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Complex question that contains a controversial assumption
- A loaded question is a form of complex question that contains a controversial assumption (e.g., a presumption of guilt).
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A loaded question is a form of complex question that contains a controversial assumption (e.g., a presumption of guilt). Such questions may be used as a rhetorical tool: the question attempts to limit direct replies to be those that serve the questioner's agenda. The traditional example is the question "Have you stopped beating your wife?"
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To reply to a loaded question, you should first recognize that the question being asked is loaded, and then either reject the problematic presupposition, point out the fallacious reasoning involved, or refuse to answer the question.
- Diet Pills. "When are you going to admit these diet pills are a waste of money?" Such questions imply that the pills are ineffective and that the person should admit it, thereby putting them in a defensive position regardless of their opinion on the product's effectiveness.
- Career Choices. "Why are you still stuck in that dead-end job?" Leading questions like this assume that the job is a dead-end, which may not be the case or might be a matter of personal opinion.
- Marriage Status. "When will you settle down and get married like a normal person?" This assumes that getting married is the 'normal' thing to do and implies that the individual is abnormal for being single.
- Environmentalism. "Don't you care about the planet?" This question assumes that if you disagree with the asker’s view on environmental issues, you don't care about the Earth.
Jun 10, 2024 · A loaded question is one that contains an embedded assumption. Answering a loaded question without reframing it implies agreement with the question’s assumption. For this reason, asking loaded questions is considered a manipulative, underhanded debate tactic and a form of logical fallacy.
Jul 8, 2024 · What is a loaded question? A loaded question makes you accept something as true before you answer. It often shows a bias or assumption, and can expose hidden feelings or thoughts.
Mar 1, 2022 · A loaded question is a question that contains an accusation or unjustified assumption. Answering the question directly makes it appear that the target has accepted the accusation or assumption. As such, a loaded question is essentially a trap.
Thus, a loaded question is one that you cannot answer directly without implying a falsehood, an unproven allegation, or something that you deny. For this reason, the proper response to such a question is not to answer it directly, but to either refuse to answer or to explicitly reject the question.
