A Rulebook for Arguments

Front cover
 Half title
 Title
 Copyright
 Contents
 Preface
 Note to the Fifth Edition
 Introduction
 I. Short Arguments: Some General Rules
 1. Resolve premises and conclusion
 2. Unfold your ideas in a natural order
 3. Start from reliable premises
 4. Be concrete and concise
 5. Build on substance, not overtone
 6. Use consistent terms
 II. Arguments by Example
 7. Use more than one example
 8. Use representative examples
 9. Background ratesare often crucial
 10. Statistics needa critical eye
 11. Reckon with counter examples
 III. Arguments by Analogy. 12. Analogies require relevantly similar examplesIV. Arguments from Authority
 13. Cite your sources
 14. Seek informed sources
 15. Seek impartial sources
 16. Cross-check sources
 17. Build your Internet savvy
 V. Arguments about Causes
 18. Causal arguments start with correlations
 19. Correlations may have alternative explanations
 20. Work toward the most likely explanation
 21. Expect complexity
 VI. Deductive Arguments
 22. Modus ponens
 23. Modus tollens
 24. Hypothetical syllogism
 25. Disjunctive syllogism
 26. Dilemma
 27. Reductio ad absurdum. 28. Deductive arguments in multiple stepsVII. Extended Arguments
 29. Explore the issue
 30. Spell out basic ideas as arguments
 31. Defend basic premises with arguments of their own
 32. Reckon with objections
 33. Explore alternatives
 VIII. Argumentative Essays
 34. Jump right in
 35. Urge a definite claim or proposal
 36. Your argument is your outline
 37. Detail objections and meet them
 38. Seek feedback and use it
 39. Modesty, please!
 IX. Oral Arguments
 40. Ask for a hearing
 41. Be fully present
 42. Signpost energetically
 43. Hew your visuals to your argument
 44. End in style. X. Public Debates45. Do argument proud
 46. Listen, learn, leverage
 47. Offer something positive
 48. Work from common ground
 49. At least be civil
 50. Leave them thinking when you go
 Appendix I: Some Common Fallacies
 Appendix II: Definitions
 D1. When terms are unclear, get specific
 D2. When terms are contested, work from the clear cases
 D3. Definitions donâ#x80
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t replace arguments
 Resources
 Back cover.