Everything is an Argument

Who commissioned the poll? B. Who is publishing the results? C. Who was being surveyed? In what proportions? D. What stakes do these parties have in the outcome? Results can vary depending on how the question is asked d) Testimonies, Narratives, and Interviews- Personal experiences Very convincing when used carefully Most effective when person has some credibility a. Example: I. Interviews with eye witnesses ii. Evaluations Of an person or event (be careful Of subjectivity) Ill. Artistic Appeals I.Using Reason and Common Sense a) Logic- formal study of principle of reasoning Syllogisms- method of deductive reasoning assuming a major principle applies to all minor cases, errors occur when middle term is unrelated to topic in discussion a. Ex. All human beings are mortal. Socrates is a human being. Therefore, Socrates is mortal. B) Most people effectively use informal logic, stating claims and drawing conclusions, consciously or subconsciously c) Entitlement = claim + reason Condensed arguments, rely on implied informationPersuasive when readers agree with ideas on which they are based a. Ex. The presentation will be postponed because there is a surprise guest- speaker. Ii. Cultural Assumptions and Values- many arguments based on culture and history a) Because of its history, the United States bases many arguments on equity and fairness Enthronements on these principles need less formal support b) Even when citing cultural values, be careful Values open to interpretation iii. Providing Logical Structures for Argument a) Degree- More of a good thing, or less off bad thing, is good Common, rarely noticed a.Ex. The health benefits of stem cell research will surely outweigh the ethical risks b) Analogies- Explaining an idea by comparing it to something else More complex and symbolic than metaphors and similes a. Ex. Comparison between human society and animal behaviors c) Precedent- Also involves comparison, doing something in a situation because it was done in a sim ilar situation Using what has been done in the past as a model for what to do now a. A national bank saved the economy in the past, so we should establish one now.Summary: Argue meets based on logos use logic, reasoning, and evidence to make their point. Inartistic arguments, arguments based on facts, evidence, statistics, or testimonies, are set up as statement (or claim) then proof (or evidence). Artistic arguments are founded on logic and reasoning and are structured as Enthronements. Enthronements use the basic formatting of claim then reasoning. The reasoning itself can be introduced as a degree, an analogy, or a precedent. Overall, using logos adds truth and hard logic to arguments, which can be very persuasive if used properly.