Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.
Synopsis
Argumentation is defined as 'the process of producing conviction by means of reasoning' — the highest and most respectable means of conviction, though not the only one, since suggestion (treated in the previous chapter) can also move belief. Because more than one side of any subject deserves fair consideration, argumentation has two aspects: building a case sturdy enough to withstand attack, and detecting weaknesses in an opponent's case. Rather than a full technical treatise, the chapter offers an extended series of testing questions organized under three heads — the question under discussion (is it clearly and fairly stated, is it debatable, what is the pivotal point), the evidence (the credibility of witnesses, the standing of authorities cited, the sufficiency of facts and principles), and the reasoning itself (the soundness of inductions, deductions, parallel cases, inferences, and syllogisms, watching for the non sequitur and other fallacies). Jesus's own method — 'Ye are the salt of the earth... Consider the lilies of the field... will he give him a stone?' — is offered as a model of argument by illustration, and extensive debate exercises on questions like armed intervention and the inheritance tax train the student to build and demolish a case with equal skill.
Key points
- Argumentation is the process of producing conviction by means of reasoning — the highest, most respected means of conviction, though suggestion is another.
- Argument has two aspects: building a sound case and being able to detect and demolish weaknesses in an opposing case.
- The question under discussion must be tested for clear and fair statement and for its pivotal point before argument proceeds.
- Evidence must be tested for the credibility of witnesses, the standing of authorities, and the sufficiency of facts and principles cited.
- Reasoning itself must be tested — inductions, deductions, parallel cases, inferences, and syllogisms — watching for fallacies like the non sequitur.
Key texts
- Matthew 5:13
- Matthew 6:26-30
- Matthew 7:9-11
From the book
Chapter XXIII — Influencing by Argument · Open the reader
- “Argumentation is the process of producing conviction by means of reasoning.”
- “Common sense is the common sense of mankind.”
- “The very name of logic is awesome to most young speakers”
Put it into practice
- Before arguing a question, test whether it is clearly stated, fairly stated, and genuinely debatable.
- Weigh your evidence: check whether witnesses are impartial and competent, and whether authorities cited are truly qualified.
- Examine your own reasoning for fallacies — omitted steps, non sequiturs, or strained parallels — before presenting it.
- Comprehension
1. How does the chapter define argumentation?
- Scripture
2. Read the passage quoting Jesus (salt of the earth, lilies of the field, the son asking bread). What method did He employ, according to the chapter's own question?
- Doctrinal Clarity
3. Why does the chapter say argumentation must be considered under two aspects?
- Comprehension
4. List the three main heads under which the chapter organizes its tests of an argument.
- Contrast
5. Contrast induction and deduction as reasoning forms tested in the chapter.
- Contrast
6. Contrast a witness's competence with a witness's impartiality, per the chapter's testing questions.
- Comprehension
7. What fallacy is illustrated by the syllogism about slovenly men being happy because careless men have no cares?
- Comprehension
8. What advice does the chapter give about the burden of proof in debate?
- Application
9. Take an opinion you hold strongly and test its evidence using the chapter's questions: are your witnesses or authorities impartial and competent?
- Application
10. Examine one of your own arguments for a hidden non sequitur or strained syllogism, as the chapter's exercises train students to do.