LSAT Practice Test

When someone uses a circular argument where the conclusion is embedded in the premise, they are committing the fallacy of...

1. strawman

2. loaded question

3. appeal to authority

4. begging the question

The correct answer is: begging the question

When someone uses a circular argument where the conclusion is embedded in the premise, they are committing the fallacy of begging the question. Begging the question occurs when the conclusion of the argument is already assumed in one of the premises, making the argument logically invalid. A strawman fallacy involves misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack. A loaded question is a question that contains an assumption that is designed to lead people to a certain answer. An appeal to authority fallacy involves referencing an authority figure as evidence in an argument. In this case, the correct answer is D, begging the question, because the circular argument leads back to its own assumption without providing any real evidence or support.