The Elements of Reasoning

by Edward P.J. Corbett and Rosa A. Eberly

Book Overview

The second edition of The Elements of Reasoning retains the accessible and succinct approach that made the first edition the best treatment of the essentials of argumentation. KEY TOPICS: It presents the principles that govern the composition of effective argumentative discourse and includes brief examples, with analyses that show students the underlying structure of the argument presented and the ways in which the rhetoric was...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0205315119
• ISBN13: 9780205315116
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: Pearson
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

A good introduction.

"The Elements of Reasoning" offers a good introduction to using logic as a basis for making arguments. If you want to improve your skills of debate, or familiarize yourself with Aristotlian rules of rhetoric, this is the book for you. I read it and enjoyed it, although much of it was familiar and a bit obvious. I think even an observant viewer of Sunday morning political shows will be familar with the techniques covered -- inventions, conjectures, definitions, as well as the age old structures of syllogisms and enthymemes. If you are already familiar with such things, no need to read this book.

A must-read for effective writers

In one of the better courses I ever took in college, taught by Eberly, this text provided a solid foundation for understanding the nature of arguments, and how to pose them effectively in public discourses. Eberly is a master at encouraging stimulating conversation in the classroom, and her revisions to Corbett's elite style will cause relief for the student reader. Forming the perfect argument, especially when it is designed for the proto-public space, is a necessary skill, and this text will provide the user with ample guidance in persuasive reasoning.