Manipulating hypotheticals 2.?

Question

Several questions ago I asked about the appropriateness of manipulating hypotheticals (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Al2tgGfK2tnd9ffbV7S7.yjsy6IX?qid=20061129032257AArF4fE) when the elements therein aren't very implausible. What I want to do here is give an example of the kind of manipulation I was thinking of, but my example will probably be controversial and offensive to some.

In the question, linked below, the asker, albeit without as much tact as perhaps he could have used, asked men how they would respond to women that are not sexually giving or receiving. My own answer was not the most respectful either. But my problem is that several respondents apparently assumed that the women were likely not as defined, and that the problem is likely one of a man not being "romantic" enough. While that's possibly true in most cases in real life, does not the asker have the right, even if insensitive, to ask a question using specific character models?

The fact is, there's little basis to support the notion that romance wasn't attempted, or that it was. Another point to be made about sexual relationships is that, while it's true no woman is obligated to have sex with a man, it is also true that men are not obligated to spend time with women that will not participate in sexual relations with them, with the obvious exception of relatives and coworkers, et al.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aj_X22ZY8k1DNZlsnOIfEWvsy6IX?qid=20061129024143AAIUGkr

Please tell me your thoughts.

I wish I didn't have to say "please tell me your thoughts," but some people are absolute simpletons when it comes to understanding when a question is asked in an inferential manner.

Answer 1

Specific models have their place. A college roommate of mine had a math question involving -- hypothetically -- the rate that a person falls when he jumps off of a building. Tactless, but the point was made.

I find it interesting that so many people were offended considering it seems to be offensive things ("Fear Factor," "Real World," Howard Stern) that attract people.