Mafia Round 55- The Venture Brothers

[Final-Fan]

theprof00 said:

AstroGamer said:
Ah, so you are not lurking. Then I'll unvote you then.
"Count your chickens before they hatch" is a common idiom meaning deciding something before concrete proof is presented

no it does not mean that, but if that's your interpretation of it, then I can see where you're coming from. It's actually a justification for an action using the expected basis for it as leverage. But I digress.

I'm not entirely sure I understand what you mean, but if I do, I think you're also wrong about the phrase.  I don't think his description is quite right but it's closer than yours IMO.  It's more like assuming that an outcome will happen (and, commonly, using it as the basis of other things) before it is certain that the outcome will in fact happen.  Example:  running up credit card charges in the expectation of winning the lottery and being able to pay it off. 

What you describe sounds more like "begging the question" or circular reasoning.  I don't know if there's a traditional phrase that quite encompasses that sentiment, but it might fit inside the parameters of "putting the cart before the horse" while not being identical.