These special, two issues are motivated by the conviction that argumentation theorists do not pay... more These special, two issues are motivated by the conviction that argumentation theorists do not pay enough attention to the visual components of argument and persuasion. A better understanding of these components is especially important if we want to understand the role of advertising, film, television, video, multi-media, and the World Wide Web in our lives. A decision to take the visual seriously has important implications for every strand of argumentation theory, for they all emphasize a verbal paradigm which sees arguments as collections of words. Most scholars who study argumentation theory are, therefore, preoccupied with methods of analyzing arguments which emphasize verbal elements and show little or no recognition of other possibilities, or even the relationship between words and other symbolic forms. Students of argumentation emerge without the tools needed for proficiency in assessing visual modes of reasoning and persuasion. We hope that these essays will help spur the dev...
In "Image, Evidence, Argument," Ian Dove defends an intriguing 'middle ground' ... more In "Image, Evidence, Argument," Ian Dove defends an intriguing 'middle ground' between those who argue that there are "visual arguments" (notably Groarke) and skeptics who argue that there are not (notably Johnson). I discuss one of Dove's key examples, proposing a different analysis of it, arguing that there are problems with the "verbal repackaging" of the argument he suggests.
Jamie is twenty seven years old. He works as a carpenter but his avocation is bodybuilding. His b... more Jamie is twenty seven years old. He works as a carpenter but his avocation is bodybuilding. His body shows it. Every Friday he indulges in Dionysian revelry at a local bar. But he is interested in more than drinking. He tells his friends that he goes out "to get laid." In preparing for a Friday out, Jamie selects his attire with care. He picks a form fitting short sleeve shirt that hugs his impressive chest and displays his biceps. He chooses white because white emphasizes the bulk that ten years of bodybuilding have produced. He wears tight black jeans which show that his legs and derrière are "ripped" as well... One might easily continue with this story. It is fiction but fiction which reflects a reality which repeats itself tens of thousands-perhaps hundreds of thousands-of times every Friday and Saturday evening as young men and women prepare for evenings out. Their decisions about the clothes they wear are influenced by a great variety of factors. In some cases, they are motivated by the desire to convince others that they are beautiful, sexy, classy, avant-garde, in tune with the latest fashion or, like Jamie, that they should be taken home for erotic adventures of some sort.
Reading Between the Lines Informative Language Reading Between the Lines Biases and Vested Intere... more Reading Between the Lines Informative Language Reading Between the Lines Biases and Vested Interest Biased Reasoning Slanting by Omission and Distortion Two Kinds of Propaganda Summary Major Exercise 1M Looking for an Argument Identifying Arguments Definitions Distinguishing Arguments and Non-Arguments Diagraming Argments Major Exercise 2M Choosing Your Words Using Words Precisely Vagueness and Ambiguity Formulating Definitions Expressing Your Intended Meaning Looking Ahead Major Exercise 3M Building Arguments Abbreviated Arguments Constructing Good Arguments Major Exercise 4M Evaluating Arguments Good Arguments Valid and Invalid Arguments Forms of Argument The Laws of Thought Major Exercise 5M Classifying Arguments Categorical Statements Immediate Inferences Categorical Syllogisms Testing Validity by Diagrams Major Exercise 6M Testing Syllogistic Arguments Schematization Distribution Rules of Validity Applying the Rules Procedural Points Major Exercise 7M Some Ifs, Ands, and Buts S...
Built in the centre of Copenhagen, and noted for its equestrian stairway, the Rundetaarn (Round T... more Built in the centre of Copenhagen, and noted for its equestrian stairway, the Rundetaarn (Round Tower), was intended as an astronomical observatory. Part of a complex of buildings that once included a university library, it affords expansive views of the city in every direction, towering above what surrounds it. The metaphor of the towering figure, who sees what others might not, whose vantage point allows him to visualize how things fit together, and who has an earned-stature of respect and authority, fits another Danish stalwart, Hans Vilhelm Hansen, whose contributions to the fields of informal logic and argument theory have earned the gratitude of his colleagues, and inspired this collection of essays, written to express the appreciation of its authors and of the many, many colleagues they represent.
One of the most important contributions to argumentation theory in recent years is Ralph Johnson'... more One of the most important contributions to argumentation theory in recent years is Ralph Johnson's Manifest Rationality (Johnson 2000). The present paper is a response to the critique of deductivism it contains. In a forthcoming paper I have argued that this critique does not stand up to scrutiny. The present paper might also be construed as a defense of deductivism, but this is not my principal concern. Rather, I want to use Johnson's account of deductivism to raise some broader and more fundamental questions about the relationship between philosophy, philosophical analysis, and theories of argument.
In response to commentaries by Eckstein and Kišiček, I argue that the study of auditory arguments... more In response to commentaries by Eckstein and Kišiček, I argue that the study of auditory arguments is very much in keeping with the critical thinking (and epistemological) ideals that motivate informal logic. In the process I support further research on sound figures and the meaning of sound (and a possible “auditory dictionary”) that would enhance our ability to analyze auditory arguments.
This article discusses “auditory” arguments: arguments in which non-verbal sounds play a central ... more This article discusses “auditory” arguments: arguments in which non-verbal sounds play a central role. It provides examples and explores the use of sounds in argument and argumentation. It argues that auditory arguments are not reducible to verbal arguments but have a similar structure and can be evaluated by extending standard informal logic accounts of good argument. I conclude that an understanding of auditory elements of argument can usefully expand the scope of informal logic and argumentation theory.
These special, two issues are motivated by the conviction that argumentation theorists do not pay... more These special, two issues are motivated by the conviction that argumentation theorists do not pay enough attention to the visual components of argument and persuasion. A better understanding of these components is especially important if we want to understand the role of advertising, film, television, video, multi-media, and the World Wide Web in our lives. A decision to take the visual seriously has important implications for every strand of argumentation theory, for they all emphasize a verbal paradigm which sees arguments as collections of words. Most scholars who study argumentation theory are, therefore, preoccupied with methods of analyzing arguments which emphasize verbal elements and show little or no recognition of other possibilities, or even the relationship between words and other symbolic forms. Students of argumentation emerge without the tools needed for proficiency in assessing visual modes of reasoning and persuasion. We hope that these essays will help spur the dev...
In "Image, Evidence, Argument," Ian Dove defends an intriguing 'middle ground' ... more In "Image, Evidence, Argument," Ian Dove defends an intriguing 'middle ground' between those who argue that there are "visual arguments" (notably Groarke) and skeptics who argue that there are not (notably Johnson). I discuss one of Dove's key examples, proposing a different analysis of it, arguing that there are problems with the "verbal repackaging" of the argument he suggests.
Jamie is twenty seven years old. He works as a carpenter but his avocation is bodybuilding. His b... more Jamie is twenty seven years old. He works as a carpenter but his avocation is bodybuilding. His body shows it. Every Friday he indulges in Dionysian revelry at a local bar. But he is interested in more than drinking. He tells his friends that he goes out "to get laid." In preparing for a Friday out, Jamie selects his attire with care. He picks a form fitting short sleeve shirt that hugs his impressive chest and displays his biceps. He chooses white because white emphasizes the bulk that ten years of bodybuilding have produced. He wears tight black jeans which show that his legs and derrière are "ripped" as well... One might easily continue with this story. It is fiction but fiction which reflects a reality which repeats itself tens of thousands-perhaps hundreds of thousands-of times every Friday and Saturday evening as young men and women prepare for evenings out. Their decisions about the clothes they wear are influenced by a great variety of factors. In some cases, they are motivated by the desire to convince others that they are beautiful, sexy, classy, avant-garde, in tune with the latest fashion or, like Jamie, that they should be taken home for erotic adventures of some sort.
Reading Between the Lines Informative Language Reading Between the Lines Biases and Vested Intere... more Reading Between the Lines Informative Language Reading Between the Lines Biases and Vested Interest Biased Reasoning Slanting by Omission and Distortion Two Kinds of Propaganda Summary Major Exercise 1M Looking for an Argument Identifying Arguments Definitions Distinguishing Arguments and Non-Arguments Diagraming Argments Major Exercise 2M Choosing Your Words Using Words Precisely Vagueness and Ambiguity Formulating Definitions Expressing Your Intended Meaning Looking Ahead Major Exercise 3M Building Arguments Abbreviated Arguments Constructing Good Arguments Major Exercise 4M Evaluating Arguments Good Arguments Valid and Invalid Arguments Forms of Argument The Laws of Thought Major Exercise 5M Classifying Arguments Categorical Statements Immediate Inferences Categorical Syllogisms Testing Validity by Diagrams Major Exercise 6M Testing Syllogistic Arguments Schematization Distribution Rules of Validity Applying the Rules Procedural Points Major Exercise 7M Some Ifs, Ands, and Buts S...
Built in the centre of Copenhagen, and noted for its equestrian stairway, the Rundetaarn (Round T... more Built in the centre of Copenhagen, and noted for its equestrian stairway, the Rundetaarn (Round Tower), was intended as an astronomical observatory. Part of a complex of buildings that once included a university library, it affords expansive views of the city in every direction, towering above what surrounds it. The metaphor of the towering figure, who sees what others might not, whose vantage point allows him to visualize how things fit together, and who has an earned-stature of respect and authority, fits another Danish stalwart, Hans Vilhelm Hansen, whose contributions to the fields of informal logic and argument theory have earned the gratitude of his colleagues, and inspired this collection of essays, written to express the appreciation of its authors and of the many, many colleagues they represent.
One of the most important contributions to argumentation theory in recent years is Ralph Johnson'... more One of the most important contributions to argumentation theory in recent years is Ralph Johnson's Manifest Rationality (Johnson 2000). The present paper is a response to the critique of deductivism it contains. In a forthcoming paper I have argued that this critique does not stand up to scrutiny. The present paper might also be construed as a defense of deductivism, but this is not my principal concern. Rather, I want to use Johnson's account of deductivism to raise some broader and more fundamental questions about the relationship between philosophy, philosophical analysis, and theories of argument.
In response to commentaries by Eckstein and Kišiček, I argue that the study of auditory arguments... more In response to commentaries by Eckstein and Kišiček, I argue that the study of auditory arguments is very much in keeping with the critical thinking (and epistemological) ideals that motivate informal logic. In the process I support further research on sound figures and the meaning of sound (and a possible “auditory dictionary”) that would enhance our ability to analyze auditory arguments.
This article discusses “auditory” arguments: arguments in which non-verbal sounds play a central ... more This article discusses “auditory” arguments: arguments in which non-verbal sounds play a central role. It provides examples and explores the use of sounds in argument and argumentation. It argues that auditory arguments are not reducible to verbal arguments but have a similar structure and can be evaluated by extending standard informal logic accounts of good argument. I conclude that an understanding of auditory elements of argument can usefully expand the scope of informal logic and argumentation theory.
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Papers by Leo Groarke