Thank You For Arguing - Appendix III

A Comprehensive Vocabulary Flashcard set covering rhetorical figures, logical fallacies, and the three appeals of persuasion based on the lecture glossary.

ACCISMUS

The figure of coyness (e.g., "Oh, you shouldn't have").

AD HOMINEM

The character attack. Logicians and the argument-averse consider it a bad thing, but In rhetoric it’s a necessity. Ethos, the appeal to character, needs a rebuttal in a real argument.

ADIANOETA

The figure of hidden meaning (e.g., "I'm sure you wanted to do this in the worst way").

A FORTIORI

The Mikey-likes-it! argument. If something less likely is true, then something more likely is bound to be true. Similarly, if you accomplished a difficult thing, you’re more likely to accomplish an easier one.

ANADIPLOSIS

A figure that builds one thought on top of another by taking the last word of a clause and using it to begin the next clause.

ANAPHORA

A figure that repeats the first word in succeeding phrases or clauses, often used in emotional addresses before a crowd.

ANTHROPOMORPHISM

A logical fallacy that attributes human traits to a nonhuman creature or object. Common to owners of pets

ANTITHESIS

The figure of contrasting ideas.

APORIA

Doubt or ignorance—feigned or real—used as a rhetorical device.

BEGGING THE QUESTION

Known to logicians as the fallacy of circular argument or tautology; also refers to speech that leaves out a beginning explanation.

CHIASMUS

The crisscross figure (e.g., "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country").

CIRCUMLOCUTION

The rhetorical end run that talks around an issue to avoid getting to the point; also known as periphrasis.

CONCESSIO

Concession, the jujitsu figure. Seemingly agreeing with an opponent's point only to use it to your advantage.

CONVERSE ACCIDENT FALLACY

A logical foul that uses a bad example to make a generalization.

DELIBERATIVE RHETORIC

Persuasion that deals with argument about choices and the future. According to Aristotle, its chief topic is the "advantageous."

DEMONSTRATIVE RHETORIC

Persuasion that deals with values that bring a group together. It usually focuses on matters in the present, and its chief topic is right versus wrong. Most sermons—and too many political speeches—are demonstrative.

DIALECTIC

The purely logical debate of philosophers intended to discover the truth through dialogue, where logical fallacies are forbidden.

DIALOGISMUS

The dialogue figure, where a conversation is quoted as an example.

DIALYSIS

The this-not-that figure (e.g., "Don't buy the shoes. Buy the colors").

DIAZEUGMA

The play-by-play figure that uses a single subject to govern a succession of verbs.

DISINTEREST

Freedom from special interests, technically called eunoia. One of the three traits of ethos.

DUBITATIO

Feigned doubt about your ability to speak well; a personal form of aporia.

ENARGEIA

Vivid description that makes an audience believe something is taking place before their very eyes.

ENTHYMEME

Rhetoric's version of the syllogism, which stakes a claim based on commonly accepted opinion.

EPERGESIS

The correction figure.

EPIDEICTIC RHETORIC

Aristotle's term for demonstrative rhetoric, which deals with values.

EQUIVOCATION

The language mask; appearing to say one thing while meaning the opposite.

ERISTIC

A competitive argument for the sake of argument.

ETHOS

Argument by character; one of the three "appeals."

EUNOIA

Aristotle's word for disinterest, one of the three characteristics of argument by character (ethos).

EXAMPLE (EXEMPLUM)

The foundation of inductive logic. Aristotle listed three kinds: fact, comparison, and "fable."

FORENSIC RHETORIC

Legal argument that determines guilt or innocence and focuses on the past.

HOMERISM

The unabashed use of illogic, named after the cartoon character Homer Simpson.

HYPOPHORA

A figure that asks a rhetorical question and then immediately answers it to anticipate audience skepticism.

IDIOM

Inseparable words with a single meaning.

IGNORATIO ELENCHI

The fallacy of proving the wrong conclusion.

INNUENDO

The technique of planting negative ideas in the head of the audience.

JEREMIAD

A prophecy of doom; also called cataplexis.

KAIROS

The rhetorical art of seizing the occasion, covering both timing and the appropriate medium.

LITOTES

The figure of ironic understatement, usually expressed negatively (e.g., "We are not amused").

LOGOS

Argument by logic; one of the three "appeals" of persuasion.

METANOIA

The self-editing figure where the speaker stops to correct themselves with a stronger point.

METAPHOR

A figure that makes something represent something else (e.g., "The moon is a balloon").

METASTASIS

A figure of thought that skips over an awkward matter.

METONYMY

A "belonging trope" that uses a characteristic to stand for the whole or a container to name what it contains.

NEOLOGISM

The newly minted word.

NON SEQUITUR

The figure of irrelevance; a point that does not follow its predecessor.

ONOMATOPOEIA

The noisemaker figure that imitates a sound to name the sound (e.g., "Kaboom!").

PARADIGM

A rule that arises from examples.

PARADOX

The contrary figure; an impossible pair (e.g., "We had to destroy the village in order to save it").

PARALIPSIS

A figure in which you mention something while saying you are not going to mention it.

PARAPROSDOKIAN

A figure that attaches a surprise ending to a thought.

PATHOS

Argument by emotion; one of the three "appeals" of persuasion.

PERIPHRASIS

The speak-around figure that uses a description as a name.

PETITIO PRINCIPII

Begging the question; the fallacy of circular argument.

PHRONESIS

Practical wisdom or street savvy; one of the three traits of ethos.

POST HOC ERGO PROPTER HOC

The Chanticleer fallacy; assuming that because A is followed by B, A caused B.

PROLEPSIS

A figure of thought that anticipates the objections of an opponent or audience.

PROSOPOPOEIA

The figure of personification.

QUIBBLING

Using careful language to obfuscate (technical name: leptologia).

RED HERRING

The fallacy of distraction.

REDUCTIO AD ABSURDUM

Taking an opponent's argument to its illogical conclusion.

RHETORIC

The art of persuasion.

SIGNIFICATIO

A benign form of innuendo that implies more than it says.

SLIPPERY SLOPE

The fallacy of dire consequences; assuming one choice leads to a cascading series of bad choices.

SOLECISM

The figure of ignorance; a generic term for illogic, bad grammar, or syntax.

STRAW MAN FALLACY

Attacking a weaker version of an argument instead of the actual issue.

SYNCRISIS

A figure that reframes an argument by redefining it.

SYNECDOCHE

A "belonging trope" that swaps a member for the group, a part for the whole, or a species for a genus.

TAUTOLOGY

Redundancy; also known as begging the question or petitio principii.

YOGIISM

The idiot savant figure, named after Yogi Berra, which appears illogical but makes an odd sort of sense.