The Art of Persuasion Attempts to persuade us

The Art of Persuasion Attempts to persuade us – to believe something, to do something – are everywhere. How can we learn to think critically about such attempts and distinguish those that actually provide us with good reasons for being persuaded?

Arguments In Action What is an argument? Think of as many ways as possible of persuading someone to believe something, to do something or to buy something.

The Argument Clinic This clip exemplifies argument defined as disagreement but not argument of the type we are interested in.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughter should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made? This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those that tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can. This is an example of rhetoric rather than argument.

RHETORIC Any verbal attempt to persuade someone to believe, desire or do something that does not attempt to give good reasons for the belief desire or action, but attempts to motivate that belief, desire or action solely through the power of the words used.

AN ARGUMENT Not just disagreement! An argument is: An attempt to persuade others to accept a conclusion on the basis of reasons which support the conclusion These reasons are in the form of statements and are known as premises Only statements can play the role of premises and conclusion as only statements can be true or false.

What is a statement? Four types of sentence: Statements: can be true or false Commands Questions Exclamations We are only interested in statements which are used as premises or conclusions.

Identifying Arguments Certain words or phrases signal the presence of an argument • • Assuming that Given that Because For Since Granted that Assuming that • • Therefore Thus Hence So Accordingly Consequently It follows that In conclusion

Rhetorical Questions • Many rhetorical questions can be considered to function as statements in everyday language. Thus, they can, if rephrased, be admitted as premises. • ‘Do I want a million pounds? Who wouldn’t? ’ • ‘Who knows? ’ • ‘Hath not a Jew eyes? . . . If you prick us do we not bleed? . . . If you poison us, do we not die? • Lisa: ‘Do you even know what ‘rhetorical’ means? ’ Homer: ‘Do I know what ‘rhetorical’ means? ’

Recognising Conclusions & Tidying Up Arguments • People who diet lose weight. Pavarotti cannot have dieted. He hasn’t lost weight. • Which sentence contains the main point the passage is trying to establish? • Restructure the argument to reflect this by inserting ‘therefore’ before the conclusion.

Activity: Identify the conclusion and any supporting reasons then re-write the argument. • We need to make rail travel more attractive to travellers. There are so many cars on the road that the environment and human safety are under threat. Rail travel should be made cheaper. Everyone wants the roads to be less crowded, but they still want the convenience of being able to travel by road themselves. People will not abandon the car in favour of the train without some new incentive.