Fundamentals of Critical Argumentation

361 Pages·2005·1.79 MB·English

by  Walton D.

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FUNDAMENTALS OF CRITICAL ARGUMENTATION
FundamentalsofCriticalArgumentationpresentsthebasictoolsfortheiden-
tification,analysis,andevaluationofcommonargumentsforbeginners.The
book teaches by using examples of arguments in dialogues, both in the text
itselfandintheexercises.Examplesofcontroversiallegal,political,andethi-
calargumentsareanalyzed.Illustratingthemostcommonkindsofarguments,
the book also explains how to evaluate each kind by critical questioning.
Douglas Walton shows how arguments can be reasonable under the right
dialogue conditions by using critical questions to evaluate them. The book
teaches by example, both in the text itself and in exercises, but it is based
on methods that have been developed through the author’s thirty years of
researchinargumentationstudies.
(cid:1)
Representsthestateoftheartinthemethodsandtechniquesof
argumentalandinformallogic.
(cid:1)
Usesrealisticdialoguesfeaturingexamplesfrompolitical,scientific,and
legalargumentthatwillbefamiliartostudentsfromtheiruniversityand
everydayexperiences.
(cid:1)
Drawsstudentsintothinkingandarguing.
(cid:1)
Offersobjectiveguidelinesforevaluatingthestrengthsandweaknessesof
anargumentbycriticalquestioning.
(cid:1)
Clearwritingstyleanduseofeverydayexamplesmakethesubjecteasily
understandableforstudentsandmakesevidenttheimportanceofthe
subject.
DouglasWaltonisprofessorofphilosophyattheUniversityofWinnipeg.He
is the author of thirty-three books and many articles on aspects of critical
argumentation.HereceivedtheISSAPrizefromtheInternationalSocietyfor
the Study of Argumentation for his contributions to research on fallacies,
argumentation,andinformallogic.
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For Karen, with love
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CRITICAL REASONING AND ARGUMENTATION
GeneralEditors
DouglasWalton,UniversityofWinnipeg
HansV.Hansen,UniversityofWindsor,Ontario
This series is aimed at introductory students in the field of argumentation,
informal logic, and critical thinking. Informed by research in linguistics,
communication,artificialintelligence,andpragmatics,aswellasphilosophy,
booksinthisseriesareuptodateinmethodandpresentation,particularlyin
theiremphasisondialogueandrhetoric,whichcontrastswiththetraditional
“goitalone”approach.Eachbookisdesignedforuseinaone-semestercourse
andincludesexercises.
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FUNDAMENTALS OF
Critical
Argumentation
Douglas Walton
UniversityofWinnipeg
v
cambridge university press
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo
Cambridge University Press
The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge cb2 2ru, UK
Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York
www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521823197
© DouglasWalton2006
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provision of
relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place
without the written permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published in print format 2005
isbn-13 978-0-511-13969-7 eBook (EBL)
isbn-10 0-511-13969-1
eBook (EBL)
isbn-13 978-0-521-82319-7 hardback
isbn-10 0-521-82319-6 hardback
isbn-13 978-0-521-53020-0 paperback
isbn-10 0-521-53020-2 paperback
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of urls
for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication, and does not
guaranteethatanycontentonsuchwebsitesis,orwillremain,accurateorappropriate.
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Contents
Preface page xi
Acknowledgments xv
ONE. ARGUMENTS AND DIALOGUES 1
1. Dialogues 2
2. Arguments 5
3. QuestionsandStatements 7
4. ArgumentsinDialogues 11
5. Generalizations 15
6. ChainingofArguments 22
7. CriticizingbyQuestioningorRebuttal 26
8. CriticizinganArgumentbyAskingQuestions 29
9. DisputesandDissents 36
10. Summary 41
TWO. CONCEPTSUSEFULFORUNDERSTANDINGARGUMENTS 43
1. Inconsistency 44
2. ThreeKindsofArguments 49
3. Syllogisms 54
4. ComplexPropositions 59
5. SomeOtherCommonFormsofDeductiveArgument 61
6. ProbabilityandInductiveArgument 65
7. PlausibleArgumentation 69
8. ArgumentsandExplanations 75
9. Summary 82
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viii Contents
THREE. ARGUMENTATIONSCHEMES 84
1. AppealtoExpertOpinion 84
2. ArgumentfromPopularOpinion 91
3. ArgumentfromAnalogy 96
4. ArgumentfromCorrelationtoCause 100
5. ArgumentfromConsequencesandSlipperySlope 104
6. ArgumentfromSign 112
7. ArgumentfromCommitment 116
8. AdHominemArguments 122
9. ArgumentfromVerbalClassification 128
10. Summary 132
FOUR. ARGUMENTDIAGRAMMING 138
1. SingleandConvergentArguments 139
2. LinkedArguments 141
3. SerialandDivergentArguments 145
4. DistinguishingbetweenLinkedandConvergentArguments 148
5. ComplexArguments 153
6. UnstatedPremisesandConclusions 157
7. DiagrammingMoreDifficultCases 162
8. Summary 169
FIVE. DIALOGUES 172
1. PersuasionDialogue 173
2. CommitmentinDialogue 179
3. OtherTypesofDialogue 183
4. SimpleandComplexQuestions 191
5. LoadedQuestions 199
6. RespondingtoTrickyQuestions 203
7. RelevanceofQuestionsandReplies 211
8. Summary 215
SIX. DETECTINGBIAS 218
1. LoadedTerms 219
2. PointofViewandBurdenofProof 225
3. BiasedArgumentation 232
4. VerbalDisputes 239
5. Lexical,Stipulative,andPersuasiveDefinitions 245
6. PhilosophicalandScientificDefinitions 251