why is it called a straw man argument
Straw man The term's origins are unclear. The usage of the term in rhetoric suggests a human figure made of straw that is easy to knock down or destroyâ€”such as a military training dummy, scarecrow, or effigy.[8] A common folk etymology is that it refers to men who stood outside courthouses with a straw in their shoe to signal their willingness to be a false witness.[9]
Evelyn Beatrice Hall In The Friends of Voltaire, Hall wrote the phrase: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"[4] (which is often misattributed to Voltaire himself) as an illustration of Voltaire's beliefs.[5][6][7] Hall's quotation is often cited to describe the principle of freedom of speech.