Hello.
You're probably here because you (or someone else) said "That begs the question..."
And you are here to figure out what "Begs the Question" really means.
"Begs the Question" is a logical fallacy akin to circular reasoning.
So you're assuming what you want to prove... and trying to convince someone else of something.
It's an argument form that is invalid and tricky. It is used to convince people of things using shenanigans and deceit.
But that is not how most people use it...
Most people use it as "That prompts us to ask the question" in explanation of a series of events, to connect conditional propositions.
Don't get me wrong: It sounds good. It sounds academic because it was pinched from the halls of academia! (Philosophy / logic / debate, in particular).
But it is used incorrectly in the culture.
Naturally, I am on a quest to remove this blot on our cultural sophistication. Hence the domain.
So I would recommend that you choose from a different set of words you can use in lieu of the incorrect "that begs the question" form:
- That suggests we ask
- Therefore
- As a result
- In conclusion
- Before we go on
- Before we proceed
- Continuing
- Continuing that train of thought
- We can conclude
- As we can see
- As you can see
- It should be natural to see
- The astute observer will conclude
- If we continue that train of thought
- If we continue
There are many more! Which ones can you come up with?
If we work together and fight for the purity of "begs the question" in common parlance, we can save a national treasure!
Then imagine the joy when you use "begs the question" in its proper meaning and context.
Simply brilliant!
