Mr. BaskinCOMP & RHET

THE CORE OF ARGUMENT

“Classical” argument is patterned after the persuasive speeches of the ancient Greek and Roman orators.

PRIMARY ELEMENTS Exordium-attention grabbing starter element Narratio-necessary background information Propositio-the speaker’s claim Partitio-forecasts main elements of speech itself Confirmatio-presents speaker’s arguments in support

of the claim Confutatio-summarizes and rebuts opposing views Peroratio-concludes by summing up argument, calling

for action, and leaving a strong impression

THE CLASSICAL STRUCTURE OF ARGUMENT

Now, knowing the Latin terms is awesome, but they are mostly there to assure you that these forms are time-tested and ancient.

Here are the contemporary equivalents (you know them well) Introduction

Exordium Narratio Propositio Partitio

Presentation of Writer’s Position (doesn’t have to come first) Confirmatio

Summary and Critique of Alternate Viewpoints Confutatio

Conclusion Peroratio

CLASSICAL ARGUMENT-CONT.

This method is very strong and robust—it can be used in many different situations.

However, may not be the most persuasive strategy depending on your purposes. May be better to emphasize your thesis without opposing views,

or showing more sympathy for the opposition, for example.Even still, can be a useful organizational tool since it forces

you to lay out your argument and counter positions in brief.Can reveal flaws in your thinking and push you to do more

research.Mostly useful when addressing NEUTRAL or UNDECIDED

audiences.

CLASSICAL ARGUMENT-CONT.

Classical orators were also very concerned about the methods of persuasion. HOW do you persuade someone?

Identified THREE persuasive appeals:LOGOSPATHOSETHOS

CLASSICAL APPEALS & THE RHETORICAL TRIANGLE

Greek for “Word”Focuses attention on the quality of the

message—on its internal consistency and clarity, its quality of reason and support. Its LOGIC.

Effects are referred to as logical appeals.

LOGOS

Greek for “character”Focuses on the writer (or speaker’s) character as projected in

the message. Includes credibility.Often conveyed through style and tone, the care with which

alternative views are dealt, and writer’s involvement or investment with the claim.

Also factors in author’s reputation for honesty and expertise apart from the actual message of the piece.

Impact is referred to as an “ethical appeal.”

ETHOS

Greek for “suffering” or “experience”Focuses on the values and beliefs of the intended audience.Also associated with an emotional appeal.More specifically refers to an audience’s imaginative

sympathies—their ability or capacity to feel and see what the writer feels and sees.

So, when we turn an abstract situation or claim into an immediate story that engages the emotions and imagination, we are using a pathetic appeal.

LOGOS and ETHOS appeal to reason and logic—our understanding.

PATHOS engages our feelings, and deepens the audience’s appreciation of the message.

PATHOS

A related concern (in addition to ETHOS, PATHOS, and LOGOS) is KAIROS, or the Greek word for “the right season.”

Suggests that for an argument to be persuasive, the timing must be effectively selected.

In addition, its tone and structure must be in the right measure or proportion. In essence, ask these questions: Is this the right time for the message? Is my audience ready to hear me? Would the argument be more effective if I waited? If it does need to be sent now, is this the right tone and content

for the moment?

KAIROS

At the heart of any argument is the “issue”—a controversial topic area

Gives rise to points of view and conflicting claims about the issue.

Best to focus by developing an “issue question” that invites at least two alternative answers.

FOR EXAMPLE:When does a fetus become a human being? (At conception?

At 3 months? At birth?)What are the effects of legalizing abortion? (Greater freedom

of choice? Lessens society’s respect for life?)

ISSUE QUESTIONS AS THE ORIGINS OF ARGUMENT

Not all questions can be answered reasonably in two or more differing ways; thus not all questions lead to solid arguments.

Distinguish between two categories:EXPLICATION—writing designed to inform or explainARGUMENTATION—writing designed to persuade or change a

reader’s mindEXAMPLE:How does the teenage pregnancy rate in the United States

compare to the rate in Sweden? If the rates are different, why?

The first is informational—the second is potentially argumentative.

INFORMATION VS. ISSUE QUESTIONS

Consider your relationship to the audience, and your purpose.A teacher’s general goal is to inform. Their questions aren’t

about persuasion, most of the time.However, a lawyer in front of a jury is generating issue

questions.EXAMPLES:How does a diesel engine work?Why is a diesel engine more fuel efficient than a gas one?What is the most cost effective way to produce diesel from

crude oil?Should the present highway tax on diesel be increased?

IDENTIFYING AN ISSUE QUESTION

Not every dispute over answers is a rational argument (duh)Rational (real) arguments require:

Reasonable participants who operate within the conventions of reasonable behavior.

Potentially sharable assumptions that can serve as a starting place for argument.

If one of the above is not met, then we are left with a PSEUDO ARGUMENT

PSEUDO-ARGUMENT

Reasonable argument assumes the possibility of change—disputants may modify their views as they acknowledge strengths in alternate views or weaknesses in their own.

Fanatical commitment to a position negates this possibility.

FANATICISM

Claims are true because they say so, end of story.Often follow a “party line” of views. Ideological convictions are shaped by their favorite

indisputable texts, websites, shows, etc.Arguments/pronouncements never change over time, but

remain constant.Disagreement is generally non-productive.

FANATICAL BELIEVERS

Dismisses the possibility of proving ANYTHING.Short of absolute proof (which never exists), these skeptics

accept nothing.Demands ironclad, logical demonstration of a claim’s

“rightness” or “truthiness.”Disagreement generally non-productive.

FANATICAL SKEPTICS

Another source of pseudo argument.Difficult to argue effectively without some kind of common

ground.Shared assumptions are starting points for argument.A DOOMED EXAMPLE

LACK OF SHARED ASSUMPTIONS

Smoking should be banned because it causes cancer.So it causes cancer. What’s so bad about that?Don’t be perverse. Cancer causes suffering and death.Don’t be such a lightweight. Suffering and death are part of the

human condition.But that doesn’t make them desirable, especially if they can be

avoided.They can be avoided for a while, but we all die eventually. So

who cares if smoking causes cancer?

Without any shared assumptions (cancer=bad, death should be delayed, suffering should be minimized, etc.), this argument has no good outcome. It’s just a bottomless pit. Calling out bad assumptions is GOOD. Having no shared assumptions makes argument impossible.

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

Often, these arguments are built around personal opinions, like which is better—pizza or nachos?

We COULD do it, if we agreed to some shared criterion, like nutritional value.

PSEUDO ARGUMENTS (CONT)

As stated earlier, argument begins with an ISSUE QUESTION, which by definition is any question that provokes disagreement about the best answer.

When you compose an argument, your task is to take a POSITION on the issue and support that stance with reasons and evidence.

The CLAIM of your essay is the position you want your audience to accept.

CLAIM=THESISCLAIMS require SUPPORT

FRAME OF AN ARGUMENT: A CLAIM SUPPORTED BY REASONS

A REASON (or PREMISE) is a claim used in support of another claim.

The reason is usually linked to the claim with connecting words like BECAUSE, SINCE, FOR, SO, THUS, CONSEQUENTLY, and THEREFORE.

Each indicates that the claim follows logically from the reason.

EXAMPLE: Women in the Military

WHAT IS A REASON?

Formulating a list of this type can help in a variety of ways: It provides a frame for your arguments, allowing you to build in

parts It allows you to select the reasons that will best persuade your

audience. Perhaps all of them will work, or just one or two. Allows for further development of each line of reasoning

EXAMPLE IF we expand upon the reason of “Women have already

proven their combat effectiveness in the Iraq war, where are there are no front lines,” we would SUPPORT that reason (or sub-claim) with stories of women in non-combat or support units proving their effectiveness in combat.

Would probably also attempt to assert how these support unit performances would transfer to combat heavy units.

Then, repeat for each reason you wish to use.

CONT.

For most children BECAUSE is a magic word. It provides enough reason for anything. It seems DECISIVE. It seems POWERFUL.

Eventually, you learned that what came AFTER because was the important part.

Still, it is most people’s first introduction to LOGIC. But, it isn’t the only way to introduce a reason.

EXPRESSING REASONS IN BECAUSE CLAUSES

OTHER THAN BECAUSE

Even though we CAN state logical relationships in various ways, writing out one or more because clauses seems to be the most succinct and manageable way to clarify an argument for oneself.

As a result, it is often useful to devise a WORKING THESIS STATEMENT (WTS) for your projects.

The WTS summarizes your reasons as because clauses attached to your claim.

EXAMPLE

THE USEFULNESS OF BECAUSE

Some of you will wish to define your arguments, create a WTS, etc. BEFORE you begin a rough draft. That’s great!

However, some writers use the process of writing to explore and refine their ideas, discovering as they go.

BOTH ARE FINE!You may even choose to use a combination of pre-planning

and in-draft refinement. Find what works for you!Use BECAUSE as a discovery tool.May seem to tidy and reductive, but it can outline clearly

what you need to do in composing and structuring a sound argument.

DIFFERENCES IN APPROACH