The Red Herring Fallacy: Don’t Get Distracted!

In this video, we break down the red herring fallacy — one of the most common (and most misused) fallacies in everyday arguments. We’ll look at what a red herring actually is, where the term comes from, how it shows up in modern debates, and why identifying it can get tricky in real-world conversations.

What we cover:

• The definition of a red herring
• The 1807 William Cobbett origin story
• Classic examples (including ad hominem & appeal to tradition)
• Political examples using the Epstein files discussion
• Why irrelevant details aren’t always fallacious
• The tension between exegesis and steel-manning
• How red herrings differ from straw men
• Takeaway: A red herring fallacy occurs when irrelevant information is used to distract from — or covertly support — a conclusion.