Mr Surowiecki wins the inaugural Sagie Award for the correct use of "begging the question." LET ME EXPLAIN! https://twitter.com/JamesSurowiecki/status/1337077092706611201

The debate (a civil and useful one, what a thing) is whether or not the majority of Trumpist voters actually believe there was election fraud (Mr S) or just want to throw out Democratic votes as inherently illegitimate (Mssrs Sargent and Serwer.)

In the quoted tweet, Surowiecki (too many S names!) says that Sargent is asserting that those voters who *say* there was fraud don't really believe it, because they just think D votes are illegitimate.

What's his evidence for that claim? Well, you see, it's that Trumpist voters just believe that D votes are illegitimate! He's using the proposition to be proved as proof of the proposition! HE'S BEGGING THE QUESTION!

It's a common logical fallacy that many fine and upstanding people use, and needs to be described accurately, which we do with the phrase "Begging the question!"

Mr Surowiecki will be presented his award at a virtual ceremony because of the pandemic. Details to come.

(In case you care, my opinion on the merits:)

1) Other people's true motivations are unknowable
2) People believe what they want to believe, and seek for reasons post-hoc
3) The fact that the fraud claims are so ridiculously flimsy is evidence for the Serwer/Sargent view.