Types of Argumentative Essays
If you've ever had a debate or an argument, then you know that the way you construct your words and arguments can make all the difference.
The same is true when writing an argumentative essay. Knowing the different types of arguments can help you better understand how to effectively craft your own persuasive piece.
Let's have a look at different types of arguments in more detail.
Classical Argument
The Classical Argument is a traditional approach to argumentative writing.
It consists of an introduction and background information, a thesis statement, evidence to support the claim, and a conclusion that ties it all together.
This type of argument is often used in academic essays and debates as it provides a logical structure for presenting the information.
Example of Classical Argument: The death penalty is an immoral and ineffective form of punishment. It violates the fundamental human right to life, fails to deter crime as evidenced by statistics, and can never be undone if it's wrongly applied. For these reasons, the death penalty should be abolished in all countries. |
Aristotelian Argument
The Aristotelian Argument is a rhetorical argumentation technique used to build an effective and persuasive argument.
It relies on three main components - ethos, pathos, and logos - which appeal to the audience's emotions, ethics, and logic respectively.
This type of argument is often used in political debates as it can help create a sense of trust and understanding between the speaker and their audience.
Example of Aristotelian Argument: We must take action on climate change now if we want to protect our planet for future generations. Ethically, it is our responsibility as citizens to safeguard our environment. Emotionally, the threat of a warming planet and its consequences makes us realize how desperately we need to act. Logically, the evidence clearly points to human activity as a major contributor to global warming and shows that only by taking decisive action can we reduce its impacts. Therefore, it is our moral obligation to take action on climate change now. |
Toulmin Argument
The Toulmin Argument is a type of argumentation that focuses on finding evidence and data to support an assertion.
It consists of six main components - the claim, grounds, backing, qualifiers, rebuttals, and warrants - which help to make your argument more convincing.
This type of argument is often used in legal or academic settings as it allows you to provide comprehensive evidence for your claims.
Example of Toulmin Argument: We should invest in renewable energy sources like solar and wind power instead of fossil fuels. The claim is that renewable energy sources are more efficient and cost-effective than traditional energy sources. The grounds for this assertion is that renewable energy sources produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions and require less land to produce the same amount of energy as fossil fuels. The backing for this is that numerous studies have shown that renewable energy is both cheaper and more efficient than traditional sources. Qualifiers such as the fact that it requires an initial investment should be taken into consideration. Rebuttals such as the potential to disrupt local ecosystems should also be discussed. Finally, a warrant explains why renewable energy sources are the best option for our future energy needs. |
Rogerian Argument
The Rogerian Argument is a type of argument that seeks to find common ground between two opposing sides.
It involves acknowledging the other side's point of view and then offering a compromise solution or alternative.
This type of argument is often used in negotiations or disagreements as it can help to bridge differences and create understanding between both parties.
Example of Rogerian Argument: There is a debate between animal rights activists and hunters on whether or not hunting should be allowed. Animal rights activists argue that hunting is cruel and barbaric, while hunters argue that it's necessary to manage wildlife populations. The goal of the Rogerian Argument is to find common ground between the two sides. Acknowledging that both sides have valid points, a potential compromise solution could be to allow hunters to use only humane hunting methods such as bow hunting or using non-lethal weapons. This would ensure that wildlife populations are managed responsibly while also being respectful of animal rights. |
Types of Argument Fallacies
Argument fallacies are statements that should be avoided when making an argument. They are faulty claims or invalid reasoning that can weaken a claim and lead to false conclusions.
Common argument fallacies include ad hominem, appeal to emotion, straw man, slippery slope, and false cause.
It is important to recognize these fallacies in order to avoid making them and to be able to recognize when others are using them in an argument.
Example of Argument Fallacy: Ad Hominem - Attacking the person making the argument instead of addressing their point. For example, "You can't trust John's opinion on this issue, he's always been wrong before." This statement is an ad hominem fallacy because it attacks John instead of focusing on the argument. |
Strawman Argument
The Strawman Argument is a type of argument where the opposition's point of view is misrepresented in order to make it easier to refute.
This technique involves distorting or exaggerating the other side's position in order to make it easier to attack, which can be misleading and ineffective.
It is important to understand and recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Strawman Argument The debate is over whether or not schools should require students to wear uniforms. The opposition argues that requiring uniforms will be too expensive for some families and take away freedom of expression. The strawman argument distorts this to make it easier to attack, such as claiming that the opposition wants students to be able to wear anything they want without any restrictions. This is a distortion of the argument and shows that the strawman fallacy is being used. |
Appeal to Ignorance
The Appeal to Ignorance is a type of logical fallacy where a claim is accepted as true because it has not been proven false.
This type of argument assumes that if something cannot be proven, then it must be true, which can lead to false conclusions.
It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid making this mistake and also recognize when others are using it in an argument.
Example of Appeal to Ignorance The debate is over whether or not vaccines should be mandatory. One side argues that there is no proof that vaccines are unsafe, and therefore they should be mandatory. This is an appeal to ignorance fallacy because the lack of evidence is not proof that vaccines are safe. Just because something cannot be proven does not mean it is true. Therefore, this argument should be avoided as it can lead to false conclusions. |
False Dilemma
The False Dilemma is a type of logical fallacy where two options are presented as the only possibilities when in fact, there are more.
This type of argument assumes that there are only two possible outcomes and ignores other alternatives. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of False Dilemma The debate is over whether or not to increase taxes. One side argues that either taxes must be increased or the government will have no money to fund services. This is a false dilemma because there are other options available such as cutting spending or finding new sources of revenue. Ignoring these possibilities ignores other solutions and assumes that there are only two options, which is not necessarily the case. |
Slippery Slope Fallacy
The Slippery Slope is a type of logical fallacy where one action leads to a chain reaction of events, each with increasingly negative consequences.
This type of argument assumes that because one thing leads to another, all the other things in between must also happen. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Slippery Slope Fallacy The debate is over whether or not to legalize marijuana. One side argues that if marijuana is legalized, it will lead to the legalization of all drugs, which will lead to an increase in drug use and crime. This is a slippery slope fallacy because there is no guarantee that legalizing marijuana would lead to the legalization of other drugs or increased levels of crime. Therefore, this argument should be avoided as it can lead to false conclusions. |
Circular Argument
The Circular Argument is a type of logical fallacy where an argument is made by restating the same statement in different words.
This type of argument assumes that because a statement was repeated, it must be true. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Circular Argument “We need to increase the budget for our project because it will be successful. We know this because if we increase the budget then our project will be successful.” |
Hasty Generalization
Hasty Generalization is a type of logical fallacy where an individual draws a conclusion based on insufficient evidence.
This type of argument ignores the fact that not all members of a certain group or class must behave in the same way. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Hasty Generalization “My last two experiences with Asian restaurants were bad, so all Asian restaurants must be bad.” |
Slippery Slope
The Slippery Slope is a type of logical fallacy where one action leads to another, and then another, until we reach an undesirable or absurd conclusion.
This type of argument ignores the fact that there can be valid reasons for taking certain steps or actions. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Slippery Slope “If we give these homeless people a place to stay, then they will all want handouts, and then our taxes will go up and the city will be bankrupt.” |
Red Herring Fallacy
The Red Herring Fallacy is a type of logical fallacy where a statement or argument made by an individual is irrelevant to the issue at hand.
This type of argument ignores the fact that there are valid points to be discussed and tends to distract from the real issue. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Red Herring Fallacy “We should not raise the minimum wage because it will cause inflation.” |
Appeal to Hypocrisy
The Appeal to Hypocrisy is a type of logical fallacy where an individual attempts to discredit something or someone by pointing out their apparent contradictions or inconsistencies.
This type of argument ignores the fact that everyone can make mistakes and can change over time. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Appeal to Hypocrisy “He says he wants to help the poor but then he spends all his money on luxury items. He can't be trusted!” |
Causal Fallacy
The Causal Fallacy is a type of logical fallacy where an individual assumes that because two events or actions are related, one must be the cause of the other.
This type of argument ignores the fact that there may be other causes at work. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Causal Fallacy “It was raining when I failed the test, so the rain must have caused me to fail.” |
Fallacy of Sunk Costs
It is a type of logical fallacy where an individual assumes that it would be wasteful to stop investing in something because they have already invested a lot of time and effort into it.
This type of argument ignores the fact that there may be better ways to use one's resources. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Fallacy of Sunk Costs “We can't pull out of this project now, we've already invested too much money and time into it – we have to see it through, even if the results will be terrible.” |
Appeal to Authority
The Appeal to Authority is a type of logical fallacy where an individual attempts to prove the validity of an argument by citing someone with authority as its source.
This type of argument ignores the fact that even those in positions of authority can make mistakes and be wrong. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Appeal to Authority “The president says that this new policy will work, so it must be true.” |
Equivocation
Equivocation is a type of logical fallacy where an individual uses ambiguous or misleading language in order to draw false conclusions.
This type of argument ignores the fact that clarity and precision are important when making claims. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Equivocation “This company is the best because they have been around for a long time.” |
Appeal to Pity
The Appeal to Pity is a type of logical fallacy where an individual attempts to elicit sympathy or compassion in order to make an argument seem more valid.
This type of argument ignores the fact that emotion should not be used as evidence for a point. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Appeal to Pity “You should hire me because I really need the job.” |
Bandwagon Fallacy
The Bandwagon Fallacy is a type of logical fallacy where an individual assumes that because everyone else believes something, it must be true.
This type of argument ignores the fact that majority opinion does not always equate to truth. It is important to recognize this fallacy in order to avoid using it or being influenced by it.
Example of Bandwagon Fallacy “This is the best restaurant in town because everyone says so.” |
Types of Argument in Philosophy
At its core, argumentation is a type of reasoning that seeks to prove an idea by presenting evidence and logical deductions.
In philosophy, there are several types of arguments that can be used in order to make a point.
Let’s check them out.
Deductive Argument
A deductive argument is a type of argument where the conclusion follows logically from the premises. This type of argument requires that all of the premises are true, or else the conclusion may be invalidated.
Example of deductive argument Premise A: All cats are mammals. |
Inductive Arguments
An inductive argument is a type of argument where the conclusion does not necessarily follow from the premises, but is based on probability. This type of argument requires that there is evidence to support the conclusion, although it may not be 100% certain.
Example of inductive argument Premise A: My pet is a cat. |
Abductive Arguments
An abductive argument is a type of argument where the conclusion does not necessarily follow from the premises, but is based on the best explanation of the evidence.
This type of argument requires that there is evidence to support the conclusion, although other explanations may be possible.
Example of abductive argument Premise A: There are paw prints in the snow outside my house. |
To get the detailed insights, here’s a complete guide on argumentative essay!
Here's a video you can watch to learn more about different types of arguments.
In conclusion, it is important to understand the different types of arguments in philosophy and be able to recognize them when they are being used.
Whether you are arguing deductively, inductively or deductively, it is crucial that you provide valid evidence and logical deductions in order to make a valid point.
By understanding types of argument, you will be able to make a valid argument which is supported by evidence and stands up to scrutiny.
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