Many Questions

Disciplines > Argument > Fallacies > Many Questions

Description | Discussion | Example | See also

Description

Ask many different questions. They may be related with a central theme. They may also be unrelated.

Example

When and where will you expect me to be and how often do you want this to happen and what will be the time of day and which weeks?

Tell me what you want to do next, and then let me know what we can do tomorrow. I want to know from you exactly what you think about the show we did and also which way it is to the middle of town and whether we should go there today or tomorrow. Oh, and, do you want pizza for tea or will David be home this evening?

Discussion

When listening to a complex question or statement, we have a limited ability to understand everything. This causes confusion and we will may stumble through a partial answer or say nothing, letting the speaker pick up again and perhaps answer the question in the way they want, or just to continue.

If unrelated questions are asked, the effect is multiplied as the listener not only tries to remember them but also make sense of them with regard to the relationship between them.

Classification

Attack, Distraction

Also known as

Plurium Interrogationum