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Anonymous Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

"begs the question"

In my education course, there's a lesson focus about teachers aiming for asking the right questions to foster effective learning. There are examples of wrong questions, along with the problem being identified with and suggested revision of the question. Here's one:

Topic: Civil Rights
Question: How did we win the fight for civil rights?
Problem: Begs the question
Revision: What are basic human rights and how can they be protected?

I don't understand the phrase "begs the question"? What does it mean? and in this context? Thank you ahead for your reply.
  

Top answer

Question: How did we win the fight for civil rights? This question is based on the assumption that we have won the fight for civil rights, when in fact many people would argue that the fight is not finished. In other words, the assumption requires proof .

— Clive

  • Question: How did we win the fight for civil rights?
  • This question is based on the assumption that we have won the fight for civil rights, when in fact many people would argue that the fight is not finished.
  • In other words, the assumption requires proof .
  • Clive
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8 Answers
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Question: How did we win the fight for civil rights?

This question is based on the assumption that we have won the fight for civil rights, when in fact many people would argue that the fight is not finished. In other words, the assumption requires proof.

Clive
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Thank you, Clive. Now I understand in this context what that phrase implies. But I guess I also want to understand the phrase by itself: "Begs the question". So is the phrase inverted then? In a usual sentence, would it bet equivalent to "The question begs...[for proof]"?
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Anonymous But I guess I also want to understand the phrase by itself: "Begs the question". So is the phrase inverted then?
No. It's 'This begs the question'.
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AnonymousI also want to understand the phrase by itself
The syntax and the meaning of the phrase "It begs the question" has already been explained above, but I'd like to add that there is a very common misuse of the phrase which you may hear. Some people might call it a second definition. In this misuse (or alternate definition) the phrase means, "It causes
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No, don't think of it that way. Think of it as another, unusual meaning of the word 'beg'.
look here at 'beg the question', meaning 1.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beg
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CalifJim In this misuse (or alternate definition) the phrase means, "It causes us to ask the question ..." or "It immediately brings to mind the question ...".
The error is using "begs the question" for "raises the question".
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Incorrect use of "begs the question" now seems more common than correct use, at least in the UK, and I would guess that most native speakers do not understand the correct use. I fear that the fight to preserve the correct meaning may be already lost.
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GPYIncorrect use of "begs the question" now seems more common than correct use, at least in the UK, and I would guess that most native speakers do not understand the correct use. I fear that the fight to preserve the correct meaning may be already lost.
Exactly. If in doubt, check out the link that Clive gave, referencing Definition 1. Take a look at Definiti
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