Logical Fallacies — 11/27

                       Logical fallacies are errors in reasoning that makes an argument invalid or unsound. One type of logical fallacy is loaded question. A loaded question contains an unjustified assumption about someone in order to make them look guilty and to weaken their character. The question is usually answered in a "yes" or "no" format, so people often find themselves in a trap and they feel compelled to defend themselves, which can make them appeared flustered. For example, the question can be, "Are you still cheating on me?" If the person answers "yes" then they admit to the cheating. If they answer "no" then it implies that they have cheated in the past before, but stopped doing it. Using loaded question is effective because the question can throw your opponent off when you ask them about a false claim you made up about them. This makes them look bad because they are denying what you have said. You can see loaded questions in debates, advertisements, editorial cartoons, and even interviews. In a 60 Minute show in 1996, Madeline Albright, a UN Ambassador, regretted answering a loaded question. She was asked a question regarding the US sanctions against Iraq; her interviewer said, "We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that is more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?"Albright said, "I think that is a very hard choice, but the price, we think, the price is worth it." The question threw her off and made her say something she didn't mean to say. She later reflected on herself and wished she challenged the question instead.