description

The term "red herring" refers to a practice of scattering old fish around a field during fox hunts to throw the dogs off the scent. In other words, they were a distraction, intended to derail progress.

We still use the term today to refer to an argument strategy that has a similar aim. Red herrings are statements that do not truly support the conclusion. They are commonly elaborate, sometimes containing bucketloads of facts, none of which truly bear on the conclusion.

example

"We should legalize cocaine. After all, caffiene is legal."