PHI332 : The Class :Argument Evaluation

Module 4: Argument Evaluation

In modules 2 and 3 you learned how to identify arguments. In this module you will learn how to evaluate arguments. To evaluate an argument is to judge it as good or bad, strong or weak. Argument evaluation is the heart of any course in ethics. It is, of course, impossible to evaluate an argument before you have identified what the argument is, which is why we spent time (a frustrating time for many of you, I know) learning to identify arguments. Now at last you will get to express your opinions about the arguments we have identified! The general technique you will learn is that of raising objections and considering replies. Many moral arguments use analogies (in contrast, many scientific arguments use causal or statistical arguments); therefore I include some specialized techniques having to do with arguments from analogy.

I will continue to work with the section in your text on "The Morality of Abortion." I made this choice for several reasons. In the first place, this is a topic where arguments have failed to produce broad agreement in our society. Its important that you recognize this limit to human argument. But (my second reason) it is equally important to recognize what the study of arguments accomplishes even here: that a number of initially plausible arguments are not good and should not be convincing. At a personal level (my third reason), this discovery will actually make you a better person. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates (who was probably the greatest evaluator of ethical argument in human history) described this important change in the following words:

You will be less harsh and gentler to your associates, for you will have the wisdom not to think you know that which you do not know.

Finally, since almost everyone has thought about and is already familiar with the main pro and con arguments about abortion, and since the topic of abortion requires less specialized background information than most topics in health care ethics, it will be easier for you to practice the techniques of raising objections and the use of arguments from analogy.

Topic

This module is divided into three topics. To complete this module successfully, please complete the topics in the order shown below:

1. Objection and Replies
2. Arguments from Analogy
3. Writing an Evaluation of an Article-Length Argument

E-mail George Rudebusch at George.Rudebusch@nau.edu
or call (520) 523-7091

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