EVERYTHINGS AN ARGUMENT

CHAPTER ONE

CLASSIFYING ARGUMENTS

BIG THINGS TO REMEMBER

Anything can be an argument and anything can be a text: written/spoken/visual. Arguments can be unspoken you may make as much of an argument with what you dont say/display as with the things you do choose to share. Argument does not just have to be about combat/dispute/winning it can also be INVITATIONAL . This means that by presenting information/opinions, you are inviting others to at least see and understand or recognize your point of view from a place of mutual respect.

ARGUMENT VS. PERSUASION

ARGUMENT uses PERSUASION

evidence and reason to discover some version of the truth.

aims to change a point of view.

 To INFORM: tell your audience something they dont know To CONVINCE: tell your audience that an issue merits their attention To PERSUADE: move your audience to action To EXPLORE: (self-)reflective analysis of a personal or societal issue that you think needs to be addressed To MAKE DECISIONS: stemming from exploratory argument, this type of arguments purpose is to enable the audience to make an informed decision To MEDITATE/PRAY: generally a personal argument/reflection aimed towards transformation ACADEMIC: academic arguments usually have one of the above purposes with the addition of being held to disciplinary standards

PURPOSES OF ARGUMENT

OCCASIONS FOR ARGUMENT

PAST: Forensic arguments seek to determine the nature of past events they may be exploratory in nature, seeking to deepen existing knowledge FUTURE: Deliberative arguments seek to establish what should/will happen in the future. Theyre usually based on pre-existing information and often draw on forensic arguments. PRESENT: Epideictic/Ceremonial arguments seek to address current social issues/values describing the good and the bad of contemporary society (according, of course, to the opinion of the arguer).

KINDS OF ARGUMENT
FACT: Did something happen?
Provable/disprovable argument

QUALITY: What is the quality/cause of the thing?

DEFINITION: What is the nature of the thing?

Determining if one thing belongs in a second contested category

Present criteria then measure the ting against those standards Why did something happen, what factors played into it, what will the consequences be?

PROPOSAL: What actions should be taken?

Describe a problem, then a proposal for a solution

AUDIENCES FOR ARGUMENTS

CONTEXTS
The context for an argument is very important. The context includes: where the actual reading (etc.) is physically taking place, as well as broader environments per the text. Context also includes things weve discussed previously, like WHY would a specific writer or publication write something? Why is a specific audience interested in this topic? Etc.

AUDIENCE APPEALS
ETHOS: Connected to ethics in that ethos refers to the writers credibility, authority, knowledge, respectability, and trustworthiness. PATHOS: an emotional appeal an argument can generate emotions in a reader that make the reader more willing to accept a claim. LOGOS: fact based appeals using evidence in various forms to convince an audience