Elements of Argument

argument definition

a discussion to open a subject, broaden a subject, and earn respect for a position

don’ts in an argument

close, narrow, or defeat a subject

3 types of claims

fact, value, policy

4 major overall purposes

to assert, to prevail, to inquire, to negotiate differences

3 rhetorical appeals

logos, pathos, ethos

9 premises of an argument

• economic

• legal

• historical

• values

• scientific

• psychological

• politcal

• pragmatic

• sociological

counterclaim

when the rhetor presents the opposite side’s argument

rebuttal

the response to the counterclaim that refutes it

concession

the response to the counterclaim that agrees with some or all of it

3 points of rhetorical triangle

persona/rhetor/ethos, subject, audience

inside and outside of circle of a rhetorical triangle

purpose —> genre, context

double talk

nonsense, rambling ambiguity, or elaboration of the obvious

oversimplification

the error of making things seem much simpler

loaded question

asking a question containing one or more unproven assumptions and expecting a simple answer

question begging

assuming that you have already proven what you set out to prove or using a statement to prove itself

argument ad hominem

an attack on the personality and character of a person when it should be on his/her professional qualifications or the soundness of his/her action

slippery slope

an idea or course of action which will lead to something wrong or disastrous

guilt by association

when someone’s qualities are deduced from the qualities of the friends he/she has

poisoning the well

when evidence is disallowed because its source is questionable

the bandwagon

when an action or assumption is agreed to merely because it is agreed to by many other people

false analogy

comparison of things that should not be used because they differ too much; a comparison that is made in an unfair way