Lesson 6: Loaded Question

Spot the Faulty Logic #

You are playing a pickup game of basketball or soccer at the park. Your team loses, and a frustrated teammate looks at you and says, “do you hog the ball because you think you’re better than everyone else?”

Discussion: Talk with your teacher about this example. What might be the problem with the teammate’s question?

How/Why It’s Often Used #

People use the Loaded Question fallacy as a verbal trap. It is a way of sneaking an accusation or an insult into a conversation without saying it directly. The goal is to force you to admit to something you didn’t do, or to make you look guilty no matter how you answer. It is often used by someone who wants to control the argument. By asking a question with a “built-in” lie, they force you to defend yourself against the lie instead of answering the actual question. It puts you on the defensive immediately.

Loaded Question in Action #

Did you spot the faulty logic? #

The teammate isn’t actually asking if you hogged the ball; they are stating it as a fact. They are only giving you the ability to refute the reason for your supposed bad behavior. Answering the question whether you think you’re better than everyone or not traps you into accepting that you did in fact hog the ball.

Second Example #

A group of kids is planning a prank that you think is mean and dangerous. You say you don’t want to go. The leader of the group turns on you and says, “why are you scared of a little fun?”

The Flaw #

Are you scared of fun? Or is this bad thinking trying to force you into justifying yourself while deflecting from the real issue? The leader of this group should’ve asked why you didn’t want to go, giving you an opportunity to explain that you think the prank might be too mean or possibly dangerous. Instead, the reason is assumed and loaded into the question as fact.