A Practical Study of Argument (with InfoTrac)

Learn to formulate better arguments with A PRACTICAL STUDY OF ARGUMENT! Providing you with a practical introduction to sound argumentation, this philosophy text gives you the tools you need to understand formal logic and formulate a good argument. Real world examples are included to show you how theory is brought to life in everyday practice. Tools such as exercises with answers, a glossary of common fallacies, chapter summaries, and a book-specific website give you the practice you need to master the material with ease.

Preface

ix

What Is an Argument? (And What Is Not?)

1

(28)

Argument and Opinion

1

(2)

What Is an Argument?

3

(4)

Where and How Do You Find Arguments?

7

(3)

Why Are Arguments Important?

10

(2)

What Isn't an Argument?

12

(6)

Argument and Explanation: What's the Difference?

18

(11)

Chapter Summary

27

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

27

(1)

Notes

28

(1)

Pinning Down Argument Structure

29

(39)

Standardizing an Argument

29

(5)

From Colloquial Writing to Standardized Form

34

(4)

General Strategies for Standardizing Arguments

38

(5)

Important Details about Conclusions

43

(8)

Important Details about Premises

51

(9)

The Principle of Charity in Argument Interpretation

60

(8)

Chapter Summary

64

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

65

(1)

Notes

66

(2)

When Is an Argument a Good One?

68

(32)

The ARG Conditions

68

(3)

More on the (R) and (G) Conditions: Reasoning from Premises to Conclusions

71

(4)

Using the ARG Conditions to Evaluate Arguments

75

(6)

The Significance of Argument Evaluation

81

(4)

The Challenge of Argument

85

(7)

Evaluating Arguments and Constructing Your Own Arguments

92

(2)

The Dialectical Context

94

(6)

Chapter Summary

96

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

97

(2)

Notes

99

(1)

Looking at Language

100

(38)

Definitions

103

(13)

Further Features of Language

116

(10)

Clarity and Audience: The Problem of Jargon

126

(12)

Chapter Summary

133

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

134

(2)

Notes

136

(2)

Premises: What to Accept and Why

138

(36)

The Dilemma of Premises

138

(2)

When Premises Are Acceptable

140

(14)

Summary of Acceptability Conditions

154

(2)

When Premises Are Unacceptable

156

(9)

Summary of Unacceptability Conditions

165

(9)

Chapter Summary

169

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

170

(2)

Notes

172

(2)

Working on Relevance

174

(41)

Characteristics of Relevance

174

(3)

Some Ways of Being Relevant

177

(4)

Irrelevance: Some General Comments

181

(6)

Fallacies Involving Irrelevance

187

(16)

Irrelevance, Missing Premises, and Argument Criticism

203

(5)

Emotional Appeals, Irrelevance, and Distraction

208

(7)

Chapter Summary

211

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

211

(2)

Notes

213

(2)

Deductions: Categorical Logic

215

(38)

Deductive Relations

215

(3)

Four Categorical Forms

218

(2)

Natural Language and Categorical Form

220

(5)

Venn Diagrams

225

(2)

Rules of Immediate Inference

227

(6)

Contrary and Contradictory Predicates and False Dichotomies

233

(2)

Categorical Logic: Some Philosophical Background

235

(3)

The Categorical Syllogism

238

(6)

The Rules of the Categorical Syllogism

244

(2)

Applying Categorical Logic

246

(7)

Chapter Summary

249

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

250

(2)

Notes

252

(1)

Deductively Valid Arguments: Propositional Logic

253

(45)

Definition of the Basic Symbols Used in Propositional Logic

254

(5)

Testing for Validity by the Truth Table Technique

259

(3)

The Shorter Truth Table Technique

262

(4)

Translating from English into Propositional Logic

266

(10)

Further Points about Translation

276

(9)

Simple Proofs in Propositional Logic

285

(7)

Propositional Logic and Cogent Arguments

292

(6)

Chapter Summary

294

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

295

(2)

Notes

297

(1)

An Introduction to Inductive Arguments

298

(52)

Philosophical Background

298

(3)

Inductive Generalizations

301

(12)

Causal Inductive Arguments

313

(5)

Correlations

318

(6)

Problems with Premises

324

(10)

Common Fallacies in Inductive Arguments

334

(10)

Different Senses of Inductive

344

(6)

Chapter Summary

345

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

346

(2)

Notes

348

(2)

Analogies: Reasoning from Case to Case

350

(42)

The Nature and Functions of Analogy

350

(2)

Analogy and Consistency

352

(15)

Inductive Analogies

367

(8)

Further Critical Strategies

375

(3)

Loose and Misleading Analogies

378

(14)

Chapter Summary

389

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

389

(1)

Notes

390

(2)

Conductive Arguments and Counterconsiderations

392

(21)

Counterconsiderations

395

(18)

Chapter Summary

410

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

410

(1)

Notes

411

(2)

Reflective Analysis of Longer Works

413

(24)

Introduction

413

(1)

Reading for Understanding

414

(4)

Reading for Appraisal

418

(2)

Developing an Outline for Your Essay

420

(5)

A Sample Essay

425

(5)

Working through an Example

430

(7)

Chapter Summary

434

(1)

Review of Terms Introduced

435

(1)

Note

436

(1)

Appendix A A Summary of Fallacies

437

(9)

Appendix B Selected Essays for Analysis

446

(12)

``How Patriarchy Becomes Santa Claus: Why a Myth Is as Good as Its Smile,''

446

(2)

Janet D. Sisson

``Abortion and Violence,''

448

(1)

Henry Morgentaler

``Believing in the Goddess?''

449

(4)

Trudy Govier

``Clash Over Climate Change: Singer Article Clouds the Picture,''

453

(2)

Andrew Weaver

``Global Warming Proof Still Suspect,''

455

(3)

S. Fred Singer

Answers to Selected Exercises

458

(26)

Index

484

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A Practical Study of Argument (with InfoTrac)

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials