Academic Integrity: tutoring, explanations, and feedback — we don’t complete graded work or submit on a student’s behalf.

BEGGING THE QUESTION (PETITIO PRINCIPID: Roughly, assuming pretty much what you\

ID: 3503024 • Letter: B

Question

BEGGING THE QUESTION (PETITIO PRINCIPID: Roughly, assuming pretty much what you're trying to prove, or should be proving. Using premises in an argument that are as least as doubtful (hard to believe as your conclusion. A man gave birth to a baby girl! Here is an actual photo of him in the recovery Toom ight after his healthy new daughter was detivered. Maria betei Martorano) 40 2. Did you know that both Mayor Giulliani and President George W were abducted by aliens when they were younger? It's the lead story in t National Enquirer this week, and everything they say always proves Bush rord o true. (Daniel Grissom) proves to be 3. At the height of the Egyptian eivilization, Osiris was murdered into p breathed new life into them. So you see, ieces by his brother. His wife, Isis, put the and cut pieces back together and is a definite reality. (Erika Suarez) concusion 4. I had lunch with President Bush! Here's a picture of him sitting at the table he reserved for the two of us yesterday at the Rainbow Room, at Rockefeller Center. (Doyin Adebogu) 7 conulsn 5. On the news this morning they showed If y ou go to the station's website you can see a video clip of the tu rtle actually (Yverose Theodore) verose Theodore)ip of the turt of a acp towing a car. 7 Cas 6. If I were you I would never go near that haunted house near Mill Ridge Park again. Many people have seen human spirits near that area. (Vandana Magnani) 7. As Christians, why do we believe in God? Because we have faith. And how do we know that our faith is right? Because God loves us. (Colin Brayton)

Explanation / Answer

1. This statement is an instance of the fallacy of Petitio Principi as it assumes that the argument is intself the conclusion. It presents a weak evidence of the man’s relation with the baby girl as a father-daughter relationship based on their photograph together as the evidence. However, the man could very well be an uncle or another relative and not necessarily the baby’s father. So the reasoning presented here is false.