Date: Sun, 14 May 2006 22:31:11 +0800
From: Simon Rudland
Subject: parallel usage of phrases

while I support your efforts to educate the masses on the philosophical
meaning of begging the question. I take issue with your position that
the common usage will somehow supplant it, leading to its extinction. I
see no reason as to why common use of the phrase begging the question
will stop its philosophical use from occuring. as long as both parties
are clear as to the usage of the phrase, there is no reason why either
use will result in confusion. in the case that there is confusion it can
be easily remedied by a simple explanation of which meaning is being used.

language is not a zero sum game. we can quite easily have an infinite
number of meanings for a synonymous phrase without losing its original
meaning. I would posit that when people employ the common usage of the
phrase 'begging the question' they are doing so because the modern
understanding of these words implies that previous writings warrant the
question at hand. this implies that the common usage of the phrase
'begging the question' stems from the fact that the words contained in
the phrase are synonymous to the ones in the philosophical phrase
'begging the question', not from a misunderstanding of the philosophical
usage of the phrase. it is merely fortuitous that the philosophical
usage had already come about and so the phrase was adopted out of
convenience.

anyway, as you can probably tell Im pretty bored, and look forward to
your comments.

regards,
Fboy