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Chapter 9


Chapter 9 focuses on the concept of credibility being used as a method of support in argumentation. As defined in the reading, credibility is “the support for a claim that is developed by the decision makers’ perception that the arguer reveals competence, trustworthiness, good will, and dynamism” (pg. 142). In other words, credibility is the support an arguer uses that is believed and trusted to be true by the audience. I believe credibility is one of the most important forms of support when it comes to argumentation because information that lacks credibility can greatly impact the outcomes of decision makers. The chapter discussed the general principles for the use of credibility which include reputation and evidence. Reputation is the credibility a person has with decision makers before they argue and evidence is a method used to strengthen an individual's credibility. Both of these factors can greatly impact the credibility of an individual who is presenting his arguments to an audience. For example, an individual is more likely to trust a doctor who has a positive reputation (great patient reviews, numerous awards, and various recommendations) than one who has made a few mistakes in their career. Additionally, a doctor who is able to provide its patients with hard core evidence, like medical examination analysis, has a higher level of credibility than an individual who just makes statements without having any sort of backing. Additionally, I also believe that an individual's credibility can be quickly destroyed if they take part in acts that can greatly harm their reputation. An example of this is Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh, whose reputation was negatively impacted when he was accused of a tennage sexual assault. Many individuals believe that his lack of credibility because of this case will negatively impact the way he makes future Supreme Court decisions.

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 5, 2018 at 11:37 AM

    I agree with your post totally, Ana. I think credibility is very important in any argument as well because your argument is useless because no one believes anything you say. Also, your reputation plays a big influence on that. What you do or say impacts your credibility a lot. I love your examples of the senator and the doctor as well. That shows how your reputation can affect your credibility. To win in any argument will have to have some credible source in your favor, either it could by yourself or someone else, that shows you how much of an important factor this is in arguments. People love a trustworthy and reliable person to believe in, so your post on credibility was a great way to explain this form of support.

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