Meaning of begging the question | Babel Free

Definitions

A logical fallacy in which a premise of an argument contains a direct or indirect assumption that the conclusion is true; offering a circular argument; circular reasoning.

uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“It is an instance of begging the question⟳ to argue⟳ that God can only do good deeds because God is good.”

“But the thing which is called begging the question⟳, is the making use⟳ of the very point⟳, that is the thing in debate⟳, or the thing to be proved, as an argument to prove⟳ itself. […] It is called begging the question⟳, because it is a depending as it were on the courtesy of the other side, to grant me the point⟳ in question⟳, without offering any argument as the price of it.”

“We now turn⟳ to four particular fallacies that describe⟳ special kinds of unacceptable premises. The first two – begging the question⟳ and inconsistency – are important because they identify⟳ arguments where it is unnecessary even to ask⟳ whether its premises are acceptable. […] An argument begs the question⟳ when its premises presuppose, directly or indirectly, the truth of its conclusion. […] Begging the question⟳ is sometimes referred to by its Latin name⟳: petitio principii. Begging the question⟳ typically arises when we want⟳ to defend⟳ some strongly held conviction, yet have⟳ difficulty in finding reasons that will persuade⟳ others of its truth.”

“The begging-the-question fallacies are flawed because they assume⟳, in a variety of ways, the truth of the conclusion in their premises. Hence, the premises provide⟳ no good reason⟳ to accept⟳ the conclusion.”

CEFR level