CHAPTER I INDUCTIVE ARGUMENT All persons of average intelligence and education are able to distinguish an obviously sound argument from an obviously false argument. No knowledge of argumentation or logic is necessary to enable such persons to perceive the truth of one or the falsity of the other. However, the line which separates the true from the false, or the sound from the unsound, is not always clearly marked. In fact most arguments involve a consideration of so many factors that their truth or falsity is very difficult to determine. It is for this reason that we must study the various theoretical forms in which an argument may be presented. I. The application of processes of reasoning to argumentation. Logic deals with the formal process of reasoning. It tests the validity of a reasoning process by applying certain principles which will reveal its strength or weakness. It is not essential to know the science of logic in order to reason or to argue well. Many of our most profound thinkers have possessed only a superficial knowledge of that subject. A knowledge of the forms of reasoning which logic considers, or of the names applied to them, is by no means indispensable to an intelligent argument or debate. Nevertheless, an exact knowledge of logical processes of reasoning as applied to the construction of arguments is absolutely indispensable to him who would become master of the Art of Argumentation and Debate. There are two uses to which the debater must put these correct processes of reasoning. In the first place, he must use them to test the validity of his own arguments. In the second place, he must use them to test the validity of his opponents' arguments. Both of these uses will suggest to the mind of the student the importance of the application of processes of reasoning to argumentation. An argument is seldom presented in such a form that it is possible to apply logical reasoning processes to it as it stands. Usually some parts are omitted and others are expanded or modified for the purpose of greater effect in persuasion. The student must therefore grasp the essential parts of his argument before he can arrange them in the formal manner which logic demands. This very exercise of cutting up a discussion into parts for the purpose of determining whether it is rightly constructed is a mental exercise of unusual value. Furthermore, it reveals any weak places in the argument and shows where it must be made strong if it is to be effective. In like manner the debater is able to apply the same processes to the arguments of his opponents to show their weaknesses and enable him to direct his efforts toward these vulnerable points. II. Inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning is the process by which we arrive at a general conclusion through the observation of concrete particulars. I have read Treasure Island and I found it interesting. Moreover, I have read Kidnapped, David Balfour, Prince Otto, and St. Ives, all of which were interesting to me. All of these books were written by Robert Louis Stevenson, and after I had read them I arrived at the general conclusion that all books written by Robert Louis Stevenson were interesting. I made use of this conclusion by searching in the library for other books by this same author, for I felt sure that if I could find another of his books it would be interesting. However, we are not now concerned with the uses to be made of this process of reasoning, but rather with its exact form. The process by which I arrived at the conclusion that all of Stevenson's works are interesting is a fair example of inductive reasoning. I had five specific instances all pointing to the same conclusion. I had observed five of Stevenson's books and I reached a conclusion regarding all of them. The conclusion included those which I had not read as well as those which I had read. This process conforms to our definition that inductive reasoning is the process by which we arrive at a general conclusion through the observation of concrete particulars. In this way we arrive at many conclusions upon which we rely in our daily life. We go to a certain place at ten minutes past the hour for the purpose of boarding a street car which will take us to the city. We do this because for many months we have been accustomed to go to this same place at this particular time and there we have always found a street car which took us to the city. Each one of the instances in which we have done this is a concrete particular tending to support the general conclusion that if we go to a certain place at a certain time we shall find a car which will take us to the city. A further investigation of this process of inductive reasoning reveals the fact that it may be divided into two sharply defined classes, (1) perfect inductions, and (2) imperfect inductions. A perfect induction is one in which all the particular instances upon which a conclusion is based can be examined directly. For example, if I am aware that each one of the twenty men who are taking this course in Argumentation expect to be civil engineers I may safely state the general conclusion that "All the men who are taking this course in Argumentation expect to be civil engineers." This is a |