One-Sided Arguments: A Dialectical Analysis of Bias (Logic and Language

by Douglas N. Walton

Douglas Walton is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Winnipeg. He is the author of many works on informal logic and argumentation, including Appeal to Argumentum ad Misericordiam , also published by SUNY Press.

Paperback

First published August 1, 1999

About the author

Douglas Neil Walton (PhD University of Toronto, 1972) is a Canadian academic and author, well known for his many widely published books and papers on argumentation, logical fallacies and informal logic. He is presently Distinguished Research Fellow of the Centre for Research in Reasoning, Argumentation, and Rhetoric (CRRAR) at the University of Windsor, Canada, and before that (2008-2014), he held the Assumption Chair of Argumentation Studies at the University of Windsor. Walton’s work has been used to better prepare legal arguments and to help develop artificial intelligence. His books have been translated worldwide, and he attracts students from many countries to study with him. A special issue of the journal Informal Logic surveyed Walton’s contributions to informal logic and argumentation theory up to 2006 (Informal Logic, 27(3), 2007). A festschrift honoring his contributions, Dialectics, Dialogue and Argumentation: An Examination of Douglas Walton’s Theories of Reasoning and Argument, ed. C. Reed and C. W. Tindale, London: College Publications, 2010, shows how his theories are increasingly finding applications in computer science. A list of titles of many of Walton’s books is given below. Links to preprints of many of his published papers can be found on the website

http://www.dougwalton.ca

Reviews

[Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Uses of Bias

Douglas Walton's specialization is the study of rhetoric and dialectic. Whereas a sense of fairness may require argumentative balance there are situations of advocacy such as sales or legal representation where balance is not expected and can be treated as a liability. Bias in and of itself is not an automatic reflection of truth nor falsity, nor does it negate open mindedness, rather it draws attention to the speaker's framework where certain premises are considered to be both good and true. We see nothing untoward with a scientist's bias towards causality and the scientific method nor a democrat's commitment to discourse and elections. Bias is also common enough in day to day conversation to make it a worthy subject of attention.

Chapters 4,5 & 7 cover a series of "tells" that are often used to detect bias including the use of loaded language, hyperbole, innuendo, begging the question, false stereotyping by generalizing from a sample to the whole and selective examples (or omissions) that either only support the speaker's case or illustrate the opposing argument unfairly. Other tactics may involve ad hominem arguments against the speaker or party on the other side, ad populum appeals, or using cui bono (who benefits) to imply causality. Chapter 6 considers arguments in sales and advertising and includes an interesting discussion about "infomercials" and "magalogs" (lifestyle magazines with sales literature masquerading as articles). While seemingly dishonest, most viewers are perceptive enough to recognize them for what they are. Notwithstanding, there is little reason that biased arguments may or may not be true or lead to valid conclusions, though claims not to be biased may undermine the credibility of the speaker and his argument in the mind of the listener.

I've enjoyed several of Professor Walton's books. His summary of rhetorical forms of argument that forms (Ch 2) is a recuring theme and is the most useful breakdown of argumentative styles I've ever come across. As a philosopher he is thoroughly adept at categorizing and cataloging his material with the failing of inventing new meanings for old vocabulary. The writing is clear, informative and entertaining, comparable to Nicolas Rescher who covers similar topics.