Summary: A Rulebook For Arguments

Read the summary and the most important questions on A rulebook for arguments

• 1 Short Arguments: Some General Rules

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• Rule 1 is: Resolve premises and conclusions. What are the two meanings of resolve here?

  1. To distinguish. Your reasons are different from your conclusion.
     
  2. To commit to. Make sure you want to commit to the claims you are making. 

• What are the rules for short arguments?

  1. Resolve premise and conclusion
     
  2. Unfold your ideas in a natural order
  3. Start from a reliable premise
  4. Be concrete and concise
  5. Build on substance, not overtone
  6. Use consistent terms

• 2 Arguments build by example

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• Looking at rule 7: use more than one example. What is the difference between using arguments as an illustration and using it as a support?

  To use an argument as support, you need to provide several arguments to come to a generalization. You can get away with using just one argument when you are illustrating something.

• What are the rules to constructing a good argument by example?

  7. Use more than one example
  8. Use representative examples
  9. Background rates are often crucial
  10. Statistics need a critical eye
  11. Reckon with counterexamples.

• Looking at rule 7: use more than one example. What is the general rule of thumb when it comes to a small sets of things that is being generalized and a large set of things that is being generalized?

  A small set of things. The strongest argument should consider all, or at least, many of the examples.
  
  A large set of things. Here a sample should be picked out. This sample should be representative. Of course, not every case can be listed. Large sets usually require more examples.

• Looking at rule 8: use representative examples. What is to be taken into account when using polls?

  No one should be able to self-select for a poll. It will no longer be representative.

• Looking at rule 10: statistics need a critical eye. What do we specifically need to watch out for.

  If improvement is implied, a comparison should be made.
  The appearance of exactness can make the evidence seem more autoreactive than it really is.

• Looking at rule 11: Reckon with counterexamples. Can counterexamples be a benefit?

  If you use counterexamples early and systematically, you can use them to sharpen your won generalization. Counter examples should prompt you to think more deeply about what you actually want to say.

• 3 Arguments by anology

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• What is a rule (number 12) to keep in mind when basing an argument on an analogy?

  
  12: Analogies require relevantly similar examples.
  The themes that are addressed should be similar.

• 4 Arguments from Authority

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• What is the logical form of an argument based on authority?

  
  X (a source that ought to know) says that Y.
  Therefore, Y is true.