Chapter 14 Argumentation

In Chapter 14, the process of reasoning that asserts the soundness of a debatable position, belief, or conclusion, also known as argumentation, is discussed. Argumentation can be utilized to convince others on the  position or stance one has taken as well as refute a position. Although argumentation goes hand in hand with persuasion, they do not mean the same thing. While persuasion refers to how a writer influences an audience through appeals of pathos, ethos and logos, argumentation only applies to the appeal to reason. Argumentation, unlike persuasion, has the primary purpose of exhibiting the validity of the argument rather than convincing the audience to take action. When writing with argumentation, one can choose an appeal which primarily suits the audience and purpose and support that appeal with evidence while also including other examples of other appeals. Important factors to consider include being open minded which will aid in coming up with opposing arguments as well as the purpose of the argumentation essay such as how one wants readers to respond. Additionally, one should ensure that the thesis is debatable so that some can object to the statement, as ideas which are already facts are not arguments. Evidence plays a significant role in argumentation essays as they it is what supports the position and works to convince the audience that the argument being made is worth considering. It is important the evidence meets the following criteria: evidence must be relevant and pertinent to the argument in that it fully supports the argument without taking away from it; evidence should be representative of the topic that is being spoken of otherwise the argument will be weak and could make the author seen unreliable and uninformed, leaving the argument ineffective; lastly, the evidence should be sufficient with regards to the topic and the audience. Refutations are also essential to an argumentation essay as they strengthen the case by showing that the author is aware of opposing positions and can address these objections effectively. When writing argumentation essays, inductive and deductive arguments should be utilized to structure the essay and the author should be sure to avoid any fallacies which would weaken the argument such as sweeping generalizations, misleading statistics, or ad hominem.

For me, Chapter 14 had to be on of the most informative chapters I've read so far within the textbook.Of course I was aware of the argumentation essay and factors such as evidence and refutations but I had not realized all of the major errors of fallacies I was including in my writing. In addition, I wasn't aware of concepts such as Toulmin logic and Rogerian argument which I realized I also need to be careful of. Often when refuting any opposition arguments I can sometimes come off as confrontational or the "I'm right, you're wrong" type of approach. This chapter helped me to understand the deductive and inductive arguments a bit better but I still think I need further instruction regarding the difference between the two. Chapter 14 helped me to realize the mistakes I've been making in my argumentation essays such as equivocation fallacy or the You Also fallacy which I thought was an effective way to find a hole in the opponent's arguments prior to reading this chapter.