LESSON 18 INTRODUCTION TO THE

ART OF ARGUMENT

Writer’s Prompt:

Respond to the following statement and argue your point of view:

Due to crime sprees, serial murders and domestic disputes, gun ownership should be forbidden in the United States since it is directly linked to these acts of violence. All guns should be banned by federal and state law in the USA. Japan and Great Britain have laws banning guns and the incidences of violence in those countries is quite low.

Assignments

• Read in Read, Reason, Write, “A Hanging,” by George Orwell on page 701• Answer # 3 under Questions for

Reasoning• Answer #2 under Questions for

Reflecting and Writing

• Argumentative Essay Due – TBA• Midterm - TBA

How not to Argue

THE ART OF ARGUMENT

The Art of Argument

The Art of Argument

A way to think logically and analyze issues in an informed manner

A way of organizing a conversation or essay

Tools to use to analyze and examine an existing argument or to create a new argument

The Art of Argument

Takes a Stand on an Arguable Issue – not a factual issueClass starts at 3 PM

Uses Reason and EvidenceBecause of this; due to that; etc.

Incorporates Human ValuesLife, fairness, justice, equality, etc.

Recognizes ComplexityNot just “black and white,” lots of grays too

The Aristotelian Model

EthosThe writer or speaker

○ Must have credibility

LogosThe argument and its support

○ Facts and evidence

Pathos○ The effect of the audience○ How do they feel about the issue – what do

you need to address to change their oppinion

The Toulmin Model

British philosopher Stephen Toulmin “An argument consists of evidence

and/or reasons presented in support of an assertion or claim that is either stated or implied.”

The Toulmin Model Claim

We should not go skiing today Evidence (Grounds)

Because it is too cold

Evidence (Grounds)Because some laws are unjust

ClaimCivil disobedience is sometimes justified

Toulmin Model - Expanded Claim

We should not go skiing today Evidence (Grounds)

It is too cold today Assumption (Warrants)

When it is too cold it is no fun skiing

Toulmin Model – Expanded

ClaimCivil disobedience is sometimes justified

EvidenceSome laws are unjust

Assumption (Warrants)To get unjust laws changed, people need to

be made aware of the injustice. Acts of disobedience will get people’s attention.

Toulmin - Claims and Support Claims

Usually either inferences or judgments, for these are debatable assertions

SupportFacts, opinions based on facts (inferences),

or opinions based on values, beliefs, or ideas (judgments) or some combination of the three

Toulmin -

FactsClass starts at 3 PM

InferenceStudents should be there on time.

JudgmentsNo more than 25 students should be in a

class Backing

The Quality of the Evidence - Credibility

The Toulmin Model of Argumentation The Toulmin model asserts that most arguments consist of the following 6

parts:

The Toulmin Model

In Class ExerciseBuilding Arguments Page 77 (Blue Read, Reason, Write) Claims, evidence, assumptions

Professor X is not a good teacher (claim)Professor X does not explain clearly

(evidence)A good teacher must explain clearly

(assumption)

The Argument Clinic