Hey, what’s up! So glad you’re back for another episode of the podcast!
So, the New Fallacy we’ll be talking about today is called the Loaded Question, or “asking a question behind a question”. It’s when you ask a question, but there’s another question hidden in it that you basically have to agree with in order to answer the question. I know…that sounds confusing. Let me give you some examples to help it make sense.
“Are you actually going to vote for this liar?” In order to answer this question with a yes or a no, you are sort of agreeing with the statement that he or she is a liar. So one question is loaded with another one behind it…usually one that’s unverified or controversial. These are the kinds of questions a lawyer might use when questioning a witness in a trial to get them to admit to something in a sneaky way.
How about this one: “Why is Spiderman so much better than Superman?” Regardless of how you answer this question, you’re automatically agreeing that Spiderman is better than Superman!
Or, here’s another version: “Is that the reason you don’t care about protecting the environment?” If you answer yes or no to this question, you’re automatically confirming that you don’t care about protecting the environment. The bottom line is this: a loaded question is a trap…and it’s really asking two different questions.
Here’s another example: “Have you finally stopped cheating on your taxes?” Whether you answer yes or no, you’re essentially admitting that you were cheating on your taxes.
With a loaded question, there’s no way to answer the question without agreeing that the hidden question is correct…whether it is or isn’t. This type of question puts the other person in a defensive position, b/c the assumption in the question could reflect badly on them or pressure them to answer in a way that they wouldn’t otherwise.
We see this kind of thing asked in press briefings and political debates all the time: "Do you think the President should be impeached for colluding with foreign powers?"
Whether the person replies with 'yes' or 'no' about impeachment, the way the question is asked establishes the quote/unquote 'fact' that the President colluded with foreign powers. The only question that remains is whether he should be impeached. The person being asked this question has to stay on their toes or they could be trapped answering a hidden question that they may not agree with.
In order to recognize a Loaded Question, you have to first be able to see the hidden question. To help you do that, ask yourself this: “Is this question assuming something else is also true? Is that other thing really true?” *repeat*
Alright, that’s it for the Loaded Question!
Remember: When you learn HOW to think, you will no longer fall prey to those who are trying to tell you what THEY want you to think and it all starts with asking one simple question: “Is that really true?”
