Today’s Agenda:
- Read Chapter 7 of Everything’s An Argument and take notes on the three structures of argument.
- After reading time, I will open the floor up for questions you may have.
- Then, working with a partner, annotate Chapter 10, “America’s Secret War” in Fist Stick Knife Gun for these structures and terms. You may use some of my sticky notes for class copies of the text.
Homework:
- Read to page 139 (through Chapter 19) for Thursday, 8/7.
A syllogism is a type of deductive reasoning, wherein the conclusion follows logically, and technically, from the premises that lead up to it. Few people use formal deductive reasoning to support claims. Most people argue effectively using informal rather than formal logic.
Example of aninvalid syllogism:
An enthymeme is an ordinary kind of sentence that includes both a claim and a reason but depends on the audience’s agreement with an assumption that is left implicit rather than spelled out. Enthymemes can be very persuasive when most people agree with the assumptions they rest on.
Other Aspects of Argument:
Classical:
Exordium: The speaker/writer tries to win the attention and goodwill of an audience while introducing a subject or a problem.
Narratio: The speaker/writer presents the facts of the case, explaining what happened when, who is involved, and so on. The narratioput the argument in context.
Partitio: The speaker/writer divides up the subject, explaining what the claim is, what the key issues are, and in what order the subject will be treated.
Confirmatio: The speaker/writer offers detailed support for the claim, using both logical reasoning and factual evidence.
Refutatio: The speaker/writer recognizes and refutes opposing claims or evidence.
Peroratio: The speaker/writer summarizes the case and moves the audience to action.
Rogerian/Invitational:
Introduction: The writer describes an issue, a problem, or a conflict in terms rich enough to show that he/she fully understands and respects any alternative position or positions.
Contexts: The writer describes the contexts in which alternative positions may be valid.
Writer’s Position: The writer states his/her position on the issue and presents the circumstances in which that opinion would be valid.
Benefits to Opponent: The writer explains to opponents how they would benefit from adopting his/her position.
Toulmin:
Claim: The argument you wish to prove.
Qualifiers: Any limits you place on your claim.
Reasons/Evidence: Support for your claim.
Warrants: Underlying assumptions that support your claim.
Backing: Evidence for warrant.
My claim is true, to a qualified degree, because of the following reasons, which make sense if you consider the warrant, backed by these additional reasons.
Conditions of Rebuttal: Potential objections to an argument.
--Excerpted from Everything’s an Argument, 6th Edition.