The Study of Argumentation as a Discipline

1
The Study of Argumentation as a Discipline

• A Means of Discovering Knowledge and Solving
  Problems

2
The Nature of Argumentation

• Argumentation is
• a form of instrumental communication
• relying on reasoning and proof
• to influence belief or behavior
• through the use of spoken or written messages
  (Rybacki and Rybacki, 3).

3
Characteristics of Argumentation

• Set of concepts used to understand reasoning and
  proof
• A persuasive process
• Disagreement about something
• Ruled-governed communication behavior

4
Fields of Argumentation

• Argumentation as a field or as a discipline is
  both
• dependant
• Invariant
• Field dependant (dialectic)
• standards or rules for the rigor expected in
  proof and reasoning
• what constitutes sound argumentation
• what makes sense.
• Field invariant (rhetoric)
• examining instances of something and drawing a
  conclusion based on what those instances have in
  common.

5
Presumption

• Presumption identifies what sources of
  information and expert opinion constitute good
  sufficient reasons for accepting or rejecting a
  proposed change in belief or behavior.
• Artificial
• Natural
• Artificial presumption (psychological dimension)
  covers institutions, ideas, policies, and customs
  that have been established as a field has
  developed.
• Law relationships between people and
  organizations
• Biology living organisms
• Forensic science legal system
• Chemistry organic and inorganic substance
• Natural presumption (stipulated dimension)
  derives from the observation of the natural order
  of whatever field we find ourselves in at a given
  time (nature of interaction).
• Derives from things we consider normal.
• Deference

6
Presumption and Hypothesis

• In debate, presumption is automatically granted
  to the negative team at the beginning of each
  debate, and the affirmative team has the burden
  of proving the presumption should be overturned.

7
Burden of Proof

• The burden of proof challenges presumption.
• Burden of proof suggests that there is
  significant grounds for change.
• For example
• The United States higher education system has
  sacrificed quality for institutional survival.
• Whats the presumption in this case?

8
The Prima Facie Case

• A prima facie case
• at first sight or on the face of it is
  sufficient to justify changing belief or
  behavior.
• The advocate must present a fully developed
  case strong enough to justify a change unless
  successfully challenged by countering arguments.
• Characteristics of a prima facie case
• First, the broad, general topic to be argued.
• Second, a prima facie case demonstrates
  inherency.
• Third, case development is a process.

9
Case Development

• Goal of process is to discover actual issues you
  will argue.
• Questions central to the specific need alluded to
  in the proposition
• Actual issues are found through analysis.
• Locating immediate cause of concern
• Investigating the history of the topic
• Defining key terms
• Determining actual issues in the controversy

10
Immediate Cause

• Immediate cause in Factual Propositions
• Ask yourself why are people focusing on this
  topic at this time?
• Is it viewed as a controversy in the news?
• What are opinion leaders saying about it?
• Immediate cause in Value Propositions
• Ask yourself why making a judgment about
  something is salient at this time?
• criteria used to judge something and the extent
  to which whatever is being judged measures up to
  the criteria
• Immediate cause in Policy Propositions
• Ask yourself what is the harmful event and why
  did the event occur?
• What is the cause of the problem?

11
Conclusion

• Argumentation is a means of discovering knowledge
  and solving problems (cooperative knowledge
  seeking).
• The techniques of argumentation are the means we
  use to justify our opinions and express them to
  others.
• The end sought is not that one persons views
  should dominate, but that all members of the
  community should be allowed to contribute and
  reason together collaboratively.