Attacking the Example
Definition
A rhetorical tactic in which a person avoids addressing the main argument by focusing criticism on a simplified example or hypothetical used to illustrate the point. The opponent treats the illustrative scenario as if it were the full claim, diverting attention from the substance of the argument.
Purpose
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To derail the argument without engaging the underlying reasoning
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To portray the opponent’s position as weak by exploiting the simplicity of the illustration
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To shift the debate to less defensible details
Example
Person A: “Most productivity comes from a small portion of daily tasks, like the most important one or two jobs on your list.”
Person B: “That’s unrealistic. People don’t only do two tasks per day!”
Instead of responding to the principle (disproportionate outputs), Person B attacks the unrealistic nature of the example.
Why it’s misleading
Hypotheticals are designed to clarify, not serve as perfectly literal representations. Attacking the example creates an illusion of rebuttal without touching the core claim.