05-27-2017, 12:21 PM
To beg a question means to assume the conclusion of an argument—a type of circular reasoning. This is an informal fallacy, in which an arguer includes the conclusion to be proven within a premise of the argument, often in an indirect way such that its presence within the premise is hidden or at least not easily apparent.
The term "begging the question", as this is usually phrased, originated in the 16th century as a mistranslation of the Latin petitio principii, which actually translates as "assuming the initial point".
The original phrase used by Aristotle from which begging the question descends is [phrase in Greek rejected by Phorum software] "asking for the initial thing."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question
Probably best to avoid using the phrase in any context.
The term "begging the question", as this is usually phrased, originated in the 16th century as a mistranslation of the Latin petitio principii, which actually translates as "assuming the initial point".
The original phrase used by Aristotle from which begging the question descends is [phrase in Greek rejected by Phorum software] "asking for the initial thing."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question
Probably best to avoid using the phrase in any context.