Petitio Principii (Noun)
Meaning
The logical fallacy of assuming the conclusion in the premises; begging the question.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The professor accused the student of committing a petitio principii by assuming the very point he was trying to prove in his argument.
- The petitio principii in the argument was so subtle that many of the audience members did not notice it.
- By defining happiness as a product of one's wealth, the economist was committing a petitio principii in his argument for the benefits of capitalism.
- The petitio principii in the advertisement's slogan, 'The best taste is a result of the best ingredients,' was a clever way to deceive consumers.
- The petitio principii in the argument that God exists because the Bible says so, and the Bible is reliable because it is the word of God, was not lost on the philosopher.