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Due to the frequent debates and arguments here, I've decided to compile a basic overview of some of the basic components of argument. My hope is that some of you will take these into consideration and post meaningful, well-structured arguments instead of the impassioned rants that are frequent here.
The Three Rhetorical Appeals
Logos
An appeal to logos is an appeal to logic. This includes both hard evidence (facts, surveys, polls, testimonials, statistics) and reasoning (deductive and inductive). Logic is the claim plus the evidence. A strong claim and strong supporting evidence are what make a strong argument.
Pathos
An appeal to pathos is an appeal to emotion. “Arguments from the heart” can sometimes be more persuasive or convincing than arguments based on cold, hard evidence. They are best used in moderation, however, especially in combination with the other appeals. They are most effective when directed toward your audience. What does this mean for ROBLOX? If you want the staff to pursue a certain policy (e.g. implement a certain feature, retract a certain update), you might try showing some respect and appreciation for what ROBLOX does do for you. Threats and demands won't be of much use (since you're not really in a position to be making them); however, such rhetoric may be more effective if your goal is to mobilize a large number of users to protest. Such rhetoric may backfire though. These are the things you must consider when bringing emotional elements into your argument.
Ethos
An appeal to ethos is an appeal to the character and values of the person presenting the argument. This can be divided into two main categories: authority and credibility. Authority is the author's knowledge and command of the subject. If you're educated or otherwise knowledgeable on a certain topic, you have authority to speak on the topic; this strengthens your argument. Conversely, ranting about something you have no knowledge of can weaken your argument. For example, unless you happen to be ROBLOX's VP of Finance (or perhaps other staff), you probably aren't qualified to claim that protests of a certain feature will cause financial failure for ROBLOX. Such claims are absurd and are dismissed by intelligent people analyzing your argument. On the other hand, most users have at least some experience playing ROBLOX, so yes, this does give you some authority to argue about ROBLOX. Use that authority wisely. While authority deals with the relationship between the author and the subject, the second main type of ethos, credibility, deals with the relationship between the author and the audience. Treating your audience with respect, using correct grammar and spelling, and using sophisticated diction can make a huge difference in the way your audience receives your argument.
Toulmin Argument
The Toulmin Model of Argument (named after Stephen Toulmin) is a method of formulating and analyzing arguments that consists of six related components. When used effectively, they can form a strong, well-justified argument.
1) Claim – The claim is the assertion that your argument attempts to prove. It should be both controversial (other people actually care) and debatable (it can be challenged). Make sure that your claim is clear; it's very difficult to support, refute, or even understand an argument if the central claim cannot be precisely determined.
2) Reason/Evidence – These are the facts or reasoning that support the claim. Make sure that these are clear, relevant, and not made up (that means don't claim that 70% of ROBLOX users would agree with you).
3) Warrant – The warrant is a statement (often unsaid) that connects the reason to the claim. It might be necessary to explicitly state the warrant if it is not immediately apparent or if it is debatable. For example, if you claim that a certain update should be retracted because it gives BC users certain benefits not available to non-paying members, you are operating under the assumptions (warrants) that those benefits are unfair, that unfair benefits should not be given to BC members, and that such unfair features should be eliminated if they already exist. Or perhaps your warrants are that you don't like the update and that updates you don't like should be retracted. Either set of warrants (as well as other possible ones) will connect your evidence to your claim, but they may need to be justified (some much more than others).
4) Backing – If the warrant is debatable, you may need to provide additional evidence to justify it. This evidence is called backing. Many arguments on the ROBLOX forums operate under unsubstantiated or unstated warrants. This weakens your argument and makes it difficult for anyone to come to any sort of agreement.
5) Qualifiers – Qualifiers, as the name might suggest, qualify the claim (make it more specific). For example, “ROBLOX should repeal the bad updates” is not very specific. Readers may or may not be able to tell which updates you want repealed (and they won't know for sure without further analysis). “ROBLOX should remove BC-only places” is a much more specific claim; it allows your readers to quickly and easily grasp your idea.
6) Rebuttal – Anticipate counterarguments, concede them, and refute them. Making concessions lends you ethos by showing readers that you understand both sides of the argument; refuting the counterargument obviously supports your own argument by showing that not only do you understand the other side's reasoning, you know why it's wrong. And why yours is right.
Grammar and Spelling
If you want to be taken seriously, proper grammar and spelling make a huge difference. It's the difference between having your argument fairly considered or being dismissed as irrational and pathetic. Sometimes it's the difference between having your post read or having it skipped over. Some good practices might include the following:
–Capitalize proper nouns, the first person singular subject pronoun, and the beginnings of sentences. Do not capitalize every word, or every other word, or every noun (this isn't German). Do not make everything lowercase either, especially in combination with punctuation problems.
–Use correct punctuation. That means separating sentences with periods, question marks, or sparing exclamation points. Avoid run-on sentences and fragments. Unless you are William Hazlitt, your run-on sentences will degenerate into utter incoherence.
–Learn to spell. If you can't demonstrate basic control of the English language, that seriously undermines your credibility.
The only excuse for using incorrect grammar or spelling is if you're doing so for rhetorical effect. If you don't know what that is, then don't try it.
Conclusion
This is my contribution to the arguments and debates. Perhaps some of you will keep these ideas in mind and write/post better arguments. After all, those are much funner to participate in than ordinary rants.
–halomaster141 |
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That's funny, my English teacher just taught my class that! xD |
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Are you in A.P. English Language and Composition? That's where I learned most of this. :-D |
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Well, i'm in 8th grade honors English so.. I have no idea. XD My school could care less about sophisticated names like English Language and Composition. They're too poor to afford good names. :D |
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Ha. :-D That name actually belongs to the College Board, but everyone just calls it AP Lang. It's a great class, and completely different from any other high school English class I've taken (all 4-ish of them). It's a rhetoric class essentially. Synthesis, analysis, argument. |
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My english class teaches nouns too. :D |
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VarpJoin Date: 2009-11-18
Post Count: 5333 |
This is probably analogous to that, but I just do things on a simple principle:
Convince yourself that you're right with logic, and convince everyone else by displaying that with some rhetorical sugar. |
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Well? I think the protests and flame wars could really benefit from Toulmin. |
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cobalt10Join Date: 2008-07-21
Post Count: 7371 |
I have already leanred all of this :D
I like to stay away from pathos and substitute large words and high levels of elaboration and logos for lack there of :3 |
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InDirectXJoin Date: 2010-02-09
Post Count: 40 |
Yes.
You deserve a raise to the top of the list of this forum. |
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Thank you, InDirectX.
And yes, I like using big words too. :-D
I mean, I take pleasure in utilizing large elements of language. |
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cobalt10Join Date: 2008-07-21
Post Count: 7371 |
Favorite words include but are not limited to:
Avarice
Asinine
Ignoramus
Narcissist
Egotistical
Neologism
Pseudonym
Pseudoantidisestablishmentarianisimist
:3 |
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Is that last one real?! I knew "antidisestablishmentarianism" was a word, but I didn't know about that one! |
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Most of these aspects are correct (I personally don't think that logic has much place in what convinces people), however, why does this belong in suggestions and ideas? This sub-forum is for roblox suggestions, not guides. Maybe off topic? |
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cobalt10Join Date: 2008-07-21
Post Count: 7371 |
All it does I add the prefix "pseudo" and suffix "ist"
So long as there is no grammatical rule limiting the amount of prefixes or suffixes a word can have then it is indeed legit. |
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cobalt10Join Date: 2008-07-21
Post Count: 7371 |
It doesn't matter if this isn't a suggest. This post is highly informative and will benefit many of the S&I'ers. Not to mention how epic it is. For that it stays :D |
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Thank you cobalt10. :-D I posted it here because it was a response to the excessive topics here complaining about the BC-only place update. I wasn't sure where to post it though... maybe Roblox Talk? It's much more relevant to ROBLOX than a lot of stuff in that forum! |
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I love this stuff. First got into it a few years ago.
Now if only some more people would read this... |
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cobalt10Join Date: 2008-07-21
Post Count: 7371 |
Halo, at least all my posts follow this (Right?) |
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@halomaster141: Well, you're suggesting people argue properly, right? :) |
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@cobalt10: I haven't read any arguments by you long or complex enough to merit Toulmin analysis. :-P
@UltimateMastodon: Yeah, pretty much. I think the discussion would be much better if we all used well thought-out arguments more often. I wish even I could improve in that regard. And besides, these types of arguments are so much more fun to analyze (and tear apart if need be :-D) than typical rants. Because after a while, unintelligent posts get kinda boring. |
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cobalt10Join Date: 2008-07-21
Post Count: 7371 |
Guys I have to go now. I'm on my iPod Touch and it has a tethered jailbreak and is almost out of battery (All you hackers should know why this is bad). Can I ask you guys to bump my thread every now and then if you have the time?
Thanks in advance. And good night. |
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cobalt10Join Date: 2008-07-21
Post Count: 7371 |
Wait nevermind guys. I found the wall adapter for my iPod's charger. But I really should get some sleep. It's after two AM. Damn insomnia. |
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Ah, so you're in the Eastern time zone. It's only after 1 AM here! D*** research papers! Good night. |
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