I don't remember if Good word discusses phrases.
There is a phrase "it begs the question". I know what it means. Apparently hardly anyone else does. In common discussion this phrase is used as if it means "this leaves this question to be discussed." In reality it means something like "What does that have to do with anything?"
Question
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- Great Grand Panjandrum
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Question
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.
- call_copse
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Re: Question
I think there are two uses of begging the question:
a) To "beg the question" is to put forward an argument whose validity requires that its own conclusion is true.
b) An informal usage that seems to mean 'this brings up the question'.
An example of a) would be:
The order and magnificence of the world is evidence of God's Creation.
Therefore, we know that God exists.
Essentially if I say you have begged the question I am saying you have employed circular reasoning to reach your conclusion.
The informal usage seems to mean almost anything these days!
a) To "beg the question" is to put forward an argument whose validity requires that its own conclusion is true.
b) An informal usage that seems to mean 'this brings up the question'.
An example of a) would be:
The order and magnificence of the world is evidence of God's Creation.
Therefore, we know that God exists.
Essentially if I say you have begged the question I am saying you have employed circular reasoning to reach your conclusion.
The informal usage seems to mean almost anything these days!
Iain
- call_copse
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