ENGL1133 Essay #1: Critical Response

Argument: An Introduction What do we mean by an argument? In order to understand what argument is, let us first understand what it isn’t. Argument is not a Quarrel or fight: The first thin g that comes to mind when one thinks about an argument is heated disagreement, rising pulse rate, an urge to slam doors etc. We relate argument to anger and hostility; but in reality argument does not imply anger. In fact arguing is often pleasurable. It is a creative and productive activity that engages us at high level of inquiry and critical thinking. A good argument helps seek possible solution to a problem. Argument is not a pro –con debate: Another popular image of argument is debate. Now let us first understand what a debate is : A debate is a formal contest of argumentation in which two opposing teams defend and attack a given proposition. While formal debate can develop critical thinking, its weakness is that it can turn argument into a ga me of winners and losers rather than a process of cooperative inquiry. An argument is not a game, neither is there any competition to be won. Argument requires: extensive critical thinking, study and truth seeking inquiry. Debates do not always propose a solution, but arguments do. ex: former debate champion (prisons) Argument can be Explicit or Implicit: Arguments can either be explicit or implicit. An Explicit argument states directly a controversial claim and supports it with reasons and evidence, to persuade its audience towards a certain point of view. An Implicit argument, on the other hand, doesn’t look like an argument. It may be a poem or short story , a photograph or cartoon, a personal essay or an autobiographical narrative. But like an explicit argument, it persuades its audience towards a certain point of view. eg: Veterans day photograph (pg: 5) The Defining features of Argument: The three defining features of an argument are: (i) Argument requires justification of claims (ii) Argument is both a process and a product (iii) Argument combines truth seeking and persuasion (i) Argument requires justification of claims: An arguer is obligated to clarify and support the reasons he/she presents. eg: young person & parent (pg: 8 -9) (ii) Argument is both a process and a product: Argument can be viewed as a process in which two or more parties seek the best solution to a question or a problem. Argument can also be viewed as a product, each product being any person’s contribution to the conversation at a given moment. Argument combines truth seeking and persuasion: What is persuasion? Persuasion means to win over to a belief. Considering argument as a product, the writer will find himself/herself continually moving back and forth between truth seeking and persuasion – that is between questions about the subject matter (what is the best solution to the given problem?) and about the audience (what do my readers already believe or value? What reasons and evidence will most persuade them?) So you weave your argument ba ck and forth between – subject and audience, but with varying degrees of emphasis. eg: A student trying to persuade her college chair person to consider American Sign language (ASL) as a foreign language course. (pg:11 -12) {focuses h er research only on subject matter [ASL is a distinct language (unique)] (researches: linguists, neurologists, psychologists, sociologists)} {second time focuses on audience, researches the history of foreign language requirements a t her college[interviewed Foreign language teachers] ( who thought ASL was easy)} Now the question arises, is the arguer’s first obligation to truth or to winning the argument? There are often different degrees of truth and different kinds of truths fo r different situations or cultures. We live in a pluralistic, mul ticultural world with different visions of truth. Thus, seeking truth means, to seek the best or most just solution to a problem while observing all available evidence, listening with an o pen mind to the views of all stakeholders, clarifying and attempting to justify your values and assumptions, and taking responsibility for your argument.