Reply #23: Bollix. [View All]

[Englander]

Really, if you don't want to give a serious reason, or want to
continue with the absurdities, & rhetorical questions, then that's
fair enough.

Examples of rhetorical questions;

"When did you stop beating your wife?"

or

"OR do you think they (terrorist groups) should still continue to use human shields? It is good that Israel is not doing it any longer, but the other side should continue its use?"

or

" Israel is far from perfect, but what nation is? So why the extreme hate for this nation? Terrorism is always wrong, or is it? Or does it just depend on the victim?"

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Helpful advice on how to spot rhetorical questions (it's satire);

Mr. Gradgrind's
Literal Answers to Rhetorical Questions

People commonly ask empty rhetorical questions that rarely receive any sort of sensible answer. When you have had your surfeit of poetical whimsy and are ready for some good, hard facts, come here to be set straight.

The world would be much improved if those engaging in windy musings were more often brought up short by a nice, sharp definition or a pointed rebuke. Even the fantastical William Shakespeare, asking himself "Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day?" goes on (admittedly at excessive length) to list a number of reasons for answering in the negative.

Of course, some questions are so ill-framed as to admit of no sensible answer. Example: Where have you been all my life? It so happens that this question has never been addressed to me; but if it were I should be at a loss to detail the many addresses at which I have resided and worked during the span of existence of some other person, even if I knew that person's precise date of birth. Such idle musings are best ignored.

However, one can learn much by discovering facts that provide satisfactory answers to questions one might suppose at first glance to be pointless. This page is devoted to the pursuit of such answers.

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/gradgrind.html