Tuesday, January 16, 2018

expressions - Is there a phrase for "assuming facts to be correct in a statement"?

There is a kind of error or fallacy I often see, which is close to "Begging the Question", but I understand that the true meaning of "Begging the Question" is closer to "circular reasoning".



The fallacy I see can be seen in the following sentences:




  • "Because the official language of the USA is English, it should be the priority in schools".

  • "Why are nightmares more common in children than adults?"

  • "How do humans know when they're being watched?"




All of those sentences take as a given something which may or may not be true. English isn't the official language of the USA and so on.



So, is there a definitive word or phrase for that type of statement or question?



In a court a lawyer might say "assuming facts not in evidence"...

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