The toulmin Model of Rhetorical Argument

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The toulmin Model of Rhetorical Argument

• Building on the Classical Argument
• P.A. McCabe-Remmell
• Department of English
• University of South Florida

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Stephen E. Toulmin

• Stephen Edelston Toulmin is a philosopher and
  rhetorical theorist. He was born in England in
  1922 and received his Bachelors degree at Kings
  College. After World War II he obtained his
  Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees
  from Cambridge.

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Toulmin cont.

• Toulmin has taught at the University of Southern
  California since 1993, giving the Jefferson
  Lecture for the National Endowment for the
  Humanities in 1997.
• In 1958, Toulmin offered a theory of argument
  that differed from the classical, Platonic
  absolutism, which was part of Platos formal
  logic. Toulmin believed that some aspects of
  rhetoric were relative and not rigidly absolute.

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Toulmins Model

• Toulmins model provides that there are three
  essential aspects to rhetorical argument

Claim
Data
Warrant
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Toulmins Model, cont.

• Simply
• A Claim is made.
• Data is provided in the form of supporting facts.
• The Warrant connects the Data to the Claim.
• For example

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Toulmins Model cont.

• I am an American. (Claim)
• I was born in New York State. (Data)
• Anyone born in New York State is a legal American
  citizen. (Warrant)
• Toulmin says that the Claim and the Data cannot
  hold without a sufficiently strong Warrant , or,
  the weakest argument is the one with the weakest
  warrant.

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Toulmins Model cont.

• Toulmin also identified other parts to an
  argument.

Qualifier
Rebuttal
Backing
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Toulmins Model cont.

• While the Claim, the Data and the Warrant are
  essential parts to an argument, the Qualifier,
  the Backing and the Rebuttal are not.
• The Qualifier states the strength of the claim.
  In our sample argument about American citizens, a
  Qualifier might be Some Americans are not born
  in the United States. These are naturalized
  citizens.

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Toulmins Model cont.

• The Rebuttal is an exception to the claim and
  considers counter-arguments much like the
  Classical model.
• The Backing provides extra strength to the
  Warrant, especially if the Warrant is not widely
  accepted or understood. The Backing defends the
  Warrant.

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Toulmins Model cont.

• Arranged in graphic format, the Toulmin Model
  looks like this

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Conclusion

• Toulmin developed this model so scholars and
  rhetoricians (including public speakers and
  members of the legal community) could analyze
  arguments easily.
• If one can identify different parts of the
  argument one can compare claims, data, warrants,
  etc., in order to establish one arguments
  validity over another or if two arguments are
  equally valid. Try identifying each aspect of
  Toulmins model in your own work!