please explain "begs the question"

[StealthPolarBear]

How should it work, as there should be no question after it?? I don't understand but I want to

It is an abbreviated form of 'it begs [requires] the question to be asked' [which will explain the situation which has arisen].

right, so can you give me an example?

"DS there are toys all over the floor and toothpaste in your bed, which begs the question"

Does that work? Seems unfinished to me :o

NO - it does need a question on the end, eg: "DS there are toys all over the floor and toothpaste in your bed, which begs the question: what have you been doing with yourself since I sent you up here to tidy up?"

JackieNo is correct. :)

Not to be confused with 'it begs belief' which means, obviously 'it is very implausible'

English is a fun old language eh?

WMMC - isn't it 'it beggars belief'?

Prolesworth - could you explain a bit more about the original meaning, please - I didn't understand .

Jackie - I believe both as accepted forms. But 'beggars' is very confusing for people and so people nowadays tend to say 'begs'.

my brian hurts
I got the opium induces sleep stuff
i.e. you haven't answered the question, you've just rephrased it - the question is still there to be answered
Aha you've avoided the question!
I get it now
:o

In fact DS does this all the time.
"DS why have you not tidied your room?"
"Because I haven't"

He's actually very very bright :o

Prolesworth - thank you, I think that makes sense now.

WMMC - ah, I see. Sorry - I've never heard 'begs belief', but I can well believe that people would say it - I think I'd assume that people were just, you know, wrong .

I think it depends if you are using the phrase colloquially or in it's original meaning (ie with reference to the logical fallacy).

With the tidying the room scenario, you should probably include the question at the end for clarity.

But if someone makes a poorly thought out argument in a discussion/debate with circular reasoning, you can criticise it for 'begging the question' without having to spell out what question it is begging.

Actually, in the wikipedia article linked to above, it does state that your use of this phrase is considered incorrect and the phrase you probably want is "raises the question" but I don't suppose that really matters when asking your DS to tidy his room... .