Begging the Question

What does it mean for an argument to “beg the question”? John Corvino explains.
Dr. John Corvino is a speaker, writer, philosophy professor, and Dean of the Irvin D. Reid Honors College at Wayne State University in Detroit. Read more at JohnCorvino.com.
John Corvino's Better Argument series was filmed at Wayne State University by James Wright and Mayabeth Jagosz, with funding from the American Philosophical Association.

[@fripptricky5099]

The way I used to describe this fallacy to my students back in the day was that the response begs me to ask the same question again. "My house is big." "How is it big?" "My house is big because it's huge." "Okay. How is it big, though?"

[@RYN988]

digging the new series! Go John!

[@krashcash]

This excellent clean and short content. Well done!

[@lynnedoyle2026]

phew, just watched four videos looking for an explanation. This was only one that made sense to me. Thanks.

[@RexCorpuscle]

'Assuming what you seek to prove'-spot on and much better than your first definition. Good examples. 'Evading the question' is not accurate.

[@danmaster333]

You nailed it!

[@m.n.executor1902]

thanks this finally makes sense to me

[@morganhazel2373]

Thanks homie

[@kieranpearson]

Is it paradoxical or ironic (definitely fallacious) that so many examples of logical fallacies beg the question of statism?

[@naserrahman1877]

0:31 definition

[@EaglePlaneAnchor]

100% of arguments, where spherical and/or rotating Earth is the conclusion, beg the question.

[@BrMiller]

How so?

[@EaglePlaneAnchor]

@@BrMiller They all begin with the presupposition of the earth being spherical and or rotating. The conclusion is assumed in the premise.

[@BrMiller]

@@EaglePlaneAnchor Aren't you begging the question? I asked how do 100% of spherical Earth arguments beg the question, then you just said the same thing, just using the definition of beg the question.

[@EaglePlaneAnchor]

@@BrMiller I don't think you are intelligent enough to have this conversation.

[@madman2u]

@@EaglePlaneAnchor Looks like you're trying to avoid being potentially proven wrong. If you don't want to address his question then you don't have to. It's however totally unnecessary to question someone's intelligence in this case.

[@williamr.lacerda8848]

A ventriloquist sophistic performer: He mixes logical arguments to say what appeals to the self delusions.

[@pootzeketzi1233]

Wdym

[@Sisyphus40]

I think this is an example of a false dilemma. Just because 'beg the question' means to assume the truth of a premise in dispute does not mean it can't also mean to raise a question earnestly. For example The government curtailed immigration for reason of national security but this begs the question as to whether immigration is bad for national security. 'is immigration bad for national security?' is the question being earnestly brought forward? If a senator's reply is that 'we have to do everything we can to protect national security.' Then we can see the second meaning. we can also say that the senator has begged the question in that he assumed the disputed premise. We can have two very different meanings and still make sense of what is being said. A certain F'word seems to demonstrate this very well. My copy of the OED provides for both meanings.

[@ALbaraa2X]

this is VAMP⭐!!! what are the chances.

[@LookOutForNumberOne]

Thank you for using the bible to show the fallacy. I will use this on one of my videos.

[@silentghost751]

Why

[@AztecWench]

Would've been better to use the koran...

[@LookOutForNumberOne]

@@AztecWench Same zhit.

[@Call_me_T.H.]

Atheists- "The Bible isn't the word of God."
Christians-"Why not? What evidence do you have that it isn't?"
Atheists-"Because how do we know it is without evidence?"
😂😂😂

[@bluepurpleandscarlett9885]

Using the argument from the Bible as an example of begging the question actually *begs the question* that the Bible is not what it says it is. Looks like you committed the very fallacy you're explaining while explaining it.

[@Micahthe_great]

So true!!!!

[@markriffey8899]

It’s a lost cause. Like explaining to people how "I could care less" means the exact opposite of what they intend to say. Just give up.

[@apawstate]

It drives me nut when otherwise great RUclips channels don't know what begging the question means, They need to stop trying to sound smarter and just say "raises the question."

[@wayneyadams]

I am sick of you atheists using the Bible in your examples, the specific purpose of which is to ridicule religion. How about using one of the thousands, if not millions of other logical fallacies available.

[@silentghost751]

The Bible is the word of God