Loaded Question
Category: Rhetorical Device
What is it?
A loaded question contains a controversial or unjustified assumption that the respondent may not accept, but which they are forced to implicitly accept by directly answering the question. It's a form of complex question that combines multiple questions into one.
Examples
'How do you think the government's failed policies have affected you?'
'When did you stop wasting taxpayer money?'
How to Avoid This
Separate your questions from your assumptions. Ask neutral questions that don't presuppose a particular answer or force the respondent to accept unstated premises.
How to Counter This
Identify and challenge the embedded assumption: 'Your question assumes the policies have failed, but I don't accept that premise.'