Just Asking Questions
"Just Asking Questions" is a pseudoskeptical tactic often used by conspiracy theorists to present false or distorted claims by framing them as questions. If criticized, the proponent of such a claim may then defend themselves by asserting they were merely asking questions which may upset the mainstream consensus. The name of the tactic is therefore derived from the typical response of "I'm not saying it was necessarily a conspiracy; I'm just asking questions." In The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, Steven Novella distinguishes JAQ from scientific skepticism by explaining that:
An early usage of the tactic can be found in Bertrand Russell's essay 16 Questions on the Assassination, which insinuated that American president John F. Kennedy was assassinated by someone other than Lee Harvey Oswald. JAQ as a tactic to justify pseudoarcheological claims was popularized by the Swiss author Erich von Däniken and the American TV show Ancient Aliens, and became further prevalent with the rise of the internet.
Works cited
Category:Framing
Category:Communication of falsehoods