When all the logical fallacies go for a walkInternet Encyclopedia of Philosophy · No photo description available... Typical fallacies of...
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Source: philosophyalevel.com
Title: Philosophy A Level Informal Fallacies: 15 Common Examples of Faulty
Link: https://philosophyalevel.com/posts/informal-fallacies-examples/Source snippet
Informal Fallacies: 15 Common Examples of Faulty...May 31, 2023 — The Red Herring fallacy involves diverting attention from the main top...
Published: May 31, 2023
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Source: logicallyfallacious.com
Link: https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/blog/how-to-spot-the-red-herring-fallacy-in-argumentsSource snippet
teps the original issue and replaces it with a distracting side...Read more...
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Source: actuary.org
Title: Here is a description of the most common types
Link: https://actuary.org/article/irrationally-yours-an-introduction-to-logical-fallacies/Source snippet
Irrationally Yours—An Introduction to Logical FallaciesMar 1, 2021 — Logical fallacies are, at best, flawed logic, but more commonly are...
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Source: press.rebus.community
Link: https://press.rebus.community/intro-to-phil-logic/chapter/chapter-4-informal-fallacies/Source snippet
Fallacies – Introduction to Philosophy: LogicInformal fallacies are so called because their errors lie not in their logical form...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/270238449806612/posts/1961009704062803/Source snippet
cting away from the original topic that is being discussed. This is...
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Source: informallogic.ca
Title: Classification of Fallacies of Relevance!
Link: https://informallogic.ca/index.php/informal_logic/article/download/2133/1577Source snippet
Informal Logicby D Walton · 2004 · Cited by 31 — A key difference cited is that in a case where the red herring fallacy has been committe...
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Source: markmanson.net
Title: 8 Logical Fallacies That Mess Us All Up1
Link: https://markmanson.net/logical-fallaciesSource snippet
Correlation Is Not Causation · 2. [Slippery Slope]({{ 'slippery-slope/' | relative_url }}) Fallacy · 3. False Dichotomies · 4. Begging the Question · 5. Red Herrings · 6. Appeals...
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