5.5: Arguments, Truth and Persuasion
- Page ID
- 174022
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We believe that argument is a matter not of fist banging or of win-lose debate but of finding, through a process of rational inquiry, the best solution of a problem.
-John D. Ramage, John C. Bean, and June Johnson
There will always be reasons to use argument as a tool of persuasion-you want your subordinate to win that award, you really need additional funding for your branch and you want your spouse to visit his or her in-laws over the Thanksgiving weekend.
Sometimes in the heat of verbal battle, it’s tempting to focus on persuasion and forget about truth. Don’t do it. "Integrity First" is one of our Air Force Core Values and you have to look at yourself in the mirror every morning. You don’t have to be a doormat, but if you find out about some new information that may change your position, keep an open mind. In most situations, you don’t only want your way, you want the best way. Besides, if you pull a fast one and get your way through deception, you’ve won a battle, but your credibility is shot and you’ve crippled yourself for future skirmishes.
Other ways to build credibility with your audience include being knowledgeable and fair. Research your topic carefully and take the time to get the facts right. Don’t bluff if you don’t have an answer, or mislead others about the strength of your support. Consider your audience’s values and assumptions when selecting evidence. Make sure you get the easy things right-the spelling of names, significant dates and other details like grammar and punctuation.
Demonstrate goodwill in your writing tone-don’t be condescending or act superior. If you make a mistake, acknowledge it and move on. Credibility takes a long time to build, but it is invaluable when trying to support your ideas and persuade others.
SUMMARY: In this chapter we covered several topics that should help you support your ideas. We defined a logical argument as a set of statements designed to persuade others. Logical arguments have four components:
- a claim-your position on a controversial topic;
- evidence that supports your claim;
- warrants that identify why the evidence is relevant; and
- qualifications that limit the claim.
Your argument is built upon evidence and it should be authoritative, accurate, precise, relevant and adequate to support your claim. As you build or listen to logical arguments, watch out for logical fallacies-common mistakes many people make when building an argument. Arguments are everywhere. To write and speak persuasively, it helps to understand how arguments are constructed and where they go wrong. These insights will be helpful as you start to organize and outline your thoughts-the next step of the process.