Would these be good examples of circular reasoning or begging the question?
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Original Question
Would these be good examples of circular reasoning for why ferrets should be legal to own in NYC?
The freedom of every pet owner to make decisions for their own family is essential in a democracy because democracies value freedom of choice.
New Yorkers are smart people, and the city government should allow its citizens to use their own judgment in deciding who to love.
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Answers
1I don't think circularity is the problem. The argument is basically that since X values freedom, then freedom should be expressed. The problem is with equivocation . "Freedom" is one of those political buzzwords that means everything and nothing at the same time. The word has no useful meaning in rational discourse. For example, conservatives claim to value freedom, but when it comes to the freedom of women to choose to get an abortion, they don't like freedom. If a society does value freedom, then it doesn't follow that people should be free to rape each other. This is because freedom to say carry a gun is very different from freedom to rape (thus the equivocation).
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It does look like begging the question to me.
By the way I suspect you do not have to argue that it is legal. It is your opponents who have to argue that it is illegal.