A Rulebook For Arguments Is A Succinct Introduction To The Art Of Writing And Assessing Arguments, Organized Around Specific Rules, Each Illustrated And Explained Soundly But Briefly. This Widely Popular Primer - Translated Into Eight Languages - Remains The First Choice In All Disciplines For Writers Who Seek Straightforward Guidance About How To Assess Arguments And How To Cogently Construct Them. The Fourth Edition Offers A Revamped And More Tightly Focused Approach To Extended Arguments, A New Chapter On Oral Arguments, And Updated Examples And Topics Throughout. Short Arguments : Some General Rules: Identify Premises And Conclusion ; Develop Your Ideas In A Natural Order ; Start From Reliable Premises ; Be Concrete And Concise ; Build On Substance, Not Overtone ; Use Consistent Terms -- Generalizations: Use More Than One Example ; Use Representative Examples ; Background Rates May Be Crucial ; Statistics Need A Critical Eye ; Consider Counterexamples -- Arguments By Analogy: Analogies Require Relevantly Similar Examples -- Sources: Cite Your Sources ; Seek Informed Sources ; Seek Impartial Sources ; Cross-check Sources ; Use The Web With Care -- Arguments About Causes: Causal Arguments Start With Correlations ; Correlations May Have Alternative Explanations ; Work Toward The Most Likely Explanation ; Expect Complexity -- Deductive Arguments: Modus Ponens ; Modus Tollens ; Hypothetical Syllogism ; Disjunctive Syllogism ; Dilemma ; Reductio Ad Absurdum ; Deductive Arguments In Several Steps --extended Arguments: Explore The Issue ; Spell Out Basic Ideas As Arguments ; Defend Basic Premises With Arguments Of Their Own ; Consider Objections ; Consider Alternatives -- Argumentative Essays: Jump Right In ; Make A Definite Claim Or Proposal ; Your Argument Is Your Outline ; Detail Objections And Meet Them ; Get Feedback And Use It ; Modesty, Please! -- Oral Arguments: Reach Out To Your Audience ; Be Fully Present ; Signpost Your Argument ; Offer Something Positive ; Use Visual Aids Sparingly ; End In Style -- Appendix I: Some Common Fallacies -- Appendix Ii: Definitions: When Terms Are Unclear, Get Specific ; When Terms Are Contested, Work From The Clear Cases ; Definitions Don't Replace Arguments. Anthony Weston. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 87-88).Categories: Politics & Social Sciences PhilosophyLogic & Language
