Lesson One: Why We Argue
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The document discusses argumentative essays and the cultural obstacles students may face when writing them. It notes that logic and argument are Western constructs that differ from Chinese philosophy which values harmony, complexity and context over abstraction. Greek culture saw individuals as separate and the world as logically knowable, shaping Western debate culture, while Chinese culture emphasized interdependence and moderation over theories. Students are assigned topics for future argumentative essays and an object description exercise.
Lesson One: Why We Argue
- 1. Lesson One Why We Argue Neijiang Normal University - Instructor: Brent A. Simoneaux
- 2. Our main focus for this semester will be on writing essays. Particularly, we will focus on argumentative essays. We will cover chapters 5, 6, and 8 in our text. Semester O bjective
- 3. By the end of this lesson, you should know: What argument is Why we argue How culture might create obstacles when writing argument Today’s O bjectives
- 4. Take 5 minutes to write a definition and an example to illustrate. Do not use your dictionary. argument
- 5. “ The aim or purpose of argument is to use logic (both inductive and deductive) to create reasoned communication of ideas, insights, and experiences to some audience so as to produce a new understanding of some issue for that audience.” So, what is argument? {argument}
- 6. {argument} What argument is not : 1. Argument is not confrontation .
- 7. {argument} What argument is not : 2. Argument is not opinion.
- 8. {argument} What argument is not : 3. Argument is not disagreement about fact.
- 9. {argument} What argument is not : 4. Argument is not synonymous with formal or classic logic.
- 10. A question of degree {argument} exposition argumentation persuasion Purpose: informative Purpose: interpretive and informative Purpose: less informative more persuasive Spectrum of Writing Purposes
- 11. A question of degree {argument} Spectrum of Content exposition argumentation persuasion facts facts + analysis emotional / irrational grocery lists manuals business letters academic essays political writing advertising
- 12. A question of degree {argument} The spectrum of writing illustrates two useful concepts: As the writer’s purpose moves from pure exposition toward persuasion, it incorporates many of the elements of the types of writing that precedes it.
- 13. A question of degree {argument} The spectrum of writing illustrates two useful concepts: 2. One type of writing may fall in different classifications along the spectrum because classification is determined by the purpose of the writer and the needs of the audience. (ie: scientific paper)
- 14. {argument} It is important to remember that argumentative essays involve the use of logic and teach much more than research of a subject.
- 15. {argument} This is where it becomes difficult for students, especially Eastern students. Given what you now know about argument, what do you think are some cultural obstacles that you might encounter when writing argumentative essays?
- 16. {argument} The Biggest Cultural Obstacle Logic is essentially a western construct.
- 17. “… The most striking difference between the traditions at the two ends of the civilized world is in the destiny of logic. For the West, logic has been central and the thread of transmission has never snapped…” -Philosopher Angus Graham {argument}
- 18. Independent {argument} L o gic Aristotle The Greeks thought of themselves as:
- 19. 2. Individuals with distinctive properties {argument} L o gic Aristotle The Greeks thought of themselves as:
- 20. 3. Units separate from others in society {argument} L o gic Aristotle The Greeks thought of themselves as:
- 21. 4. In control of their own destinies {argument} L o gic Aristotle The Greeks thought of themselves as:
- 22. Similarly, Greek philosophy regarded the object in isolation as the proper focus of attention and analysis. {argument} L o gic
- 23. This led to a move toward abstraction and distrust of the senses. {argument} L o gic
- 24. For example, Aristotle thought of attributes as having a reality distinct from their concrete embodiments. {argument} L o gic
- 25. In other words, it was meaningful for Aristotle to speak not just of a solid object, but of attributes in the abstract and to have theories about these abstractions. {argument} L o gic
- 26. Woodenness Brownness Sturdiness Solidness {argument} L o gic
- 27. Aristotle would then analyze these attributes and create theories about them. {argument}
- 28. The world, then, is in principle simple and knowable. {argument} L o gic
- 29. All one has to do is understand an object’s distinctive attributes so as to identify its relevant categories and then apply a certain theory to the category. {argument} L o gic
- 30. {argument} L o gic Think about the implications of all of this: We have this entire culture of people who (1) believe that the world is in principle simple and knowable; (2) love abstract ideas and theories; and (3) think of themselves as individual and separate.
- 31. {argument} L o gic debate
- 32. {argument} L o gic Argument was used in debate to communicate ideas, insights, and experiences to the audience so as to produce new understanding. Logic was developed as one of the main tools of debate.
- 33. {argument} L o gic Debate is still a very important element of Western culture. Politics
- 34. {argument} L o gic
- 35. {argument} L o gic Debate is still a very important element of Western culture. Politics Academia Daily life
- 36. {argument} L o gic What about Chinese philosophy and culture?
- 37. {argument} L o gic There were two short-lived movements of little influence in the East that had a similar spirit of logical inquiry as the West: Ming jia Mohists
- 38. {argument} L o gic
- 39. Chinese social life was interdependent and characterized by harmony. (Taoists: Man & nature) (Confucians: Man & Man) {argument} L o gic
- 40. Similarly, the Way, and not the discovery of truth, was the goal of philosophy. Thought that gave no guidance to action was considered fruitless. {argument} L o gic
- 41. The world was complicated, events were interrelated, and objects (and people) were connected not as pieces of a pie, but as ropes in a net. {argument} L o gic
- 42. Complexity and interrelation meant for the Chinese that any attempt to understand something without appreciation of its context was doomed. {argument} L o gic
- 43. {argument} L o gic “ The aim of the Chinese classical education has always been the cultivation of the reasonable man as the model of education. An educated man should, above all, be a reasonable being, who is always characterized by his common sense, his love of moderation and restraint, and his hatred of abstract theories and logical extremes.” -Literary critic Lin Yutang
- 44. {argument} L o gic This semester, we are going to be learning how to think as well as write.
- 45. {argument} L o gic Why do we argue? To create a dialogue in an effort to discover truth.
- 46. Homew o rk Think about an argumentative essay topic that you are interested in and curious about. Write down your general topic and bring it to class next week. We’ll work on making it more specific later.
- 47. Homew o rk Choose any object that you use in your daily life (look in your pockets, dorm room, purse, wallet, etc.) Study this object; look at it very closely. Now, write one paragraph to describe it in detail. Use your imagination. Use your Writing Notebook. Due: next week.
- 48. Next Week : Invention