Premise, Conclusion, Syllogism… oh my! premise An assumption that something is true. At least two premises are needed in order to form a basic argument structure. All books from that store are new is an example conclusion The consequence formed from the premises. The final part of a basic argument structure. Therefore, these books are new is an example

syllogism A logical argument based on deductive reasoning—two or more premises that form a logical conclusion. Premise: All books from that store are new. Premise: These books are from that store. Conclusion: Therefore, these books are new. Important… A syllogism is valid (logical) when its conclusion makes sense from the premises. A syllogism is true when it makes accurate premises. A sound syllogism must be both valid and true.

Effective public debaters and writers use a variety of weapons to make their arguments more powerful, persuasive and memorable. pathos ethos logos speaking with emotion; appealing to the audience’s emotion; evoking emotion from the audience how the speaker’s reputation plays a role in persuasion using logic and facts to support claims

Argument – A “Brief” Overview Argument is at the core of critical thinking. It’s not just about people disagreeing and/or yelling at each other; it’s about making a case to support a claim, which can be applicable in virtually all subject areas. There are basically three types of arguments: * Argument of fact * Argument of judgment * Argument of policy Global warming is affecting weather around the globe. Does life begin at conception or only after birth? The present cell phone policy at Sam Barlow is unrealistic.

Organizing an Argument Claim This is the writer’s/speaker’s overall thesis or proposition. Data This is the evidence gathered to support the claim—in some cases, it might be a good idea to start with evidence in order to help form a claim. Warrant (connects the claim to the data) This is an explanation of why or how the data supports the claim, the underlying assumption that connects your data to your claim.

Backing This is additional logic or reasoning that may be necessary to support the warrant. Counterclaim This is a claim that negates or disagrees with your claim. Qualification Since arguments deal in probabilities, they must be qualified with words such as probably, very likely, almost certainly and so forth—see complete list on next slide.

AbsoluteQualified willmay, might, could forms of “be” (am, is, are, was, were) may be, might have been, may have been all, everymany, most, some, numerous, countless, a majority none, nofew, not many, a small number, hardly any, a minority alwaysoften, frequently, commonly, for a long time, usually, sometimes, repeatedly neverrarely, infrequently, sporadically, seldom certainlyprobably, possibly impossibleunlikely, improbable, doubtful

Be careful using qualifiers; they might express doubt, leaving the reader/listener wondering if you know what you’re writing/talking about. Rebuttal This is evidence that negates or disagrees with the counterclaim. It appears that Freud believed the unconscious plays a significant role in behavior. Freud believed the unconscious plays a significant role in behavior. Which works best?

Organizing an Argument Example Claim Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution. Data 1 Driving a private car is a citizen’s most air polluting activity. Warrant 1 Because cars are the largest source of private air pollution, switching to hybrid cars should likely have (q.) an impact on fighting pollution.

Organizing an Argument Example Cont. Data 2 Each vehicle produced is going to stay on the road for roughly 12 to 15 years. Warrant 2 Cars generally have a long lifespan, meaning that a decision to switch to a hybrid car will make a long-term impact on pollution levels. Data 3 Hybrid cars combine a gasoline engine with a battery-powered, electric motor.

Organizing an Argument Example Cont. Warrant 3 This combination of technologies means that less (q.) pollution is produced. Counterclaim Instead of focusing on cars, which still encourages a culture of driving even if it cuts down on pollution, the nation should focus on building and encouraging use of mass transit systems. Rebuttal While mass transit is an environmentally sound idea that should be encouraged, it is not feasible in many (q.) rural and suburban areas, or for people who must commute to work; thus, hybrid cars are a better solution for much of (q.) the nation’s population.