Am I slow or what?

Whatever it refers to assumes facts not in evidence, or errors in the assumption of facts.

It specifically does not mean that that to which it refers to raises a question. The phrase is more often misused than not.

Begging the question is a type of "fallacy". A fallacy is an error of reasoning. To beg the question is to assume a proposition that, in reality, involves the conclusion - assuming as a fact something which you are trying to prove. It is often (some say erroneously) called "circular reasoning". There is a Latin name for the error, "petitio principii". It is called "begging the question" because the person who commits the error is "begging" the listener to accept the "question" (proposition) before the labour of logic is undertaken.

Examples:

Parallel lines will never meet, because they are parallel.

Bill: "God must exist."
Jill: "How do you know."
Bill: "Because the Bible says so."
Jill: "Why should I believe the Bible?"
Bill: "Because the Bible was written by God."

Interviewer: "Your resume looks impressive but I need another reference."
Bill: "Jill can give me a good reference."
Interviewer: "Good. But how do I know that Jill is trustworthy?"
Bill: "Certainly. I can vouch for her."

The classic example of begging a question is "Have you stopped beating your wife?" There is a premise assumed here--that one beats one's wife--which has not been demonstrated. Whether the person questioned answers yes or no, that person accepts the premise that he beats his wife, or once did so. Good answers to such a question would be "I've never beaten my wife," or, simply, "I don't have a wife."

The question being begged is whether or not one beats one's wife. The question assumes that one does beat one's wife, even though no evidence has been presented.

No, you're not slow, Janinerine, but these pedants surely are though.

"greatly misused", what utter nonsense. Words, phrases and idioms mean what speakers of English say they mean. There are thousands of words and idioms whose meanings have changed over the centuries and these pedants aren't whining about those changes.

The most common meaning for 'beg the question' is 'raises the question' or 'demands that that question be asked'.

Doctors, lawyers, scientists, engineers, ... all have special meanings for words that are not used in everyday language.

Your freaking slow.

How about you pay attention in school dumbass?

This aint no tutoring seesion.

How about you going back to English 101?

actually, this is a tutoring session...

Excuse me Mam, but how about you choke on my erect penis?

My English is fine, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ROCKY. My man!

Well, it shouldn't be.

Huh? How convoluted!

I agree with JTT.

I don't think Jane eats pulled pork, stink...

Never said she did.

But she's about to eat hard dick.

In your dreams, goof.

In my pants, bitch.

What are you, 14? You're such a dweeb. But that's okay - lots of other dweebs like you around here.

What are you, 12? What the **** is dweeb?

You want some dick too Mame? All you gotta do is ask, babe. No need to get jealous and feisty on me.

<YAWN>

Ha.

Oooo. She already got that mouth open for me.