A Rulebook for Arguments

by Anthony Weston

Book Overview

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... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0872209547
• ISBN13: 9780872209541
• Release Date: November 2008
• Publisher: Hackett Publishing Company
• Length: 88 Pages
• Weight: 0.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

A Rulebook for Arguments

An excellent and concise work which allows the reader to sharpen their critical thinking skills. It would be a boon for a student of any age to read it as it goes over how to structure, present, and properly cite arguments.

Highly recommended for younger readers

I was lead to believe that this book was more detailed but that's a misunderstanding on my part. At the very end of the book the author writes "the subject of this book is usually labeled 'critical thinking'.....If you are a high school or college student and want to learn more about the subject, look for courses with these titles being offered in your school." This is a good point showing the type of reader which would benefit the most from this book. If you are a high school student or a college freshman, this book may be of interest to you. If you have taken some courses like mentioned above, or some philosophy courses or you are a maturer book reader, you will probably get little from this book. For instance, some of the sections (rules) are titled "seek impartial sources", "personal attack do not disqualify a source", "explore the arguments on all sides of the issue", etc. However, the author seems to have written the book for younger readers so the fact that it is too simplistic is not a negativity for the book, but just a point to take into consideration for the reader before deciding to buy it. The book is short (87 pages) but concise. In a rule based format it shows how to approach an argument, how to reach a conclusion based on evidence instead of preconceived notions or prejudices, and how to explain your conclusion clearly. In the introduction, the author writes "Arguments are attempts to support certain views with reasons.....Argument in this sense is a means of inquiry". The first 30 rules of the book is about this inquiry. These rules are numbered 1 thru 30. Also in the introduction the author writes "Once we have arrived at a conclusion that is well supported by reasons, argument is how we explain and defend it. A good argument doesn't merely repeat conclusions. Instead it offers reasons and evidence so that other people can make up their minds for themselves". The second half of the book is about this definition of arguments. In 17 rules (numbered A1 thru D3) it shows how to plan and write an essay to explain your view on a subject. Another section called "fallacies", defines fallacies as misleading arguments and gives examples of some classical fallacies and shows why they are illogical or why they violate the rules of good arguments. Potential buyers can click the "check inside" link at the top of this page and see the complete list of rules to get a better idea about the book. (When I wrote this review, "check inside" was available) Overall, it is a concise, well-explained and beneficial book for the target readers.

Playing by the rules...

When I was studying as an undergraduate, I toyed with the idea of becoming a philosophy major. I ultimately did not pursue that particular field (opting for the areas of politics and religious studies, then venturing on to history, mathematics, astronomy, and ultimately theology) but I did take among my earliest courses a sequence of lectures in logic, including symbolic logic. I cannot express the value of this training adequately for all of my subsequent courses of study, but I also find it difficult to recommend the 700-page textbook to my students today who have problems crafting arguments and seeing the problems inherent in certain types of argumentation when they have little grounding and even less time for formal logic.This is where this book by Weston comes in most handy. Weston's 'A Rulebook for Arguments' is a concise, accessible and very practical book for anyone looking to write or craft persuasive, coherent and consistent lines of reasoning. The first chapter gives seven basic principles that anyone who wishes to convince or persuade should know, whether they be arguing before a judge, a debating panel, a teacher, or even in a friendly pub conversation -- principles such as using natural order of argumentation, avoiding loaded language, being consistent in terminology, and starting from realistic and reliable premises.From these basic and reasonable pieces, Weston develops more formal systems for argumentation -- Arguments by Example, by Analogy, from Authority, about Causes, and Deductive Arguments. Each of these systems are useful in and of themselves, as well as in relation to each other, but all have specific rules for application. What constitutes an Argument from Authority, for example? Who or what is authoritative? What are the limitations on this type of argument? One thinks immediately of the family-based Argument from Authority, 'because I'm the mommy, that's why.' Perhaps it is just as well the average grade schooler won't be purchasing this book!In all, there are 30 primary rules for argumentation. These are adapted into 14 primary steps for developing an argument in writing.There are three chapters specifically devoted to composing an argumentative essay, focusing upon research into the issues being argued, developing the key points of the argument, and finally writing the narrative of the text of the argument. These are basic steps to be followed whether one is putting together a two-page persuasive essay for an introductory politics class or a 200-page dissertation for a doctorate in philosophy. Key points such as definition, outlines according to natural flow, and consistency reflect the seven principles from the simplest arguments shown above. the final chapter looks at fallacies -- how do we know if an argument fails itself? The two most common fallacies -- generalising from incomplete information and overlooking alternatives are the most important problems with argumentation. The argument 'the stree

Don't argue, just buy it. Then you can argue.

A college applicant allegedly wrote the following one-word essay to describe himself: "Concise." While I was tempted to coopt that entire essay as a review for this book, ultimately I decided to be more verbose: first, some general remarks about the relevance of this book, then a summary of its content.I often lament that the mythical "average person" does not appreciate what counts as evidence, nor distinguish between prejudice and rational conclusion. This is particularly evident in the realm of politics, where inflammatory rhetoric is the rule and rational argument the exception. If this tiny book (or its equivalent) were required reading for every high school senior, or college freshman, I wager there would be a wholesale shift in the texture and value of day-to-day discourse. No longer would we hear "Don't vote for that crook!", but the more sober, albeit prolix, application of modus tollens, "Public office requires honesty. Jones is dishonest. Therefore, Jones should not be elected to public office."Of course, "Don't vote for that crook!" will never be abandoned for the simple reason that it is good tight prose. Yet, wouldn't it be grand if it were crystal clear to everyone that it is simply shorthand for the more prolix version? I claim that it would, for then we would be apt to challenge such a remark with "What evidence do you have that Jones is dishonest?", rather than "Would you rather I vote for that child molester, Smith?" The latter invites further character assassination of Jones, if not impeachment of his entire lineage. Perhaps I'm just a stuffy academic, but I can't help thinking that the introduction of a bit of cool logic into every-day discourse would lower our collective blood pressure and maybe, just maybe, allow us to occasionally see beyond our prejudices.This wonderful little book lists 44 specific suggestions, or "rules", for injecting much-needed logic into argumentative discourse. In the author's words, each rule is "illustrated and explained soundly but above all briefly"; Hence, to Weston the book is a "rulebook" not a textbook. Weston continues "In this book, 'to give an argument' means to offer a set of reasons or evidence in support of a conclusion." This is in contrast to the variety accompanied by loud invective and broken china.Throughout the book, Weston offers advice that we would all do well to remember. For example, he reminds us that one can neither craft nor analyze an argument by merely consulting our prejudices, and that "it is your reasons, not your language, that must persuade." With regard to language, Weston asserts that prejudicial or loaded language "preaches only to the converted, but careful presentation of the facts can itself convert." Moreover, "It is not a mistake to have strong views. The mistake is to have nothing else." Well put. Weston also injects some broadly applicable principles of critical thinking (although he does not label them as such). For instance, in conte

The Elements of Argumentation

Years ago a college writing professor recommended Will Strunk's "The Elements of Style." That slim volume distilled thorny thicket of grammar into a compact, easily understood guide to writing. I still have my thirty year old copy. As I read "A Rulebook for Arguments," I could not help but compare it to "The Elements of Style." Same format, same brevity, same quality. What "Elements" did for grammar, "Rulebook" does for rhetoric. I plan to follow the recommendation of "Rulebook's" final sentence: "Keep them ['Elements' & 'Rulebook'] together on a shelf somewhere, and don't let them gather dust!" They won't be far from the "Harbrace College Handbook" and "Thinking from A to Z."

Keeps you on focus in writing

> Following this book allows you to keep your head on straight as you avoid the various problems that a philosophy paper or argumentation essay might instantiate. The book is short, and allows one to look up relevant sections on commonly occuring issues. Some basic fallacies are discussed, and suggestions are given on what is the best form for an critical essay. It advertises itself not as a textbook, but as a "rulebook". An excellent resource to recommend to students, and saves instructors the time of describing common errors. Simply refer to the page numbers in the book.<p>> APA Newsletter on the Teaching of Philosophy gives it high marks, calling Weston's examples "brilliant," claiming that the book is "simply too good for philosophers to keep for themselves."<p>Contents:<p>1. composing a short argument: some general rules<p>2. arguments by example<p>3. arguments by analogy<p>4. arguments from authority<p>5. arguments about causes<p>6. deductive arguments<p>7. composing an argumentative essay: exploring the issue<p>8. composing an argumentative essay: main points of essay<p>9. composing an argumentative essay: writing<p>10. fallacies<p>xx. appendix: definition.