Practical Argument


Book Description

From the best-selling authors of the most successful reader in America comes Practical Argument. No one writes for the introductory composition student like Kirszner and Mandell, and Practical Argument simplifies the study of argument. A straightforward, full-color, accessible introduction to argumentative writing, it employs an exercise-driven, thematically focused, step-by-step approach to get to the heart of what students need to understand argument. In clear, concise, no-nonsense language, Practical Argument focuses on basic principles of classical argument and introduces alternative methods of argumentation. Practical Argument forgoes the technical terminology that confuses students and instead explains concepts in understandable, everyday language, illustrating them with examples that are immediately relevant to students’ lives.




Practical Argument


Book Description

Best-selling authors Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell have brought simplicity to the study of argument with the third edition of Practical Argument. A straightforward, full-color, accessible introduction to argumentative writing, the text employs an exercise-driven, step-by-step approach to get to the heart of what students need to understand both classical and contemporary argument. Practical Argument foregoes the technical terminology that confuses students and explains concepts in understandable, everyday language, with examples that are immediately relevant to students' lives.




For the Sake of Argument


Book Description

What role does reason play in our lives? What role should it play? And are claims to rationality liberating or oppressive? For the Sake of Argument addresses questions such as these to consider the relationship between thought and character. Eugene Garver brings Aristotle's Rhetoric to bear on practical reasoning to show how the value of such thinking emerges when members of communities deliberate together, persuade each other, and are persuaded by each other. That is to say, when they argue. Garver roots deliberation and persuasion in political friendship instead of a neutral, impersonal framework of justice. Through incisive readings of examples in modern legal and political history, from Brown v. Board of Education to the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, he demonstrates how acts of deliberation and persuasion foster friendship among individuals, leading to common action amid diversity. In an Aristotelian sense, there is a place for pathos and ethos in rational thought. Passion and character have as pivotal a role in practical reasoning as logic and language.




Handbook of the Logic of Argument and Inference


Book Description

The Handbook of the Logic of Argument and Inference is an authoritative reference work in a single volume, designed for the attention of senior undergraduates, graduate students and researchers in all the leading research areas concerned with the logic of practical argument and inference. After an introductory chapter, the role of standard logics is surveyed in two chapters. These chapters can serve as a mini-course for interested readers, in deductive and inductive logic, or as a refresher. Then follow two chapters of criticism; one the internal critique and the other the empirical critique. The first deals with objections to standard logics (as theories of argument and inference) arising from the research programme in philosophical logic. The second canvasses criticisms arising from work in cognitive and experimental psychology. The next five chapters deal with developments in dialogue logic, interrogative logic, informal logic, probability logic and artificial intelligence. The last chapter surveys formal approaches to practical reasoning and anticipates possible future developments. Taken as a whole the Handbook is a single-volume indication of the present state of the logic of argument and inference at its conceptual and theoretical best. Future editions will periodically incorporate significant new developments.




Practical Argument


Book Description

More than ever, successful argumentation is a major part of academic success—and has plenty of real-world application. But students don’t benefit when they are bogged down with technical jargon and abstraction. That’s where Practical Argument comes in. Bestselling authors Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell make argumentative writing accessible with a scaffolded, step-by-step approach to convey what students need to know about argument, in understandable language. The Fourth Edition includes an even more contemporary and diverse array of readings, as well as new coverage of the kinds of visual arguments students are likely to encounter in their everyday lives.




Practical Argument: Short Edition


Book Description

No one writes for the introductory composition student like Kirszner and Mandellthe best-selling authors of the most successful reader in America, Patterns for College Writing. Now available as a briefer and lower-cost version of their groundbreaking and highly successful argument book, Practical Argument, Short Second Edition simplifies the study of argument. A straightforward, full-color, accessible introduction to argumentative writing, it employs an exercise-driven, thematically focused, step-by-step approach to get to the heart of what students need to understand argument. Practical Argument, Short Second Edition focuses on basic principles of classical argument and includes alternative approaches. It forgoes the technical terminology that confuses students and instead explains concepts in understandable, everyday language, with examples that are immediately relevant to students lives. Practical Argument, Short Second Edition is available in e-book formats for about half the price of the print book. And now with the new edition, you can meet students where they are: online.




Computational Models of Argument


Book Description

The investigation of computational models of argument is a rich and fascinating interdisciplinary research field with two ultimate aims: the theoretical goal of understanding argumentation as a cognitive phenomenon by modeling it in computer programs, and the practical goal of supporting the development of computer-based systems able to engage in argumentation-related activities with human users or among themselves. The biennial International Conferences on Computational Models of Argument (COMMA) provide a dedicated forum for the presentation and discussion of the latest advancements in the field, and cover both basic research and innovative applications. This book presents the proceedings of COMMA 2020. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, COMMA 2020 was held as an online event on the originally scheduled dates of 8 -11 September 2020, organised by the University of Perugia, Italy. The book includes 28 full papers and 13 short papers selected from a total of 78 submissions, the abstracts of 3 invited talks and 13 demonstration abstracts. The interdisciplinary nature of the field is reflected, and contributions cover both theory and practice. Theoretical contributions include new formal models, the study of formal or computational properties of models, designs for implemented systems and experimental research. Practical papers include applications to medicine, law and criminal investigation, chatbots and online product reviews. The argument-mining trend from previous COMMA’s is continued, while an emerging trend this year is the use of argumentation for explainable AI. The book provided an overview of the latest work on computational models of argument, and will be of interest to all those working in the field.




Who Will Speak for the Victim?


Book Description




Practical Reasoning and Ethical Decision


Book Description

Presenting the most comprehensive and lucid account of the topic currently available, Robert Audi's "Practical Reasoning and Ethical Decision" is essential reading for anyone interested in the role of reason in ethics or the nature of human action. The first part of the book is a detailed critical overview of the influential theories of practical reasoning found in Aristotle, Hume and Kant, whilst the second part examines practical reasoning in the light of important topics in moral psychology - weakness of will, self-deception, rationalization and others. In the third part, Audi describes the role of moral principles in practical reasoning and clarifies the way practical reasoning underlies ethical decisions. He formulates a comprehensive set of concrete ethical principles, explains how they apply to reasoning about what to do, and shows how practical reasoning guides moral conduct.




How to Win Every Argument


Book Description

In the second edition of this witty and infectious book, Madsen Pirie builds upon his guide to using - and indeed abusing - logic in order to win arguments. By including new chapters on how to win arguments in writing, in the pub, with a friend, on Facebook and in 140 characters (on Twitter), Pirie provides the complete guide to triumphing in altercations ranging from the everyday to the downright serious. He identifies with devastating examples all the most common fallacies popularly used in argument. We all like to think of ourselves as clear-headed and logical - but all readers will find in this book fallacies of which they themselves are guilty. The author shows you how to simultaneously strengthen your own thinking and identify the weaknesses in other people arguments. And, more mischievously, Pirie also shows how to be deliberately illogical - and get away with it. This book will make you maddeningly smart: your family, friends and opponents will all wish that you had never read it. Publisher's warning: In the wrong hands this book is dangerous. We recommend that you arm yourself with it whilst keeping out of the hands of others. Only buy this book as a gift if you are sure that you can trust the recipient.