AFirstLookatArgument

TheMeaningofArgumentand
appropriateargumentbehavior,

BEHAVIORALGOALS
Understandthemeaningofargument.
Understandpersuasion.
Understandrhetoric.
Understandcriticalthinking(CT).
Knowtheproperattitudesandethicsbasicto
beingagoodcriticalthinker.

DefinitionsofArgument
Argumenthasthreebasicmeanings:
AQUARREL
ASINGLEARGUMENT,ESPECIALLYINTHEFORMAT
OFFEREDBYSTEPHENTOULMIN:
CLAIM
WARRANT
GROUNDS

APROCESSOFDISCUSSION,DIALECTIC,
ORDEBATEDURINGWHICHMANYARGS.
AREEXCHANGED.

PERSUASION
Itsaninstrumentalformofcommunicationused
tochangepublicopinion.
Itmayworkonpassionsmorethanreason.
Persuasionistheuseofimagesandappeals
tochangeopinionsandmotivateaudiences.
Speechesarepersuasive.
Billboardsarepersuasive.
Indeed,alladvertisingispersuasive.

RHETORIC
AccordingtoAristotle,rhetoricisfinding
thebestavailablemeansofpersuasion.
Itstheprocessofadaptingparticular
messages,toparticularaudiences,at
particulartimesandplaces.
Almosteverythingispotentiallyrhetorical,
evenamovie.

CRITICALTHINKING
Applysoundlogictoproblemsolvingand
avoidcommonfallacies.
Therearesevenbasicpatternsofreason:

Sign
ParallelReason
Generalization
Bydefinition
Causetoeffect
Dilemma
Authority

CRITICALTHINKING

LearntostructureargumentsalaToulmin
Understandthelanguageofargument
Buildissueorientedspeeches
Practiceanappropriateethicofargument
Heartheotherfellowoutbeforeyouargue
Containnegativenonverbalresponses
Addressissuesratherthanpersonalities

CRITICALTHINKING
R.H.Ennisaddedtheseconcerns:
1)Judgethecredibilityofsources.
2)Askappropriateandclarifyingquestions.
3)Drawconclusionsclaimsforour
purposeswhenwarranted.
4)Bewellinformed.
5)Beopenminded.

ATTITUDES
Beingopenmindedisjustoneofthe
attitudesappropriatetocriticalthinking.
Avoidprimarycertitude,astrongeven
irrationalbeliefthatyouknowthetruthabout
agiventopic.

ATTITUDES
Either/orthinkingisapoorCTattitude.
Thisisbelievingthateverythinghasa
simpleyesornoanswer.
Ittendstoleadtostereotyping.
Socialproblemsaremorecomplex.
Weevaluateprobabilities,notcertainties.

ATTITUDES
ToleranceofAmbiguityisagoodCTgoal.
Sometimestheresdoubt,conflictinginfo,
orlackofinfo,evenaftersomeresearch.
Dontjumptoconclusions.
Continueresearch.
Standinthepresenceofuncertainty.
Recognizeparadox.

AttitudeandLanguage

OuruseoflanguagemayreinforcepoorCT.
Exaggerationsandstereotypesoversimplify.
Euphemismsconcealsocialtruths.
Urbanlegendsandrumorsareenemies.
Repeatingcommonculturalclichsisaway
thatwereinforceanuncriticalexamination
ofanidea.

CULTURALCONDITIONING

ItsdifficulttoachieveCTbecauseofCC.
Forceofrepetitionpersuades.
Defensivenessemergeswhenchallenged.
Ego,ethno,andsociocentricthinking
preemptslogicalthought.
Hiddenpresumptions,orassumingfactsnot
inevidence,leavesuswithblindspots.

Argumentativevs.Aggressive

Beingargumentativeisapositivething.
Understanding,notjustwinning,isagoal.
Argumentativepeoplelistenandparaphrase.
Theyaddressissues,notattackpeople.
Argumentativepeopleareopenminded,assertive,
andcapableofdeliveringtheirthoughtsin
inoffensivelanguage.
Theyreconsideredtobemoreemployable,get
promotions,andregardedasleaders.

Argumentativevs.Aggressive

AggressivepeoplepracticepoorCT.
Attackpeopleratherissues.
Theyrepronetobelligerence.
Theylackobjectivity.
Theytendtobeemotionallyreactive.
Thisincludesnonverbalbehaviorlike:
rollingtheireyes,raisingtheirvoice,andmaking
gestureslikepointingorballingthefists.

PRACTICALETHICS
Readtheschoolhonestypolicyinyourstudent
handbookoroffthecampuswebsite.
Recognizeyourresponsibilitytoresearch.
Properlyciteyoursources:who,their
qualifications,thepublication,andthedate.
Avoidplagiarism,usingthematerialofothers
withoutquotationmarksorpropersource
recognition.