2.3 Argument 29
Bart (in a lowered voice):
Then I’ll tell you something. If
you go around talking this kind
of nonsense, someone is going
to lock you up and throw away
the key. Or tie you to a post and
set you on fire.
Kris: But just listen –
Bart: No, you listen. The Earth is flat.
Kris: It’s round.
Bart: Flat. F-L-A-T, flat!
Kris: ROUND . . .[1] and [2] are both called ‘arguments’. But
do they have anything else in common
besides answering to the same word?
Discuss how you would define an
argument to include both the first kind and
the second.Activity
Commentary
The problem with the English word
‘argument’ is that it has several meanings.
Two of them are given by the following
dictionary entry:argument (noun)
1 a reason or reasons supporting a
conclusion; a case made for or against a
point of view. 2 a debate or dispute,
especially a heated one; quarrel; row.
As you can see, example [1] is an argument of
the first sort whilst [2] is an example of the
second. The main difference is that [2] is a
dialogue engaging two or more people. It may
involve some reasoning from one side or the
other, or both, but it need not. In [2] there is
very little reasoned argument. Kris tries to
explain his position, but his opponent shouts
him down. The two speakers are mostly just
exchanging opinions, without giving any
developed reasons to back them up.words such as ‘therefore’ or ‘so’ in natural
language reasoning. We can set out this
simple argument as follows:
[1] Ships appear to sink out of sight as they
sail away.The Earth cannot be flat.In a formal argument like this, the reason or
reasons are also known as ‘premises’. The word
‘premise’ is derived from Latin and means
‘put before’.
[1a], [1b] and [1c] are just three out of many
ways of expressing [1] in ordinary language.
[1] is the standard way. Reconstructing an
argument in a standard form helps to make the
reasoning clear and assists with its subsequent
evaluation. It also helps with the identification
of arguments. Obviously the exercise is
unnecessary when an argument is as short and
as plain as this one. But with more complex
reasoning, which you will encounter as you
progress through the chapters, formal
reconstruction is a valuable tool.
Arguing back
Of course, not everyone has to accept an
argument. Sometimes, even when you have
given your reasons, people may still disagree
with your conclusion. This certainly happened
hundreds of years ago when the first ‘Round-
Earthers’ began trying to persuade people that
the world was spherical, not flat.
There may have been conversations like this.
[2] Kris: Did you know it’s been proven
that the Earth is a huge ball
hanging in space?
Bart: Don’t be ridiculous. Anyone can
see the Earth is flat.
Kris: It can’t be flat. If you just let me
explain . . .
Bart: There’s nothing to explain. All
you have to do is use your eyes.
Kris: I am using my eyes, and they tell
me the Earth is round.