Begging The Question: Understanding A Commonly Misused Phrase

Improved Essays
‘A breath of fresh air’, ‘love is like a rose’, and ‘slept like a baby’, are all phrases that are immediately recognized as problematic clichés. Many words and phrases in the English language has either lost their original meaning, or has been replaced with something new and, at times, inappropriate. A classic example is from one of Aristotle’s thirteen fallacies; “begging the question.” “Begging the question” is a fallacy in which a type of rationalizing implicates an answer to a question with a questionable reply. However, it is being used today so that “beg” is interchangeable with “raise”, which totally alters the original meaning. Because of this, it has to be determined whether or not “begging the question” has lost its uniqueness of the text and has become just another problematic cliche of the English language. …show more content…
"Begging the question" is an old phrase that applies to an argumentative fallacy that is ““circular in nature.”” "Begging the Question vs. Raising the Question: Understanding a Commonly Misused Phrase." Shadesbreath Hubpage. Hubpages, 29 Sept. 2012. Web. 7 Oct. 2015. The circular nature is due to the conclusion of the argument being assumed, and the conclusion being found in the original basis of the argument. For example; “She thinks that he is unattractive because he is ugly.” The adjective "ugly" does not elaborate as to why the subject is "unattractive" because it implicitly amounts to the same meaning, but with the restatement of the thesis being the proof, making this a circular argument. However, if “raised the question” is used instead, it would suggest that people would want another question to follow up with the original question, therefore being continuous and not

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    This is done in order to prove the effects of rhetoric in everyday life. The author writes in a reasonable and logical way in order to persuade his readers of the accuracy of his claim and to persuade them to engage in reading and taking the advice contained in his book. Offence Chapters: Jay Heinrichs in the third chapter of Thank You for Arguing “Control the Tense”, expounds that all issues are subject to three reasons including blame, value, and choices. He demonstrates his argument by demonstrating how, “blame questions deal with the past, value questions deal with the present tense, and choice questions deal with the future.” (28).…

    • 777 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I started to appreciate how Aristotle’s Three Appeals are working as I was analyzing my reading selection. I believe that this exercise is the cornerstone for my project #1essay since I will base my analysis of the writer’s overall effectiveness on what I have learned and completed in this assignment. To write the rhetorical analysis in my project #1 essay, I will need to utilize Aristotle’s three appeals in addition to the writer’s purpose and intended audience to be able to evaluate whether his writing is effective or not. I would like to note that when I examined the writer’s logical consistency, I instantly saw how determining the function and purpose of each paragraph in my previous assignment has made me engage into reading critically…

    • 249 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Similarly, reaching a vast conclusion with less than stellar data is known as hasty generalization. The fourth is tautology or just repeating an idea or premise. The fifth is the allusion of choice, or false choice. The sixth logical sin is called red herring. This tactic involves brining up something completely unrelated distracting the audience.…

    • 1230 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Book about Rhetoric: is it Worth Reading? Jay Heinrichs is a New York Times best selling author thanks to his book, Thank You For Arguing; what Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach us about the Art of Persuasion . He is a leading expert in the study of persuasion and applies his knowledge of ethos, pathos, and logos to construct his position. Heinrichs also brings to play what he has learned from his 25 year long career as a journalist, as well as his lifelong study of rhetoric and applies it to his book.…

    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The study of rhetoric today is dying. Thank You for Arguing wants to change that. By introducing rhetoric as a useful everyday tool Thank You for Arguing hopes to revive the mass knowledge and use of rhetoric in everyday conversations. Thank You for Arguing is an excellent book and by giving excellent examples combined with emotion and tools to use logic in an argument it excels in introducing such a vague concept as rhetoric and should have continued use in schools. Thank You for Arguing, written by Jay Heinrichs in February of 2007, brings rhetoric into another light that appeals to the common person that continues to hold a place on Harvard’s top 10 reading list because of its value.…

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Reply to Objection 1: Parmenides, your notion of being is too strong. When it comes to the definition of being you provided, the idea that being cannot change is incorrect. Being can change while remaining the same, so the notion of something coming to be or passing away with change, would be incorrect, as I have stated in my response and given examples. Through potential and matter, nothing is coming to be or passing away, because it is still the same substance throughout. The form of the substance always had the potential to become the change, so nothing is coming to be and the substance is not passing away, but rather staying the same.…

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A Case For Rhetoric Debate and argument are a pinnacle foundation of speech in the world. Jay Heinrichs Thank You For Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion, is like the bible of rhetoric and argument. Heinrichs is a former editor of many different publishers including: Rodale Inc., and Dartmouth Alumni Magazine. His book, is the leading book in the introduction to rhetoric, and is used in thousands of classrooms every year.…

    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    A rhetorical analysis “breaks a work of nonfiction into parts and then explains how the parts work together to create a certain effect—whether to persuade, entertain or inform ” (“Rhetorical Analysis”). There are in fact many stakeholder organizations that implement this technique to effectively convey their argument through the use of several rhetorical appeals such as ethos, pathos, logos and kairos. Stakeholders are organizations or individuals who have a stake in or “care about any given issue, topic, or event” (Browning 45). One such organization is the Polaris Project which is “a leader in the global fight to eradicate modern slavery” (Bouchard).…

    • 1196 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Summer Reading Assignment: Thank You for Arguing The introduction of Thank You for Arguing covers a brief history of rhetoric, introducing its beginnings in ancient Greece and its impact on Roman orators. Jay Heinrichs details the effect of rhetoric on America’s founders, the principles used in the making of the Bible and the Constitution, and how it inspired Shakespeare and Cicero, as well as how rhetoric has faded since the 1800s. Heinrichs declares his purpose for writing Thank You for Arguing as to “lead you through this ill-known world of argument…to use logic as a convincing tool, smacking down fallacies and building airtight assertions” (Heinrichs 5). Heinrichs hooks his audience by using the very thing he teaches about: rhetoric.…

    • 743 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Logos, or the means of persuasion by use of reasoning, is a very effective rhetorical strategy that appeals to the reader’s logic. Not only is logos Aristotle’s favorite form of rhetoric but, it is the most widely used rhetorical form. Logos is composed of both inductive and deductive reasoning and in “Does the internet make you dumb” Nicholas car uses both to prove his thesis that the internet is turning us into “superficial and scatterbrained thinkers (Carr 218). He believes the internet is a huge distraction and is being overused.…

    • 831 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Over the last few months, I have read and annotated Thank You For Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson can teach us about the Art of Persuasion by Jay Heinrichs. After being a journalist and publishing executive for 25 years, Heinrichs is now the professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Middlebury College in Vermont and travels the world as a presenter and persuasion expert. Published in 12 languages and 3 editions, Thank You For Arguing is a New York Times bestseller, along with being one of the top ten books assigned at Harvard. My analysis of Thank You For Arguing made me uncover the lost art of rhetoric, the steps in creating an excellent persuasive speech, and identifying the three methods of persuasion in everyday arguments.…

    • 898 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    English is a never-ending language: I, myself just like others in the world feel the same way about the English language. The English language is very complex since it contains a numerous amount of pieces to connect for yourself to be successful with the language. There are lots of terms in our language that focus a lot on the Greek language. But the three terms we will be focusing on are quite significant in the English world. They are used in our everyday life that includes your thought process.…

    • 1359 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the first few weeks of ENG 1301, we’ve learned the significance of learning rhetorical skills while writing; specifically, the rhetorical triangle - also known as ethos, pathos, and logos appeals. Whether you need to beg your parents for more gas money, or you want to receive a raise from that revolting fast food chain you’re forced to work at to pay college tuition, these appeals are the foundation of persuasion and can move an audience in any which way the author pleases to do so. In order to be accepted into a community, one must deeply understand the overall purpose and interests of the group. Once this happens, you’ll be able to intuitively understand the discourse community’s way of communicating and interacting with one another.…

    • 1209 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Carrie Chapman Catt’s use of rhetorical question generates a feeling of certainty amongst her…

    • 1130 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    To explicate, the foundation of a rhetorical body of writing is its credibility,…

    • 802 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays