Beg the question

Posted by John Gall on May 24, 2001

In Reply to: Beg the question posted by john on November 16, 2000

: The one meaning I find in the list is far different from whatI have been told this phrase means. Does anyone know another definition?

Though I do not have a definition of the phrase "beg the question, " I have heard used entirely differently. I have generally heard it used when a question is avoided: that begs the question.

When the question was asked for another definition to a phrase, my answer "begged the question" by not answering it. Since the meaning to the phrase (as I knew it) didn't match the meanings of the words, I looked up the definiton.

I hope somebody can shed some light on this phrase.

• Beg the question R. Berg 05/26/01