[LexBaird]

It isn't word play. It is precise meaning. "Would" does not mean the same as "could", and they are not interchangeable.

What you are committing is the logical fallacy commonly known as "begging the question", wherein your desired answer is assumed by the question you ask. If one accepts your premise, one must necessarily accept your answer, because you include it in your premise. Therefore, it is not a proper argument.

Here are three fallacious arguments with the same structure:

"Given that you beat your wife, have you stopped? Yes or no."

"Given that I am always correct, are you not wrong to disagree with me? Yes or no."

"Given that Lincoln's advisers told him X, which subsequent to the event proved so, didn't he know them to be correct before the event? Yes or no."

[carton253]

My word... it is not that hard.

Now instead of receiving an answer to my question of Tuesday, I am getting a lecture on the basics of critical thinking.

Goodness gracious... it would just have been easier to answer the original question.

There was no secret trap to blame Lincoln with starting the war... in fact, just the opposite is true.