Judge Arguments

1
Judge Arguments

• Argument elements, types, and errors.

2
What does argument present?

• Argument presents logical reasons and evidence to
  support a viewpoint.
• Without good reasons, argument fails.
• Does the woman have a good reason to be late to
  the meeting?

3
What are the four elements of argument?

• ISSUE - problem or controversy about which people
  disagree
• CLAIM - the position on the issue
• SUPPORT - reasons and evidence that the claim is
  reasonable and should be accepted
• REFUTATION - opposing viewpoints

4
What makes the strongesttype of claim?

• CLAIM OF FACT - statement that can be proven or
  verified by observation or research
• Within ten years, destruction
  of rain forests will cause
  hundreds of plant and animal species to
  become extinct.

5
What is another strong claim?

• CLAIM OF VALUE - states that one thing or idea is
  better or more desirable than another.
• Requiring community service in
  high school will produce more community-aware
  graduates.

6
What is the last type of claim?

• CLAIM OF POLICY - suggests what should or ought
  to be done to solve a problem.
• To reduce school violence, more gun and metal
  detectors should be installed in public schools.

7
What are four types of support for argument?

• REASON - a general statement that supports a
  claim.
• EVIDENCE - consists of facts, statistics,
  experiences, comparisons, and examples that show
  why the claim is valid.
• EMOTIONAL APPEALS - ideas that are targeted
  toward needs or values that readers are likely to
  care about.

8
What is inductive argument?

• INDUCTIVE - reaches a general conclusion from
  observed specifics.
• By observing the performance of a large number
  of athletes, you could conclude that athletes
  possess physical stamina.

9
What is deductive argument?

• DEDUCTIVE - begins with a major premise and moves
  toward a more specific statement or minor
  premise.
• Athletes possess physical stamina. Because
  Anthony is an athlete, he must possess physical
  stamina.

10
What are the strategies for reading an argument?

• What does the title suggest? Preview!
• Who is the author, and what are his or her
  qualifications?
• What is the date of publication?
• What do I already know about the issue?

Think Before You Read
11
What are more strategies for reading an argument?

• Read once for an initial impression.
• Read the argument several more times.
• Take notes as you read.
• Highlight key terms.
• Diagram or map to analyze structure.

Read Actively
12
How can you evaluate arguments?

• Evaluate Types of Evidence - Is it sufficient to
  support the claim?
• Personal Experience reject biased ones
• Examples - should not be used alone

Why is the man taking that guard dog?
13
What are the strategies for evaluating arguments?

• Statistics - can be misused, manipulated or
  misinterpreted.
• Comparisons and Analogies - reliability depends
  on how closely they correspond to the situation.
• Relevancy and Sufficiency of Evidence - is there
  enough of the right kind to support the claim?

14
What are more strategies for evaluating arguments?

• Definition of Terms - should be carefully defined
  and used consistently
• Cause-Effect Relationships - evidence that the
  relationship exists should be present
• Implied or Stated Value System - are they
  consistent with your personal value system?

15
How do you refute opposing views?

• Question opponents accuracy, relevancy and
  sufficiency of evidence.
• Does the author refute the opposing viewpoint
  with logic and relevant evidence?

Does the guy in the wheelchair have good evidence
to prove that he is not Spiderman?
16
What are unfair emotional appeals?

• Overly emotional or biased language
• False authority
• athletes endorsing underwear
• movie stars selling shampoo
• False association
• Ad featuring a scenic waterfall

Is it fair for the therapist to hypnotize the
patient into paying more?
17
What are unfair emotional appeals?

• Appeal to Common Folk
• an ad showing a product being used in an average
  household
• a politician suggesting he is like everyone else
• Ad Hominem - attack on the person rather than
  his/her viewpoint
• Join the Crowd appeal or Bandwagon

18
What are circular reasoning and hasty
generalizations?

• Circular Reasoning/Begging the Question
• Female police officers should not be sent to
  crime scenes because apprehending criminals is a
  mans job.
• Hasty Generalization - conclusion derived from
  insufficient evidence
• Because one apple is sour,
  all of them in the bowl must
  be sour.

19
What are errors in logical reasoning?

• Non Sequitur (It Does Not Follow)
• Because my doctor is young, Im
  sure shell be a good doctor.
• False Cause
• Because I opened the umbrella when I tripped on
  the sidewalk, the umbrella must have caused me to
  trip.
• Either-Or Fallacy
• Because of its violence, TV must be either
  allowed or banned.

20
So what does argument present?

• In review, argument presents logical reasons and
  evidence to support a viewpoint.
• Without good reasons, argument fails.

Is it true that men with overlarge chests
have emotional issues?