Issues in Argument Assessment

Question 1

Name the three steps of argument reconstruction

Answer 1

1. Identify
2. Select relevant propositions
3. Assessment

Question 2

How may an argument be refuted?

Answer 2

using a counterexample which uses the same reasoning structure.

Question 3

When is an argument rationally persuasive?

Answer 3

To say that an argument is rationally persuasive for a person (at a time) is to say:
1 the argument is either deductively valid or inductively forceful
2 the person reasonably believes the argument’s premises (at the time)
3 it is not an inductively forceful argument that is defeated for that person (at
that time).

Question 4

When is an argument defeated?

Answer 4

An argument is defeated if a person reasonably believes the premises, but, nevertheless, reasonably rejects the conclusion. If, for example, a person believes the premises, but knows that it does not hold for a specific person, then the argument is defeated for that person.

Question 5

When is an argument rationally unpersuasive?

Answer 5

An argument is rationally unpersuasive if there is no good reason to accept a premise, even though the argument is deductively valid and sound.

Question 6

How may rationally persuasive arguments not actually be persuasive?

Answer 6

Judgements of rational persuasiveness often depend on the estimates of the legitimacy of the authority behind certain propositions

Question 7

What three ways can people be mistaken about the rational persuasiveness of an argument?

Answer 7

1. People can be mistaken about the validity or forcefulness of an argument
2. People can think they have a good reason to accept a premise when they do not
3. People can be mistaken about whether an argument is defeated for them