Chapter Four is especially useful as it illustrates
how arguments are built and formed. In particular, the Toulmin model, as
explained by the authors, is an extremely intuitive way of understanding the
building blocks of all arguments. As mentioned by the authors, “all arguments
can be diagrammed by a variation of the Toulmin model, which illustrates how a
claim can be justified only by showing that there are warranted grounds for it”
(Rieke, Sillars, & Peterson, 69). Indeed, by understanding how the Toulmin
model works, one can easily assess whether an argument is strong or weak, based
on the elements that are present.
As
stated, the Toulmin model identifies various elements that, when used in
tandem, form strong arguments. A claim, or “the idea or action for which you
are seeking adherence” (Rieke, Sillars, & Peterson, 53), is the basic
starting point of all arguments. Almost all arguments require claims to achieve
their goals. Claims are backed up by grounds, which “provide the primary source
of support” (Rieke, Sillars, & Peterson, 53). While claims and grounds are
sufficient to make an argument, good arguments require additional elements,
such as warrants and backings. Warrants are statements that connect claims to
their grounds. If warrants are not understood by the audience, they will not
understand how the grounds support the claims. Backings further substantiate
the grounds, by providing additional evidence. Lastly, how strongly an argument
is intended to be is justified by its qualifier. Qualifiers demonstrate the
gravity of the assertion, and how much adherence the audience should lend to
the claim. Arguments that accurately utilize the Toulmin model should prevail
against doubts or questions known as rebuttals. When an argument survives the
numerous rebuttals that are made against it, it can be said to be effective.
While the Toulmin model is useful in identifying the elements in an argument,
it is also useful to know the different types of arguments that could be
advanced. One such example is arguments by generalization.
Arguments
by generalization occur when “individual instances are assembled to allow the
assertion of a general principle” (Rieke, Sillars, & Peterson, 59). In other
words, a sweeping assertion about a particular situation is made after
observation of a few examples. Arguments by generalization are extremely common
in today’s society. For example, some political polls only capture the thoughts
of a small proportion of citizens in a district. Nonetheless, these polls use
the survey results to project the district to be favorable to a certain
political party’s candidate. Using the Toulmin model to analyze this argument, the
claim made by these polls is that the district will be won by a particular party.
The grounds are the data collected by the polls. People who comprehend how
polls work will understand that polls demonstrate the views of the district,
and the grounds are warranted. The poll company’s credibility could serve as
additional backing for the argument, blinding the audience to the generalizations
made. However, good polls indicate how accurate their findings are by stating
qualifiers, such as the margin of error. Understanding a poll’s capacity to be
inaccurate will allow people to discern its credibility better. The example
above depicts how important understanding the Toulmin model and the different
types of arguments are. For something as important as voting, being able to discern
the credibility of a poll by breaking down its argument will strongly inform
people who participate in the political process.
Sources:
Rieke, R.D., Sillars, M.O., & Peterson, T.R.
(2013). Argumentation and critical decision making. 8th ed., New York: Pearson.
Hello, Max! Great post, I really enjoyed reading your explanation about generalization. I liked how you tied in voting with polls into explaining how the Toulmin model can be used to understand something like voting. I completely agree with that statement that you made. As a voter, it is crucial to be informed always, with understanding arguments it eliminates the inaccuracy of arguments. Understanding the qualifiers for a poll companies processes will allow those who are voting to give trust better. I think as much as an argument creates the opportunity to stand for something, it should also create an opportunity for people to trust what's being stated. Especially when it comes to voting and the polling system that comes with it. I think that breaking down that argument of who will be the districts representative from whichever party, it will create a better informed voter who can make their own decisions without needing to generalize a situation.
ReplyDeleteHey, Max. Really solid work here! It seems like you are already comfortable working with the Toulmin model. Have you used this model in any courses in the past? This post provided a great introductory understanding, and summarized the chapter very well. I think your connection to generalizations was very well executed. Generalizations are something we are frequently faced with in communication with others, and I agree that the Toulmin model allows us to better understand elements of argumentation. Your analysis of both the Toulmin model and its connection to arguments by generalization also helped me better undesrtand the content in chapter four. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post!! You gave us tons of information. I loved how elaborate you were when talking and comparing the Toulmin model to polls. The one thing I would say though is make sure to elaborate just as much as you did for that, with other points as well. For example at the beginning when you were talking about grounds, warrants etc. You would use the definition from the book most likely, and if you didn't you would just give a definition and then move onto the next term. Make sure that you're not just listing terms with their definitions and then moving on. Expand on your topics and explain a little more about each term but in your own words. Other than that, I was throughly impressed with your findings and what you had to say about the Toulmin model, you seem to know alot about it.
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