To beg the question has indeed meant to commit a logical fallacy of the
kind Martha Kolln and others have been illustrating.  I'm afraid that the
other meaning -- essentially, to raise the question -- is spreading like
wildfire, probably because it soundsd more elegant to say beg than raise.
I've had letters to the editor published on the subject.  My last one I
ended by more or less giving up but wishing that the press wouldn't hasten
the shift.  I wrote that, when a wave of ignorance starts sweepping across
this land, there is finally no stopping it, but that one doesn't have to
swim out to meet it.  So I am going to hold with "beg the question" as a
logical fallacy but reach deep into myself for reserves of charity to
direct to those who use it the other way.