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Jackson6612 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Circular argument
Begging the question (or petitio principii) is a logical fallacy (mistake, error) in which the proposition (a point to be discussed or proved) to be proved is assumed implicitly (directly) or explicitly (indirectly) in the premises (assumptions, postulates). Begging the question is related to the fallacy known as circular argument, circulus in probando or circular reasoning. The first known definition in the West is by the Greek philosopher Aristotle around 350 BC, in his book Prior Analytics.
The phrase is also commonly used to indicate that some crucial questions are relevant to the topic at hand. For example: It begs the questions, (1) how did he do it, and (2) why? This use, however, has nothing to do with the fallacy.
Question 1:
Now I'm sure Jack stole my wrist watch. But it begs the questions, (1) why did he do it, and (2) how? I have been giving him a handsome pocket money. What thing made him to do such a cheap act.
Am I understanding it correctly?
"That begs the question" is an appropriate reply when a given argument depends on what it is trying to support, and as a result, the proposition is being used to prove itself. For example: "Why am I the boss? It's because I call the shots around here." "Of course I had a reason, or I wouldn't have done it." "I didn't steal it. I'm no thief!"
Question 2:
S/he is not using the line The begs the question in her/his reply. Rather s/he is simply starting with ''Why am I the boss?''
To cast abortion as a solely private moral question,…is to lose touch with common sense: How human beings treat one another is practically the definition of a public moral matter. Of course, there are many private aspects of human relations, but the question whether one human being should be allowed fatally to harm another is not one of them. Abortion is an inescapably public matter.
Question 3:
Is the phrase whether one human being should be allowed fatally to harm another alluding to killing of fetus? Moreover, I would have written, whether one human being should be allowed to harm another fatally, instead. Is my way also correct?
To beg the question does not mean "to raise the question." (e.g. "It begs the question, why is he so dumb?") This is a common error of usage made by those who mistake the word "question" in the phrase to refer to a literal question. Sadly, the error has grown more and more common with time, such that even journalists, advertisers, and major mass media entities have fallen prey to "BTQ Abuse."
Question 4:
To me beg the question also means to raise a question. The given text would make a perfect sense even if the expression it beg the questions is substituted with it raises the questions.
Now I'm sure Jack stole my wrist watch. But it raises the questions, (1) why did he do it, and (2) how? I have been giving him a handsome pocket money. What thing made him to do such a cheap act.
To see the differences between axion, fact, postulate, assumption, etc., check the given webpage:
http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/64481.html
The phrase is also commonly used to indicate that some crucial questions are relevant to the topic at hand. For example: It begs the questions, (1) how did he do it, and (2) why? This use, however, has nothing to do with the fallacy.
Question 1:
Now I'm sure Jack stole my wrist watch. But it begs the questions, (1) why did he do it, and (2) how? I have been giving him a handsome pocket money. What thing made him to do such a cheap act.
Am I understanding it correctly?
"That begs the question" is an appropriate reply when a given argument depends on what it is trying to support, and as a result, the proposition is being used to prove itself. For example: "Why am I the boss? It's because I call the shots around here." "Of course I had a reason, or I wouldn't have done it." "I didn't steal it. I'm no thief!"
Question 2:
S/he is not using the line The begs the question in her/his reply. Rather s/he is simply starting with ''Why am I the boss?''
To cast abortion as a solely private moral question,…is to lose touch with common sense: How human beings treat one another is practically the definition of a public moral matter. Of course, there are many private aspects of human relations, but the question whether one human being should be allowed fatally to harm another is not one of them. Abortion is an inescapably public matter.
Question 3:
Is the phrase whether one human being should be allowed fatally to harm another alluding to killing of fetus? Moreover, I would have written, whether one human being should be allowed to harm another fatally, instead. Is my way also correct?
To beg the question does not mean "to raise the question." (e.g. "It begs the question, why is he so dumb?") This is a common error of usage made by those who mistake the word "question" in the phrase to refer to a literal question. Sadly, the error has grown more and more common with time, such that even journalists, advertisers, and major mass media entities have fallen prey to "BTQ Abuse."
Question 4:
To me beg the question also means to raise a question. The given text would make a perfect sense even if the expression it beg the questions is substituted with it raises the questions.
Now I'm sure Jack stole my wrist watch. But it raises the questions, (1) why did he do it, and (2) how? I have been giving him a handsome pocket money. What thing made him to do such a cheap act.
To see the differences between axion, fact, postulate, assumption, etc., check the given webpage:
http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/64481.html
Top answer
, 1. Yes, that is a correct use of the incorrect application ("indicating that some crucial questions are relevant to the topic at hand"). 2.
- , 1.
- Yes, that is a correct use of the incorrect application ("indicating that some crucial questions are relevant to the topic at hand").
- 2.
- You're right.
- Those are examples of "begging the question" in its correct application (the logical fallacy).
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8 Answers
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Hello J.,
1. Yes, that is a correct use of the incorrect application ("indicating that some crucial questions are relevant to the topic at hand").
2. You're right. Those are examples of "begging the question" in its correct application (the logical fallacy).
3. Your wording is fine. The phrase refers to the killing of the foetus, but the speaker deliberately presents it
1. Yes, that is a correct use of the incorrect application ("indicating that some crucial questions are relevant to the topic at hand").
2. You're right. Those are examples of "begging the question" in its correct application (the logical fallacy).
3. Your wording is fine. The phrase refers to the killing of the foetus, but the speaker deliberately presents it
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Hi MrP.,
MrPedantic1. Yes, that is a correct use of the incorrect application ("indicating that some crucial questions are relevant to the topic at hand").How is it an incorrect application?
MrPedanticJackson"That begs the question" is an appropriate reply when a given argument depends on wha
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Hello J.,
"To call the shots" is "to make the important decisions".
Thus in this example:
1. "Why should you be the boss?" "Because I call the shots!"
is equivalent to:
2. "Why should you be the boss?" "Because I am the boss."
The respondent's argument is therefore "circular".
If you were studying philosophy, you would use the phrase
"To call the shots" is "to make the important decisions".
Thus in this example:
1. "Why should you be the boss?" "Because I call the shots!"
is equivalent to:
2. "Why should you be the boss?" "Because I am the boss."
The respondent's argument is therefore "circular".
If you were studying philosophy, you would use the phrase
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Thank you, MrP. You missed the following questions. Please have a look
MrPedanticJackson''To cast abortion as a solely private moral question,…is to lose touch with common sense: How human beings treat one another is practically the definition of a public moral matter. Of course, there are many private aspects of human relations, but the questio
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Hello J.,
1. The "fatally" is not incorrect, but it is a little unusual, and quite awkward. I would guess that the speaker wants to avoid a split infinitive ("...to fatally harm...").
4. "Obsolescent", because now, if you use "begging the question" in its original sense, unless you are among philosophers, you will probably have to explain that you don't mean "raising a q
1. The "fatally" is not incorrect, but it is a little unusual, and quite awkward. I would guess that the speaker wants to avoid a split infinitive ("...to fatally harm...").
4. "Obsolescent", because now, if you use "begging the question" in its original sense, unless you are among philosophers, you will probably have to explain that you don't mean "raising a q
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MrP., thank you very much for investing your valuable time in helping me.
MrPedantic1. The "fatally" is not incorrect, but it is a little unusual, and quite awkward. I would guess that the speaker wants to avoid a split infinitive ("...to fatally harm...").It is atrociously awakward. I have never seen any such structure. Can you elaborate on how this str
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<thank you very much for investing your valuable time in helping me>
My pleasure!
<Can you elaborate on how this structure is correct? >
In some situations, for special emphasis, you might want to put the adverb in an awkward place:
1. I agree that we should sometimes be allowed to drink tea. But the question as to whether we should be allowed
My pleasure!
<Can you elaborate on how this structure is correct? >
In some situations, for special emphasis, you might want to put the adverb in an awkward place:
1. I agree that we should sometimes be allowed to drink tea. But the question as to whether we should be allowed
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Jackson6612 What does I call the shots around here? Does shots mean influential persons? I have heard the term big shots but not shots.Just as an aside, I think this draws from the game of pool, or pocket billiards; referring to the requirement that high level players must "call their shots," declaring their intention to, eg.,
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