torturing BTQ

Jeff Wilson · 23 Jul 2009, 15:49 · from 2009-July.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at io.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:49:13 -0500
Subject: (urth) torturing BTQ
In-Reply-To: <05345EED82A744A8A4386A16532A453D@eMachinePC>
References: <c04.6495caeb.3796536e at aol.com><2C6039EAF3814649A6DB724C936B9E18@eMachinePC>	<4A67B477.6020406 at io.com>
	<05345EED82A744A8A4386A16532A453D@eMachinePC>
Message-ID: <4A688679.7090808 at io.com>

James Wynn wrote:
>>> Also, while Severian *says* he has perfect memory, it begs the 
>>> question "How does he know that?"
>>
>> BTQ abuse makes the Baby Theoanthropos cry.
>> http://begthequestion.info/
>> You can make a difference.
> 
> Thanks for not reporting my BTQ abuse to Logic Protective Services. ;-)
> 
> Still, while I can see how the term "begs the question" might be misused 
> ("Which begs the question, who made James a logician?") , it has never 
> been clear to me why "begs the question" is bad form to introduce a 
> question that *properly* illustrates an unsupported premise in a statement.

Because it was coined to refer not to a premise but a conclusion 
supported in a specific, fallacious way, that of circular reasoning. 
Sev's claim is supported in a different fallacious way, involving 
confirmation bias.

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
< http://www.io.com/~jwilson >

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