Transcript Everything’s An Argument - Longoria's AP English III

Everything’s An
Argument
Chapter 1
Overview
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Purposes of Argument
Occasions for Argument
Kinds of Argument
Audiences for Argument
Purposes of Argument


Argument does not necessarily result in a
winner and loser; an invitational argument
seeks to engage another in the exploration
of an issue.
There are many purposes for arguing,
including: to inform, to convince, to
explore, to make decisions, and to
meditate or pray.
•
•
•
•
Argument aims to find the truth
through evidence and reason.
Persuasion attempts to change
point of view and move a person to
action.
Extreme persuasion that disregards
all fairness is propaganda.
Rogerian argument seeks common
ground where “opponents” agree to
disagree.







Arguments to Inform: tell people something they
don’t know
Arguments to Convince: aim to convince rather
than win over opponents
Arguments to Persuade: motivate action,
produce change, or win a point
Arguments to Explore: examine an issue, the
“opponent” is usually the prevailing thought or
status quo
Arguments to Make Decisions: presents pros and
cons to help audience make decision
Arguments to Meditate or Pray: aims to
internally arrive at transformation or peace of
mind
Academic Arguments: argument directed to
professional field or discipline such as
psychology, engineering, English etc.
Occasions for Argument
Aristotle gave argumentation a
formula based on issues of time:
* Past
* Future
* Present
Arguments about the Past






Aka forensic argument
Is an argument of blame
Common in business, government, and
academia
Rely on evidence and testimony
Based on precedents (influential decisions
and policies from the past)
Utilize analyses of cause and effect
Arguments about the Future






Aka deliberative arguments
Is an argument of choice
Debate what will or should happen
Rely on prior forensic arguments
Utilize data and testimony
Employ projections, drawn conclusions
and reasonable guesses
Arguments about the Present
epideictic or ceremonial
arguments
 Aka
 Often
about current beliefs or
values
 Tend to be heard at public
occasions
Kinds of Argument

Arguments are categorized by stasis
theory – the questions being answered by
an argument determine the point:
1. Did something happen?
2. What is its nature?
3. What is its quality or cause?
4. What actions should be taken?




Arguments of Fact – statement, proved or
disproved with specific evidence
Arguments of Definition – determine if one
object or action belongs to another
category
Arguments of Evaluation and Causality –
measure or question quality
Proposal Arguments – prove there is a
problem
Audiences for Arguments



Intended readers exist in your mind
Invoked readers are represented in the
text
“Real” readers may or may not be people
the writer expected to be in the audience,
but they are actual people
Considering the Audience






Choice of pronouns can include or exclude the
audience
Cultural traditions should be taken into
consideration
Pathos forms an emotional appeal
Ethos presents the writer’s self and establishes
credibility, may also address ethics
Logos offers logical appeal and is particularly
suited to American culture
Rhetorical Situation refers to the entire process
by which a speaker or writer identifies the
audience, determines the message, delivers it
and receives feedback
What occasion?
"Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97:
Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future,
sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of
sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the
rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my
own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice
now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh,
never mind. You will not understand the power and
beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in
20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall
in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay
before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are
not as fat as you imagine.”
Kurt Vonnegut, MIT Commencement Address
What occasion?
Consider an episode of Law &
Order where Lieutenants Stabler
and Benson discuss clues and
course of events in a crime. When
presenting their findings to the
District Attorney, what
argumentative occasion are they
employing?
Audience?
 Your
mom is snooping around
on your computer and reads a
steamy email you wrote for
your boyfriend or girlfriend…
Audience?

An article in Newsweek magazine
discusses the rising number of female
college students engaging in binge
drinking. They now equal men in rates of
alcohol poisoning. Who is the invoked
reader? What kind of argument is it?
Appeal?