That is an extra point that gets thrown into a debate that really has nothing to do with the debate, and people often attack or defend this side point vehemently. Sometimes someone may knowingly insert red herrings to derail a debate either because they have nothing to argue, or they want the other side to make fools of themselves.
The term probably originated with fishing tournaments. It might be a bass tournament, but they would add a fish of another larger species of fish into the stocked pond just to make things more interesting. Then someone would catch the red herring or whatever instead of the largest bass or trout, and they would think they won. But the judges would see right away that they caught the deliberately planted decoy.
The fallacy of irrelevant reason is sometimes called the red herring fallacy. It involves diverting attention away from the main issue by introducing an irrelevant argument or point.
A logical fallacy that diverts listeners or readers from the real issue to an unrelated matter is referred to as a red herring.
In a debate about the importance of funding education, bringing up a completely unrelated topic like climate change to divert attention from the main issue would be an example of the logical fallacy called a red herring.
A red herring is a statement designed to deflect attention by bringing up an unrelated or irrelevant point. There are a number of different forms, including one entitled "association fallacy" which attempts to falsely discredit an argument by association. Example : "My opponent says he is in favor of smaller cars for everyone, and so was Adolf Hitler when he commissioned the Volkswagen."
"We let go of a lot of our employees and used that money for increased executive compensation, and it was a tough decision, but the right one. Sales are booming once again and everyone's looking forward to the company picnic. Remember to get your company key ring when you leave the meeting."
The color of the herring in the idiom "-herring" is red.
Not just in medical terminology, but in general a red herring means that it is a clue that leads you in the wrong direction.
James Red Herring was born on 1896-03-19.
James Red Herring died on 1974-05-07.
Use a herring on the grand tree.
"The burgler placed her neighbors glove at the scene as a red herring."
The red herring fish and the ones you hear about in mystery books are actually one in the same. A red herring (mystery) got it's name because in older times, when a crime was committed, police used dogs to follow a scent, and the criminal would drag a red herring to throw off the dog's sense of smell and lead the police in the wrong direction. A red herring in a mystery is designed to throw the reader off the real answer.
Red herring is the Prospectus which converts into Red herring prospectus from Draft for red herring Prospectus after getting observations, and suggestions from SEBI, which is to filed and made available to SEBI, Stock Exchanges, and to Public, under the process of Initial Public Offering
"The city council is using the rezoning issue as a red herring to divert our attention from the budget deficit." "The report about rebels had been a red herring, because the attack had been staged by the dictator's own troops." "During the Watergate investigation, one promising lead turned out to be a red herring provided by the White House."
A 'red herring' is a false lead or clue, intended to lead the investigators in the wrong direction.
The first clue was a red herring, designed to intentionally detour the treasure hunters.
A red rooster