Begging the podcast question

Last week I misused a common phrase I thought I understood. But fortunately David Dawson let me know I was confused. The phrase is, “beg the question.”

Foolishly, I took it to literally mean asks the question or raises the question. But this is not the case. To “beg the question” is to assume what still has to be proved. A statement that “begs the question” is one that based on a questionable assumption. For example the statement, “Fax machines will probably be full color by 2010,” begs the question will fax machine even be in use in 2010?

David, thanks for setting me straight on “begging the question.”

I you are interested in an 800+ word, in depth analysis of “beg the question” check out the Wikipedia entry.