h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

entry!
Circular reasoning is often employed by lawyers as well. To paraphrase what T. da Ponte said:

You know the result as that is what you want.
You formulate the result into a general idea.
You declare the generalisation to be the premise.
Then you turn the premise into the matter itself.


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This is similar to the field of Statistics. In my 1st year in a Computer Science degree, the Statistics lecturer (civil servant background) recommended the book "How to lie with Statistics" as a "Must Read". She then went on to introduce methods of exaggeration "to get the budget you want". Observe the field of financial product selling and marketing. Their information is frequently referred to by the media as "massaged figures". In other words, be corrupt, be a liar in order to win as long as no one important is able to pin those accurate labels on you.