Chapter 1 everythings an argument
- 1. Chapter 1: Everything Is an Argument This chapter asks you toThis chapter asks you to think in new ways about thethink in new ways about the reading and writing that youreading and writing that you do in a variety of situations.do in a variety of situations.
- 2. What do you think when you hear the word “argument”?What do you think when you hear the word “argument”? Do you think of angry people yelling at each other?Do you think of angry people yelling at each other? Or do you think of argument as attempts to resolveOr do you think of argument as attempts to resolve issues between two or more people?issues between two or more people? Do you think of argument as standing up for your ideas,Do you think of argument as standing up for your ideas, defending them and minimizing the opposition?defending them and minimizing the opposition? Or do you think of argument as rational discussion thatOr do you think of argument as rational discussion that can lead to agreement or compromise?can lead to agreement or compromise?
- 3. Definition of Argument?Definition of Argument? In this course, we are defining argument asIn this course, we are defining argument as making amaking a claimclaim (expressing a point of view on an issue that is(expressing a point of view on an issue that is communicated by the arguer.)communicated by the arguer.) andand supporting it with reasons and evidencesupporting it with reasons and evidence toto convince an audience to change the way they thinkconvince an audience to change the way they think about the issue.about the issue.
- 4. What Is the Goal of Argument?What Is the Goal of Argument? The goal of argument is to bring about a change in anThe goal of argument is to bring about a change in an audience’s initial position on a controversial issue.audience’s initial position on a controversial issue. Depending on the situation, the arguer may reach thisDepending on the situation, the arguer may reach this goal by convincing an audience to change its initialgoal by convincing an audience to change its initial views on an issue or by reaching a consensualviews on an issue or by reaching a consensual understanding that most or all audience members canunderstanding that most or all audience members can accept.accept.
- 5. The most important lesson in chapter 1 is that argumentThe most important lesson in chapter 1 is that argument is everywhere. We encounter argument at home, atis everywhere. We encounter argument at home, at church, in the workplace, on the campus, in the publicchurch, in the workplace, on the campus, in the public sphere—literally everywhere.sphere—literally everywhere. All language and even images can serve as argument.All language and even images can serve as argument. Argument can be written, spoken, sung or chanted. ItArgument can be written, spoken, sung or chanted. It can be read, heard or observed in pictures that are eithercan be read, heard or observed in pictures that are either still or moving. It can be explicit with a clear purpose andstill or moving. It can be explicit with a clear purpose and position as in an advertisement. Or it can be implicit,position as in an advertisement. Or it can be implicit, communicating a more subtle position on an issue thatcommunicating a more subtle position on an issue that the audience has to think about, as some of anti-warthe audience has to think about, as some of anti-war postersposters.. Chapter 1Chapter 1
- 6. Chapter 1Chapter 1 Knowledge of argument will help us deal with the issuesKnowledge of argument will help us deal with the issues that engage us in every part of our lives.that engage us in every part of our lives. Most academic writing is argumentMost academic writing is argument writingwriting. So in this. So in this course emphasis will be placed on helping you gaincourse emphasis will be placed on helping you gain practical experience in the use of argumentation.practical experience in the use of argumentation.
- 7. Some of you may have difficulty understandingSome of you may have difficulty understanding argument as anything but “disagreement,” and gettingargument as anything but “disagreement,” and getting you to accept the word as meaning “making a point”you to accept the word as meaning “making a point” or “reasoned inquiry” can take some time.or “reasoned inquiry” can take some time. But as you engage with the course materialsBut as you engage with the course materials (textbook, audiovisuals etc.) this should become clear(textbook, audiovisuals etc.) this should become clear that argument isthat argument is making a claimmaking a claim (expressing a point(expressing a point of view on an issue that is communicated by theof view on an issue that is communicated by the arguer) andarguer) and supporting it with reasons andsupporting it with reasons and evidenceevidence to convince an audience to change the wayto convince an audience to change the way they think about the issue.they think about the issue.
- 8. A second important lesson in this chapter is thatA second important lesson in this chapter is that rhetorical situations vary widely, ranging from therhetorical situations vary widely, ranging from the obviously persuasive (a senator’s defense of healthobviously persuasive (a senator’s defense of health care legislation) to the poetic (a poem about deathcare legislation) to the poetic (a poem about death of a loved one.)of a loved one.) Understanding how arguments change dependingUnderstanding how arguments change depending on contexts and even understanding the contextson contexts and even understanding the contexts themselves can be challenging for students.themselves can be challenging for students.
- 9. Stasis theory and the rhetorical appeals of ethos,Stasis theory and the rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos are powerful tools forpathos, and logos are powerful tools for understanding and creating arguments, but it mayunderstanding and creating arguments, but it may take you some time to sort them out.take you some time to sort them out. In almost all rhetorical situations, the threeIn almost all rhetorical situations, the three appeals overlap significantly, so that, for example,appeals overlap significantly, so that, for example, an effective logical or emotional appeal builds aan effective logical or emotional appeal builds a particular kind of ethos.particular kind of ethos.
- 10. You will also quickly realize that it can be difficultYou will also quickly realize that it can be difficult to find pure examples of the kinds of argumentsto find pure examples of the kinds of arguments that stasis theory introduces, but with work youthat stasis theory introduces, but with work you should be able to see that many authors moveshould be able to see that many authors move through one or more stasis questions in makingthrough one or more stasis questions in making their arguments.their arguments. To help you understand stasis theory, you mightTo help you understand stasis theory, you might consider walking through an imaginary crimeconsider walking through an imaginary crime..
- 11. If someone goes missing, for example, there is aIf someone goes missing, for example, there is a questionquestion ofof factfact.. Did something happen to this person?Did something happen to this person? If a dead body is found, then investigators know thatIf a dead body is found, then investigators know that something happened and trysomething happened and try ttoo definedefine the event:the event: Was itWas it suicide, an accident, or a murder?suicide, an accident, or a murder? If they can define the crime as murder, they might nextIf they can define the crime as murder, they might next evaluateevaluate itit:: was it murder in the first, second, or thirdwas it murder in the first, second, or third degree?degree? When they have evaluated the severity of the crime, theWhen they have evaluated the severity of the crime, the investigators or the judicial system makes ainvestigators or the judicial system makes a proposal aboutproposal about what to dowhat to do next:next: should the criminal be given a prisonshould the criminal be given a prison sentence of a limited number of years, life or the deathsentence of a limited number of years, life or the death penalty.penalty.