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Loaded question

A question that embeds a disputed assumption and pressures any direct answer to accept it.

Published 04 August 2026Updated 04 August 2026

A loaded or complex question packages an unsupported presupposition into the wording, such as asking when someone stopped doing something not established. Respond by separating and challenging the hidden assumption before answering the remaining question.

Sources

Fallacies (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy / 2024 / Website

Canonical philosophical treatment of fallacy types.