Toulmin analysis of arguments over censorship in science

Claim

Grounds

Qualifier

Warrant

Backing

Rebuttal

What do you have to go on?

How sure are you?

What’s your point?

How did you get from grounds to claim?

What supports your warrant?

Are there any exceptions to your claim?

Components of Argument:

Beverly Dale is entitled to vote at town meetings.

Claim

Beverly Dale is entitled to vote at town meetings.

Beverly Dale is a local taxpayer.

GroundsClaim

Beverly Dale is entitled to vote at town meetings.

Beverly Dale is a local taxpayer. So, presumably

ClaimGrounds Qualifier

Beverly Dale is entitled to vote at town meetings.

Beverly Dale is a local taxpayer. So, presumably

All local taxpayers are normally entitled to vote at town meetings.

ClaimGrounds Qualifier

Warrant

Beverly Dale is entitled to vote at town meetings.

Beverly Dale is a local taxpayer. So, presumably

All local taxpayers are normally entitled to vote at town meetings.

Relevant legal and constitutional statues provide for suffrage.

ClaimGrounds Qualifier

Warrant

Backing

Beverly Dale is entitled to vote at town meetings.

Beverly Dale is a local taxpayer. So, presumably

Unless she is a noncitizen, a minor, a lunatic, or other disqualified person.

All local taxpayers are normally entitled to vote at town meetings.

Relevant legal and constitutional statues provide for suffrage.

ClaimGrounds

Qualifier

Warrant

Backing

Rebuttal

ClaimGrounds

Warrant

Backing

Rebuttal

Qualifier

Read, Timothy D. , et al., 2003. “The genome sequence of Bacillus anthracis Ames and comparison to closely related bacteria,” Nature 423, 81-86 (1 May 2003).

“The life science community should take the lead in partnering with national security professionals to draft guidelines for identifying research of concern and weighing the benefits to national security against the cost to open communication of future life science discovery.”

J. B. Petro, Joint Military Intelligence College, Bolling AFB, Washington, DC.

“Placing major new barriers in the path of the free flow of scientific information will ultimately undermine our best defenses against bioterrorism and, ironically compromise the public health that we are trying to protect.”

Abigail Salyers, president of the American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC.

Censorship of scientific communication would yield a false sense of security from bioterrorism.

Claim

Censorship of scientific communication would yield a false sense of security from bioterrorism.

Claim

Effective public response to inhalation anthrax was delayed because of lack of knowledge about anti-clumping agents.

So, it is reasonable to conclude that

GroundsQualifier

Censorship of scientific communication would yield a false sense of security from bioterrorism.

Claim

Effective public response to inhalation anthrax was delayed because of lack of knowledge about anti-clumping agents.

So, it is reasonable to conclude that

GroundsQualifier

Warrant

The public depends on science for life-saving and life-improving therapeutics.

Censorship of scientific communication would yield a false sense of security from bioterrorism.

Claim

Effective public response to inhalation anthrax was delayed because of lack of knowledge about anti-clumping agents.

So, it is reasonable to conclude that

GroundsQualifier

Since its inceptions science has served the public.

Warrant

The public depends on science for life-saving and life-improving therapeutics.

Backing

Salyers, A., 2002. Science, Censorship, and Public Health, Science, 296, 26 April 2002, p. 617.

Scientists should weigh the benefits to national security against the cost to open communication.

Claim

Scientists should weigh the benefits to national security against the cost to open communication.

Claim

Documents recovered from an al Qaida training camp in Afghanistan in 2001 included research articles on the production of Bacillus anthracis.

So, it is reasonable to conclude that

Grounds

Qualifier

Scientists should weigh the benefits to national security against the cost to open communication.

Claim

Documents recovered from an al Qaida training camp in Afghanistan in 2001 included research articles on the production of Bacillus anthracis.

So, it is reasonable to conclude that

Grounds

Qualifier

Warrant

National security community regards possession of research publications on biological toxins as a sign of terrorist intent.

Scientists should weigh the benefits to national security against the cost to open communication.

Claim

Documents recovered from an al Qaida training camp in Afghanistan in 2001 included research articles on the production of Bacillus anthracis.

So, it is reasonable to conclude that

Grounds

Qualifier

National security community has a need to restrict access to science for the public safety.

Warrant

National security community regards possession of research publications on biological toxins as a sign of terrorist intent.

Backing

Petro, James B., and David A. Relman, 2003. Understanding Threats to Scientific Openness, Science, 302, 12 December 2003, p. 1898.