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41ed3822... 2y ago

Begging the Question

This name for a logical fallacy is an interesting example of words having old meanings that are misunderstood today. People don't know the fallacy, and they unwittingly use this phrase in a totally different sense: "which begs the question...".

To understand this well, you have to know that "question" doesn't mean a grammatical question. It means a claim, argument, or conclusion. To beg it means to assume its truth without proof or supporting argument.

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41
41ed3822... 2y ago

The Latin phrase is petitio principii, which literally translates to "request for the principle". Example:

Suppose I believe that taxes are bad for the economy, and I say, "Every time taxes are raised, the economy suffers." I didn't support my belief with a proof, I assumed its truth; I requested that the principle be assumed valid; I begged the question.