Begging the question
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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In logic, begging the question has traditionally described a type of logical fallacy (also called petitio principii) in which the proposition to be proved is assumed implicitly or explicitly in one of the premises.
Begging the question is related to the fallacy known as circular argument, circulus in probando, vicious circle or circular reasoning. The first known definition in the West is by the Greek philosopher Aristotle around 350 B.C., in his book Prior Analytics.
In contemporary usage, "begging the question" often refers to an argument where the premises are as questionable as the conclusion.
In popular usage, "begging the question" is often used to mean that a statement invites another obvious question. This usage is considered by some to be improper.
