I&#x27;m not sure what you mean by that.  &#x27;rhetorical device&#x27; is a very broad category. Can you explain if you think that&#x27;s good or bad, and why?<p>dsp1234 made an argument that X, though not true, would lead to Y bad thing.  I agree that X is not true, but object strongly to the idea that it would lead to Y.<p>Are you pointing out that the X-&gt;Y argument is only for effect, because X is false?  I am aware of that, and I disagree with the effect, because I don&#x27;t think X-&gt;Y is at all plausible.  So I made a comment.