The Language of Argumentation



The Language of Argumentation

Argument: 1) a discourse intended to persuade. 2) a coherent series of statements leading from a general premise to a conclusion. 3) the subject matter of a literary work.

The three proofs/appeals:

Logos: The use of logic and reason to persuade an audience to adopt one’s position.

Ethos: The ways in which an author establishes their credibility. It is what makes us want to believe them. Ethos can be further broken down into the following:

Good will Good Character Good sense

Pathos: The use of emotional appeals to persuade an audience to adopt one’s position.

Some common terms of argumentation and persuasion:

Issue: The subject being considered

Position: The side of the issue that the author endorses

Assertion: A statement made in support of ones position. These need to be supported.

Evidence/Backing: Facts that support the assertion

Concession: Acknowledging that some component of the opposing view has merit.

Refutation: A direct attack on an opponent’s argument.

Anticipatory Counter-Argument: Addressing and refuting an opponent’s argument before he or she makes it.

Some common terms to use when discussing logic:

Premise: A proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn.

Deductive reasoning: reasoning that moves from a general premise to a specific conclusion.

Syllogism: A form of logic that moves from adopted or supported premises to a logical therefore clause that cannot be negated.. Ex: A) all cats are furry; B) Molly is a cat; therefore, Molly is furry.

Inductive reasoning: reasoning that moves from a specific premise (data) to a general conclusion

Enthymeme: A syllogism in which one of the premises or the conclusion is not stated explicitly.

The Toulmin Model:

Claim: A statement made that the author is asking the audience to accept, either as true or as an action that would result in the greatest benefit.

Grounds: The basis of real persuasion and is made up of data and hard facts, plus the reasoning behind the claim. It is the “truth” on which the claim is based. Grounds may also include proof of expertise and the basic premises on which the rest of the argument is built.

Warrant: A warrant links data and other grounds to a claim, legitimizing the claim by showing the grounds to be relevant. The warrant may be explicit or unspoken and implicit. It answers the question, “why does that data mean your claim is true”?

Rogerian Argument:

Carl Rogers was a behavioral psychologist. He believed that the best way to get an audience to adopt your point of view was to listen to their side of things, and in so doing ensure that they would respectfully listen to yours, at which time you could win them over. Rogerian Argument makes great use of concessions and refutations.

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