Fundamentals of Critical Argumentation

Critical Reasoning and Argumentation

by Douglas N. Walton

Presenting the basic tools for the identification, analysis, and evaluation of common arguments for beginners, this book informs by using examples of arguments in dialogues, both in the text itself and in the exercises. (Examples of controversial legal, political, and ethical arguments are analyzed.) Illustrating the most common kinds of arguments, the book also explains how to evaluate each kind by critical questioning. Douglas Walton demonstrates the reasonable nature of arguments under the right dialogue conditions by using critical questions to evaluate them.

Genres: Philosophy, Logic

360 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 2001

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

[Filipa · Rating 1 out of 5]

So I read this book for a subject of my master's degree and jeez....it was way hard to read this book. The writing is exhausting and trying to retain the knowledge of this book is a difficult task. Sometimes the writing is pretty clear and sometimes it is really confusing. There doesn't seem to be a conducting line in this book. You talk about dialogues, then arguments, then generalizations, then commitments further on... I would enjoy a more organized plot since learning the multitude of terms is already complicated. Coupled with that, when you have a teacher that uses terms different from the ones used in the book, you have a terrible mess in your head.
I will be super, super glad if I pass my final exam and don't ever have to look at this book again (no offense, dear author).

[Kopesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

It reads like the author came from another planet and just learned English. He uses endlessly long sentences with weird word choices. I understand you need it to be academic sounding and all that, but it is taken to extreme. Also, it is extremely repetitive.
And the topics he talks about are very simple some places. It's as if he is teaching logic to autists. You know these concepts already, because you do them automatically. You don't really need somebody to explain to you in 2 pages the principle of non contradiction. A few sentences would be fine.
It's biggest downside is that it is DULL. VERY DULL. Logic and argumentation are 2 very cool science domains, yet the author managed to suck the life out of these and make them seem very dull and boring.

However, it is a good book. It gives you clarity of thought and gives you the capacity to evaluate arguments in a better way. You are introduced to the basics in logic and argumentation, and you also learn many things about logical fallacies and why they are not fallacies all the time. Very important point this.

All in all, a very good book. If it was more concise and written in a less alien language, it would have been better. If you can skip past the extremely long sentences, it will be good. I highly recommend it.

[Rokas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If You are forced to read it (like school) pretty sure You will hate it. However if You want to improve Your negotiation or just regular 'mindfucking' skills this is an incredible toolkit.

[Frank Prosl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect introduction to practical logic for high school students