# Why do people decline to discuss hypotheticals?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-decline-to-discuss-hypotheticals/510217>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [September 15, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-decline-to-discuss-hypotheticals/510217 "2009-09-15T19:57:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-decline-to-discuss-hypotheticals/510217/21 "2009-09-16T02:25:36Z")

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> [@Frylock](#):
>
> I don’t want to hijack the thread, but I do want to know the reasoning that arrives at that conclusion. (Not in order to argue against it. I just want to know it.)

So as not to hijack this thread see: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11129429&postcount=92](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11129429&postcount=92)

If you want to continue that discussion let me know if you start a new thread (not sure if that one counts as too old to be revisited).

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-decline-to-discuss-hypotheticals/510217/22 "2009-09-16T02:37:50Z")

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> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#):
>
> Either people fail to grasp the supposed analogy between the real and the hypothetical or they disagree what the nature or extent of the relationship is. Or maybe they don’t think there’s any conclusion to be drawn from your hypothetical at all and then where are you? Best case scenario is that you’re dealing with another lazy thinker who accepts your hypothetical situation as legitimately related to the real topic, but that’s still no guarantee there’s any reasonableness to it.

I sometimes use weak hypotheticals that sound profound when faced with uncritical thinkers. Yeah, shooting fish in a barrel. I know. Sue me.

Some people though, the types who are just dogmatic and will not engage, can usually be stumped by a hypothetical that would never get by the people here.

After beating my head against their idiocy I toss one out that tends to end the “debate” because they have no response for it. Not that a response doesn’t exist, just one they will never clue in to.

I know better than to try that here or with some of my friends or family as they’ll bust me in a second for it. On occasion though it can be pretty satisfying to get one by. 😃

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**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-decline-to-discuss-hypotheticals/510217/23 "2009-09-16T02:38:32Z")

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**prr** , in your last post you’ve moved the goalposts. I gave a reason why **twickster** would not want to answer to hypothetical situations and you responded why it is not a reason. I rebutted why it is a reason and your next response was giving a reason why discussing hypotheticals can be useful. I never said it couldn’t. What I argued for was the existence of a valid reason why someone would not want to answer to hypothetical situations and stick to the original situation.

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