The  following  argument  illustrates  the  fallacy  of  simple
iteration  by  means  of  the  rhetorical  question :

I.   The  State  should  establish  an  old-age  pension  system ;  for
A.   Is  it  not  the  duty  of  the  State  to  establish  such  a  sys-
tem?

The  following  argument  illustrates  the  fallacy  of  simple
iteration  by  means  of  a  difference  in  phraseology :

I.   The  State  should  establish  an  old-age  pension  system ;  for
A.  An  old-age  pension  system  should  most  certainly  be
established  by  the  State.
The  Fallacy  of  Iteration  by  Generalization.  —  Another
common  form  of  begging  the  question  is  found  in  the  fallacy
of  iteration  by  generalization.  This  type  of  fallacy  is  one  in
which  a  conclusion  to  be  proved  is  used  to  prove  itself  by
being  repeated  in  the  form  of  a  more  inclusive  general  state-
ment.
The  following  argument,  for  example,  contains  the  fallacy
of  iteration  by  generalization  :


Fallacy  109

I.   The  Panama  Canal  should  be  placed  under  international
control;  for

A.  All  such  canals  should  be  placed  under  international
control.
This  type  of  fallacious  argument  closely  resembles  per-
fectly valid  reasoning  from  generalization ;  and  yet  it  dif-
fers from  valid  reasoning  in  the  fact  that  it  introduces  into
its  premise  no  new  term  that  might  serve  as  a  middle  term
in  a  full  syllogism.
To  constitute  valid  argument  from  generalization,  some
new  term  would  have  to  be  introduced  into  the  premise,  as
in  the  following  argument :

I.   The  Panama  Canal  should  be  placed  under  international
control ;  for

A.  All  straits  and  canals  that  serve  as  necessary  high-
ways of  the  world's  commerce  should  be  placed
under  international  control.
