The Academic Argument

Not

But

The Academic Argument Uses Persuasion To win over

An academic argument is a form of persuasion that uses logic.

Not Jedi Mind tricks

Procedures in Sound Arguments 1. Clear definition 2. Uses logic (logos) 3. Uses facts 4. Convincing tone (ethos) 5. Minimizes emotional appeals (pathos).

Clear Definition: Use a synonym Use an example Use a stipulative definition

Pornography = Obscenity Use a synonym Pornography = Obscenity

Pornography = Obscenity By synonym Pornography = Obscenity

Photographs of naked people found in Hustler, Playboy, Penthouse… Use an example Photographs of naked people found in Hustler, Playboy, Penthouse…

Did you really think I would include a picture?

Oh…All Right

Use a stipulative definition -- a set of necessary and sufficient criteria under which the item must fall. Sometimes useful to include what it’s not

Pornography: obscene pictures, writings, drawings, motion pictures, videos, or the like intended primarily to cause sexual arousal and having little or no artistic merit; also, the content of such materials. (Wordnik.com)

Uses deductive and/or Inductive Reasoning The Academic Argument Uses deductive and/or Inductive Reasoning

Deductive Reasoning We start with general principles and from these derive conclusions about particular cases.

Socrates is a man All men are mortal Socrates is mortal Deductive Syllogism Socrates is a man All men are mortal Socrates is mortal

Problems in Deductive Reasoning For a syllogism to be sound: 1. All premises must be true. 2. The syllogism must be valid—the conclusion must necessarily follow from the premises.

Invalid Deductive Syllogism All crows are black—premise one (true) This bird is black—premise two (true) This bird is a crow—Conclusion (invalid)

Dead men don’t move This man is not moving This man is dead Deductive Syllogism—you try it Dead men don’t move This man is not moving This man is dead

Deductive Syllogism All men have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness Frederick Douglass, a slave, is a man Frederick Douglass has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

All men have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness Women are not men They do not have the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness

Inductive Reasoning : from specific instances to general conclusions uses information about observed cases in order to reach a conclusion When we look at other laws in order to decide what is fair and causes of what appear to be breaches of law, we are using Inductive reasoning: example, example, example: conclusion. When we find statistics on how many women in France want to wear the Burqa, we are using inductive reasoning, going from specific data to conclusions about what this data means and/or what should be done about it. This applies also to seeing how prevalent abuses of the Burqa for criminal purposes may be.

a. Kinds of Evidence. Problems—Things to watch out for in inductive logic. Academic inductive reasoning usually rests on studies or statistics, in other words “controlled observations.” i. Real Events ii. Invented instances (T.V. and written fiction for example) iii. Analogies iv. Statistics—what to watch out for Disinterested Source? Adequate Sample Recent data How many factors/possibilities were evaluated Are the statistics open to other interpretations

Real Events Problems: Small Sample—these tend to be interesting to read and make your essay more emotionally charged, but make sure the emotions are appropriate and as a reader and a writer be careful to consider numbers as well.