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Chapter 7

Chapter 7 focuses on evidence which is the information individuals use as grounds, or backing for grounds and warrants of an argument (pg.102). There are various forms of evidence including examples, statistics, and testimonies. Additionally, successful arguments use several different forms of evidence to support their grounds, not just one. Evidence can be seen used by the courtroom when information of a crime is being presented to the jury. For example, when a murder has been committed, there is evidence gathered from the crime seen and presented to the court. There are also testimonial evidence used during trials which can include witness testimonies of what could have happened to the victim or what they saw days before the murder.    When using evidence to support an argument it is important to use representative instances, only relevant instances, and credible sources. Using representative instances is choosing the best examples available to prove a generalization. When deciding what evidence to present to the decision makers it is also important to us relevant instances, since evidence that does not tie with the claims being made can weaken an argument. Furthermore, using credible sources is crucial when gathering evidence. The bias of the sources can lead to a less accurate generalization and damage an argument.  From studying arguments over the course of the semester, I have realized how crucial credibility is. Again we can use our murder example. If a non credible witness is put on the stand to testify, the likelihood of that piece of evidence positively conveying the decision makers is minimal. For example, there have been cases where the “star” witness has been put on the stand to testify, but they had little preparation which affected the way they presented the information they know. This lack of preparation diminished the witnesses' credibility, making that piece of evidence a weak attribution to the argument being made.

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 24, 2018 at 9:04 AM

    While I agree with you that credibility is essential, I think that an important thing to remember is that credibility can be subjective. "Experts in the field" are often used in court cases and can be faulty, as the prosecution and the defense can present two different "experts" who may find different things. It is unfortunate that there is no standardized method of determining credibility. I also agree with you when you say that you need to choose relevant examples to strengthen your case. However, this can also become a slippery slope if you choose to omit something that may go against the claim you are making, even if it is true. I also thought the point you brought up about bias is interesting. While we may try very hard to be unbiased, it is impossible for someone to be completely objective. This can also play into how certain cases or situations play out. Overall, this is a very difficult concept, and many of the factors depend on the situation or particular case.

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