A brief personal rant
“Begs the question” does not mean the same as “raises the question,” though it is increasingly being used that way.
Merriam-Webster defines “begging the question” as “to pass over or ignore a question by assuming it to be established or settled.” In other words, it means that you’re stating as fact what you are trying to prove. For example, Brian Klems is funny because he writes humorously. The conclusion is that Brian is funny. The premise assumes that he writes humorously. There’s no evidence in the statement that supports the claim that he’s funny. Therefore, the sentence should read: Brian Klems is funny because he writes humorously, but that argument begs the question of whether he writes humorously or not.
The term “begging the question” is just circular reasoning, so be sure to use the phrase only when that circular reasoning is being applied. If it’s not, use “asks the question” or “raises the question.”
Writers Digest
Amen.