Critical Thinking and Communication: The Use of Reason in Argument

by Inch, Edward S.; Warnick, Barbara

• ISBN13: 9780205335411
• ISBN10: 0205335411
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

Relating common theoretical models to true-to-life examples from law, ethics, education, and business, Inch and Warnick stress the importance of argumentation in everyday life as they build student competence and critical awareness. This text encourages students to develop skills in both constructing and refuting arguments. Through exercises and examples, students learn how to create individual arguments, extend argument cases, and understand how arguments are designed and how to interpret them. The text allow students to conceptualize argumentation in the larger framework of verbal and written interaction, from public speaking and debating to interpersonal, intercultural, and small group communication.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
SECTION I BUILDING A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK	1	(64)
Arguments and Argumentation	2	(22)
Critical Thinking	4	(2)
Argumentation and Arguments	6	(4)
Perspectives on Argumentation	10	(3)
An Argument Model	13	(5)
Summary	18	(1)
Exercises	19	(5)
Contexts for Argument	24	(23)
Culture and Argumentation	25	(7)
Argumentation and Ethics	32	(5)
Strengthening the Individual	34	(2)
Strengthening the Community	36	(1)
Developing an Ethical Code	37	(2)
Ethics for Arguers	37	(1)
Ethics for Recipients	38	(1)
Summary	39	(1)
Exercises	40	(7)
Argument Occasions	47	(18)
Nature of Occasions	49	(8)
Argument Spheres-Personal, Technical, Public	50	(4)
Argument Fields	54	(3)
Argument Situations	57	(3)
Summary	60	(1)
Exercises	61	(4)
SECTION II COMMUNICATING ARGUMENTS	65	(68)
Arguers, Recipients, and Argumentation	66	(33)
Types of Audiences	68	(6)
The Audience and Argumentation	74	(6)
Selecting the Starting Points	75	(1)
Supporting Reasoning	76	(1)
Using Evidence	77	(2)
Organizing Arguments	79	(1)
The Arguer and Argumentation	80	(7)
Message Sources and Their Influence	82	(3)
Enhancing Credibility through Argument	85	(2)
Fallacies Related to Audience	87	(4)
Ad Hominem	88	(1)
Ad Populum	88	(2)
Appeal to Tradition	90	(1)
Straw Arguments	90	(1)
Summary	91	(2)
Exercises	93	(6)
Language and Argument	99	(34)
The Nature of Language	101	(9)
Language and Meaning	103	(1)
Language and Abstraction	104	(3)
Connotations and Denotations	107	(3)
Language in Argument	110	(11)
Language, Thought, and Perception	110	(2)
Functions of Language	112	(4)
Using Language in Argument	116	(5)
Fallacies of Language	121	(4)
Equivocation	122	(1)
Amphiboly	122	(1)
Emotive Language	123	(2)
Summary	125	(2)
Exercises	127	(6)
SECTION III PARSING ARGUMENTS	133	(94)
Argument Claims and Propositions	134	(21)
The Nature of Claims and Propositions	135	(5)
Formulating A Proposition	140	(6)
Controversiality	140	(1)
Clarity	141	(3)
Balance	144	(1)
Challenge	145	(1)
Types of Claims	146	(3)
Factual Claims	146	(2)
Value Claims	148	(1)
Policy Claims	149	(1)
Interconnection of Claims	149	(1)
Summary	150	(1)
Exercises	151	(4)
Evidence in Argument: The Foundation for Arguments	155	(35)
The Nature of Evidence	156	(2)
Types of Evidence	158	(3)
Evaluating Fact and Opinion Evidence	161	(6)
Reliability	161	(1)
Expertise	162	(1)
Objectivity	162	(1)
Consistency	163	(1)
Recency	164	(1)
Relevance	164	(1)
Access	165	(1)
Accuracy of Citation	165	(2)
Evaluating Statistical Evidence	167	(2)
Fallacies of Evidence	169	(2)
Begging the Question	170	(1)
Non Sequitur	170	(1)
Research Strategies for Locating Evidence	171	(9)
Research Results and Credibility	172	(2)
Finding Evidence	174	(6)
Summary	180	(2)
Exercises	182	(8)
Reasoning and the Process of Making Inferences	190	(37)
Formal Logic and Practical Reasoning	192	(3)
Reasoning as Inference Making	195	(19)
Quasilogical Arguments	196	(2)
Analogy	198	(4)
Generalization and Argument from Example	202	(2)
Cause	204	(4)
Coexistential Arguments	208	(3)
Dissociation	211	(3)
Fallacies of Faulty Reasoning	214	(4)
False Analogy	214	(1)
Hasty Generalization	215	(1)
False Cause	216	(1)
Slippery Slope	217	(1)
Summary	218	(2)
Exercises	220	(7)
SECTION IV ARGUING EXTENDED CASES	227	(74)
Case Construction: Arguing about Propositions of Fact	228	(25)
Arguing About Facts, Values, and Policies	229	(2)
Relating Facts, Values, and Policies	231	(1)
Principles of Case Construction	232	(4)
Stock Issues in Fact-Based Cases	236	(3)
Fact Definition	237	(1)
Threshold	237	(1)
Application	238	(1)
Principles of Refutation	239	(3)
The Issues Brief	242	(1)
Summary	243	(3)
Exercises	246	(7)
Arguing about Values	253	(20)
Values and Value Systems	255	(5)
The Process of Value Change	260	(1)
Values and Argumentation	261	(1)
Stock Issues for Value Arguments	262	(4)
Value	263	(1)
Criteria	264	(1)
Application	265	(1)
The Issues Brief	266	(1)
Summary	266	(2)
Exercises	268	(5)
Arguing about Policies	273	(28)
Policy Arguments and Policy Systems	275	(1)
Stock Issues in Policy Arguments	276	(6)
I11	277	(2)
Blame	279	(1)
Cure	280	(1)
Cost-Benefits	281	(1)
The Issues Brief	282	(5)
Alternative Formats for Arguing Policies	287	(5)
Comparative-Advantages Case	287	(3)
Goals Case	290	(2)
Alternative Formats for Refuting Policy Arguments	292	(3)
Strategy of Defense of the Present Policy System	293	(1)
Strategy of Defense of the Present Policy System with Minor Repairs	293	(1)
Strategy of Counterproposals	294	(1)
Summary	295	(1)
Exercises	296	(5)
SECTION V ANALYZING ARGUMENTS	301	(34)
Argument Analysis and Criticism	302	(33)
Benefits of Argument Analysis	303	(1)
A General Model for Argument Analysis	304	(14)
Analysis of Simple Arguments	305	(5)
Analysis of Other Structural Patterns	310	(4)
An Application	314	(4)
The Toulmin Model	318	(8)
The Nature and Background of the Toulmin Model	318	(1)
Six Parts of the Model	318	(5)
Difficulties in Applying the Model	323	(2)
Argument Chains and the Toulmin Model	325	(1)
Comparison of the Two Models	326	(1)
Summary	327	(1)
Exercises	328	(7)
Appendix A Intercollegiate Debate	335	(18)
Appendix B Answers to Selected Exercises	353	(11)
Appendix C Fallacies	364	(5)
Index	369