Incorrect English usage #1: "Begging" the Question

Prepare for the pedants' revolt!

I've lost track of how often I've heard journalists, both in print and on screen, incorrectly using the phrase "it begs the question...." or "which begs the question...."


It seems as though modern usage has started employing this phrase to refer to something along the lines of : "this raises the question...." or "this leads us to wonder why...." or "this has effect of leading us to question...."

It tends to be used mostly by TV journalists, many of whom have erroneously used "begging the question" on BBC economics bulletins for the main news. In print it has popped up all over the place:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-17599082

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00qhwdz

http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_9698000/9698827.stm

Ah yes, the BBC - affectionately known by the British as "Auntie, and even lending its name to that supposed apex of grammar and pronunciation, "BBC English" -  is one of the prime culprits. In the House of Commons extract above it is Shadown Health Secretary Andy Burnham who reveals his ignorance.

They are, of course, all completely wrong in their usage. "Begging the question" is a logical fallacy, occurring when an argument is employed that assumes its own premise. Known in Latin as the petito principii, or "assuming the initial point".

Wikipedia gives a pretty good definition of it. It's also known as a 'circular argument', although that is fractionally different.

Madsen Pirie's fine book "How to Win Every Argument" (which doesn't actually tell you how to win every argument, just explains all the logical fallacies) gives a few apocryphal examples:

"I didn't do it, sir. Smith minor will vouch for my honesty".
"Why should I trust Smith minor?"
"Oh, I can guarantee his honesty, sir".

Or another common one:
"We know about God from the Bible; and we know we can trust the Bible becuase it is the inspired word of God".

You get the picture.

I've taken the BBC to task for failing to uphold the meaning of "begs the question". I wonder if anyone from other English-speaking countries has noticed something similar. Is it becoming part of American English? Surely not Indian English? Wikipedia claims that "begs the question" is becoming so widespread in place of "raises the question" that one should avoid using the expression altogether; or else admit defeat and accept the two expressions as being indistinguishable.

I beg to differ! If the two are so similar why not just use "raises the question" if that's what you intend? All it would take would be for the BBC and its journalists to apply the fundamentals of logic (and grammar) to broadcasts. Surely that isn't asking too much? But I suppose that begs the question of whether they even understand what it is they're applying.....