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Chapter 8


Values are an important part of argumentation not only because of how they relate to pathos but how they relate to ethos as well. A person’s credibility in an argument can be one of the most important factors to decision makers, and often times a person’s set of values can disqualify them in the eyes of decision makers in certain spheres. For example, the book says that the dominant value system in the United States is the enlightenment value system, which focuses on intellectual freedom and an individual’s ability to discover the natural laws of life. So, if a person in an argument uses language that suggests they hold values contrary to the enlightenment value system, they could be viewed as not credible in the eyes of decision makers from our culture. This principle can apply to individual arguments as well, as a person’s set of values could hurt their credibility in discussion a certain topic. For example, a person who holds the values that men are superior to women could be seen as not credible when discussing abortion, because they are not likely to take a woman’s individual rights into account when formulating their argument. Values are a useful tool not only for supporting arguments but also for understanding the different parties in an argument as well. If a person’s values are made clear through their speech, it can be easier to predict what stance they will take and also how well equipped they are to take that stance.

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