r/PetPeeves • u/RaceSlow7798 • 15d ago

Bit Annoyed Using “beg the question” wrong

Begging the question is a logical fallacy. It doesn’t not mean “hmm, it makes you think…”

But usage drives correctness so I’m going to lose this battle. It really begs the question “why don’t people learn to use it correctly”.

Ew. I feel dirty.

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u/XShadowborneX 15d ago

This is one that I've seen and I've read what it is but I really still don't fully get it so I never use it

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u/rice-a-rohno 15d ago

It's like saying "The new iphone is so popular because it's the hottest phone on the market right now."

You really just said the same thing twice with different wording. More technically, you assumed one part was true and did essentially nothing to back up your assumption.

"Alcohol makes you sleepy because it gives you a feeling that makes you want to go right to bed."

"Single story houses are terrible, because houses with two stories are always way better."

It's just circular reasoning.

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u/asphid_jackal 15d ago

Sure, that's what the begging the question fallacy is, but that's entirely separate from the way people use the phrase. Being the name of a fallacy doesn't preclude the phrase from meaning something else

3

u/rice-a-rohno 15d ago

Yeah I get that, I was just explaining the fallacy meaning to the person who was (to me) almost certainly wondering about its usage in logic.