Fallacy · Changing the subject
Red herring
Also called: Changing the subject
Bringing in a different issue to pull attention away from the one being discussed.
What it is
A red herring is a distraction. The new topic may be interesting or even important, but it is not the question on the table, and answering it leaves the original question unanswered. The name comes from the old story of dragging a smoked fish across a trail to throw dogs off the scent.
An example
Asked why the school trip went over budget, the organizer says, “Let’s not forget how much the children learned.” That may be true, but it does not explain the budget.
How to spot it
After the reply, ask yourself: was the original question actually answered?
How to answer it
“That matters too, and we can come back to it. But first, about the budget…”
When it is not a fallacy
Raising a second issue is fair when it bears on the first, or when both sides agree to set the first aside for now. The fallacy is using it to leave the original question unanswered.
Printable sheet of all fallacies
Cite or share this page
A plain reference you can paste into notes or an essay:
Quest2Reason. “Red herring.” https://quest2reason.com/learn/ideas/fallacies/red-herring. Accessed 13 November 2026.