Begging the Question

The term “begging the question” is used frequently by corporate executives, politicians, and journalists, in commentaries on subjects ranging from quarterly earnings to the federal deficit. Unfortunately, almost to a man (or woman), they don't seem to know what it means. What it does not mean is what they're using it to mean: raising a question. Ms. Picky recently heard someone say: 

“The financial crisis begged the question ‘Were our regulations sophisticated enough to keep up with our financial innovation?’”

The speaker could have said “raised the question,” but chose not to, perhaps because he was under the mistaken impression that saying “begged the question” made him sound more scholarly or intellectual than he would otherwise have sounded. It is unfortunate that such pundits, who sometimes offer worthwhile insights into politics or finance, do not pay so much attention to the clarity of their communications as they do to the clarity of their analysis!

The term “begging the question” comes from philosophy and is an example of what is called a “logical fallacy”—an error in reasoning. This particular logical fallacy (“begging the question”) occurs in assuming a statement to be true without any other evidence than the statement itself.

One example of this type of logical fallacy might be:

“He’s stupid because he’s not very smart.” 

The “proof”—that “he’s not very smart”—is simply a restatement of the   premise—that “he’s stupid.” The sentence has “begged the question”—in the kind of circular logic that embodies the correct usage of the phrase.

Before parroting a trendy turn of phrase, speakers and writers should first do their homework and find out what it means; diving into unknown waters often ends badly.

Of course, if they still like the sound of the phrase “begging the question,” they should feel free to use it—the next time they take Philosophy 101.