What is a Strawman?

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
Please i would appreciate that my understanding is clarified in this matter also, a strawman argument, is one in which a person assigns to you values which you do not hold and have not professed and then proceeds to base an argument upon those fallacious values, is that not the case?

For example, someone may state that the process outlined in th ...[text shortened]... tended that they should be considered as six literal days but merely unspecified epochs of time.

I would agree with that understanding Robbie. Watch out for the dreaded Strawman!

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
For example, someone may state that the process outlined in the book of genesis could not have taken place because six literal days is geologically disharmonious, while the person who put forth the proposition never intended that they should be considered as six literal days but merely unspecified epochs of time.

Yes that would be a strawman. However, there are nevertheless times when an argument appears to be a strawman but isn't quite. Someone may claim that if genesis referred to six literal days then it is not possible because of various reasons, then he may not be giving a strawman argument. If the arguer accepts that his conclusion is conditional on the premise and does not claim that the defendant believes the premise then it is not a strawman.
However, such an argument may be virtually useless if nobody believes the premise.