""Begging the question"?" Topic

I have always had a problem with the concept of "to beg the question".

For example…
In today's Google news, there are articles about the recent discovery of "DNA building blocks" in meteors.
link
Naturally, the article speculates on Earth being "seeded with life from Space", like Fred Hoyle did many years ago. Creation vs Evolution, blah blah blah.
Such speculation usually is intended to show that Life did not begin on Earth, but somewhere else. OK. I always assume that this "begs the question" of where the "DNA building blocks" came from in Evolution vs Creation argument.

My only question is if I am using the term "beg the question" correctly here.
I checked out the Wikipedia article on "begging the question", but was not enlightened.
In cases like this, I find examples of proper use to be more helpful than a strict definition.

Philosophically yours, John the OFM.
Now, use "Begging the question" in a wargaming context.

"Begs the question" = "If that's true, then what about…"

There are plenty of badly written rule sets to apply this to, I'm sure.

Everytime a friend of mine plays, his dice turn on him. This begs the question, why doesn't he just take every dice in his house into the back yard and burn the little multi-faced traitors?

From the experts

What is "Begging the Question?"

"Begging the question" is a form of logical fallacy in which a statement or claim is assumed to be true without evidence other than the statement or claim itself. When one begs the question, the initial assumption of a statement is treated as already proven without any logic to show why the statement is true in the first place.

A simple example would be "I think he is unattractive because he is ugly." The adjective "ugly" does not explain why the subject is "unattractive" -- they virtually amount to the same subjective meaning, and the proof is merely a restatement of the premise. The sentence has begged the question.
What is it Not?

To beg the question does not mean "to raise the question." (e.g. "It begs the question, why is he so dumb?") This is a common error of usage made by those who mistake the word "question" in the phrase to refer to a literal question. Sadly, the error has grown more and more common with time, such that even journalists, advertisers, and major mass media entities have fallen prey to "BTQ Abuse."

While descriptivists and other such laissez-faire linguists are content to allow the misconception to fall into the vernacular, it cannot be denied that logic and philosophy stand to lose an important conceptual label should the meaning of BTQ become diluted to the point that we must constantly distinguish between the traditional usage and the erroneous "modern" usage. This is why we fight.

Source begthequestion.info

I sit corrected… :-)

"All IGOUGO games are inherently lacking in realism". Is that an example, Teacher?

And my meteoric DNA example is incorrect, I suppose.

That begs the question, John.

Games query would seem to be correct using the premise that games are not realistic. A statement like All IGOUGO games run too long is a definite statement so would not be a begging question.

According to the experts the meteorite example is incorrect.

yes I do teach "English" here in Beijing but this issue has never come up. In an ESL class you just want the students to open up and talk.

John, with your fondness for correct language, you should love this link, as it will keep you lots of things to ponder

link

Is there going to be a test after?

My old timers disease must be kicking in, let me see if I understand.

Correct usage:
It begs the question, that you are wrong because I am right.

Incorrect Usage
It begs the question that are you wrong or what?

Creation vs Evolution, blah blah blah.
Such speculation usually is intended to show that Life did not begin on Earth

This begs for the question on how you make the leap from creation versus evolution (an incredibly stupid and pointless debate by folks who have no idea what science is and other folks who have no idea what faith is) to life no beginning on earth. HUH?
--
Tim

*I* don't make that leap. Others do. Thus the blah blah blah.