29.2: Aristotelian Argumentation Part 3 (Classroom Activity)
- Page ID
- 289151
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)
\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)
\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)EVALUATE (30 minutes)
Demonstrative Enthymemes
Take 15 minutes to read through and complete this demonstrative enthymeme exercise. This exercise may be done individually, in groups, or as a whole class.
Formula for Demonstrative Enthymemes:
Consider that A is the major premise/claim, B is the minor premise/reason, and C is the conclusion/hidden premise.
- Claim = A results a condition of B
- Reason = A results in a condition of C
- Hidden Premise = C results in a condition of B
Example Demonstrative Enthymeme:
- Claim: People who vote tend to understand politics better than those that do not vote.
- Reason: Voting enhances people’s consciousness of the politicians on the ballot.
- Hidden Premise: Building up someone’s consciousness of politicians on the ballot leads to understanding politics better than those that do not vote.
Have you ever taken a course where the syllabus included a student learning outcome that stated “students must demonstrate mastery of grammar and mechanics of Standard English in order to pass the course”? Many scholars who are part of the linguistic justice movement would argue that there is a hidden premise in that student learning outcome. What do you think that hidden premise is? What do you think are the possible impacts of that hidden premise? Consider the demonstrative enthymeme example above if you need help understanding the hidden premise’s relationship to the claim. The claim is not hidden. The claim is the enthymeme phrase above about Standard English. The reason may be hidden, too. It depends on how implicit or explicit you want to be about the reason. In this case, the reason is hidden.
Refutative Enthymemes
Take 15 minutes to read through and complete this refutative enthymeme exercise. This exercise may be done individually, in groups, or as a whole class.
Formula for Refutative Enthymemes (Yes, it is the same as the Demonstrative Enthymeme Formula):
Consider that A is the major premise/claim, B is the minor premise/reason, and C is the conclusion/hidden premise.
- Claim = A results a condition of B
- Reason = A results in a condition of C
- Hidden Premise = C results in a condition of B
Example Refutative Enthymeme:
- Claim: People who vote do not tend to understand politics better than those that do not vote.
- Reason: Voting may be some people’s way to defer understanding politics to the politicians.
- Hidden Premise: People deferring political understanding to politicians proves that not all people who vote understand politics.
Since refutative enthymemes challenge arguments by questioning underlying assumptions or premises, can you identify what argument the following refutative enthymeme is challenging? Refutative enthymeme: Balancing work, family, and education doesn't necessarily make community college students highly motivated because many students are forced into these circumstances out of necessity, not choice. Consider the example refutative enthymeme above if you need help understanding the hidden premise’s relationship to the claim. Notice it is nearly the same example as the demonstrative enthymeme, except it has the opposite argument. In other words, the refutative claim’s major premise (A) is in opposition to the demonstrative claim. That leads to a change in what the minor premise/reason (B) and conclusion/hidden premise (C) will be.
CREATE (45 minutes)
Take 15 minutes to create three to five demonstrative enthymeme claim, reason, and conclusion examples. Those should be based on your research paper’s topic. Then, take 15 minutes to create refutative enthymeme claim, reason, and hidden premise examples for the three to five demonstrative enthymemes you created. Complete this individually. Next, work in pairs for 15 minutes to complete the Pair (F.A.I.R.) and Sheer exercises below.
Pair (F.A.I.R.):
With a partner, share your demonstrative and refutative enthymemes.
F - Freely share only what you are comfortable sharing from your enthymemes. (Partner A)
A - Articulate what you think the main idea was from their share. (Partner B)
I - Inquire kindly about wonders or confusions you have from what they share. (Partner B)
R - Responsively reply; in other words, address whether your partner understands your enthymemes the way you meant for them to be understood and clarify any wonders or confusions with a rationale. (Partner A)
Sheer:
If your partner was not close to understanding your enthymeme’s intended meaning when they articulated and inquired, then sheer—change course quickly by way of editing your enthymemes.
EVALUATE (3 minutes)
What might the pros and cons be to having a hidden premise when using enthymemes to support your argument in your research essay? What do you think would make learning about enthymemes easier?