With Good Reason
Zachary Poston and I have written a critical thinking and argument mapping textbook, With Good Reason. It comes as a download with a six-month Argumentation.io subscription. You can also order it at your university bookstore and we can include an Argumentation.io subscription code with it. Students can similarly purchase a book/app subscription bundle through Perusall.
ISBN: 979-8-9890054-0-6
Publisher: Argumentation
If you'd like an instructor's copy write me at jonathansurovell[@]gmail.com. If you'd like to discuss incorporating With Good Reason or Argumentation.io into your course, click here to schedule a meeting with me.
Table of Contents
A Note to Instructors 9
1. Arguments and Argument Maps: What They Are and Why They Matter 13
1.1 Introduction. 13
1.2 Argument Mapping: An Overview.. 17
1.3 Parts of Arguments. 22
1.4 Mapping a Reason. 24
1.5 Non-Argumentative Content 28
1.6 Objections. 31
1.7 Mapping Objections. 34
1.8 Mapping Already-Given Arguments. 35
1.9 Inferences and the Inference Box. 39
1.10 Inference Indicators I: Contention Indicators. 41
1.11 A Reason and Contention in a Single Sentence. 43
1.12 Inference Indicators II: Reason Indicators. 44
1.13 When the Contention Comes First 46
1.14 Inference Indicators III: Objection Indicators. 47
1.15 Claims are Complete Declarative Sentences. 48
1.16 Identifying Contentions, Reasons, and Objections 51
1.17 Arguments, Strong and Weak. 57
1.18 Making Things Easier 60
Jumping Between Book Sections. 60
Jumping Between an Exercise and Your Map of it 61
Exercises. 63
I. Identifying and Mapping Already-Given Arguments. 63
II. Claim or Something Else?. 69
Solutions. 71
I. Identifying and Mapping Already-Given Arguments. 71
II. Claim or Something Else?. 87
2. Co-Premises 88
2.1 Introduction. 88
2.2 Reason Co-Premises. 88
2.3 Mapping and Navigating Co-Premises. 90
2.4 How Not to Map Co-Premises. 93
2.5 Moving Claims into Co-Premise Position. 96
2.6 Changing the Order of Co-Premises. 99
2.7 Preparing Text for Mapping. 101
2.8 Identifying Co-Premises. 104
2.8.1 Method 1: Stronger Together. 104
2.8.2 Method 2: Co-Work Isn’t Support 106
2.8.3 Method 3: Link and Supply. 106
2.8.4 Method 4: Link and Supply (Related) 117
2.9 Each Contention, Reason, and Objection Box Must Have Exactly One Claim in It 122
2.10 Objection Co-Premises. 128
2.11 Indivisible Sentences and Co-Premises. 130
2.11.1 Conditionals. 131
2.11.2 Disjunctions. 137
2.12 Contentions in the Middle. 139
2.13 Saving Your Map. 140
Exercises. 142
I. Co-Premises or Something Else?. 142
II. Conditional, Disjunction, or Neither?. 145
III. Map the Already-Given Arguments. 145
Solutions. 155
I. Co-Premises or Something Else?. 155
II. Conditional, Disjunction, or Neither?. 155
III. Map the Already-Given Arguments. 156
3. Inference Rules 174
3.1 Introduction. 174
3.2 Modus Ponens. 176
3.3 Case Argument 180
3.4 Hypothetical Syllogism.. 181
3.5 Modus Tollens. 183
3.6 Disjunctive Syllogism.. 187
3.7 Inference to the Best Explanation. 189
3.8 Analogical Argument 193
3.8.1 Analogical Argument Strength. 196
Factor 1: Number of entities. 196
Factor 2: Variety of entities. 197
Factor 3: Number of similar respects. 197
Factor 4: Relevance. 198
Factor 5: Modesty. 198
3.9 Counter-Example Objections. 199
3.10 Co-Premise ID Method 5: Following the Schema of an Inference Rule 203
3.11 Deductive, Inductive, and Sound Arguments. 205
Exercises. 209
Solutions. 218
4. Independent Arguments 237
4.1 Introduction. 237
4.2 Independent Reasons. 238
4.3 Mapping and Navigating Independent Reasons. 240
4.4 Independent Objections. 241
4.5 Arguments vs. Explanations. 243
4.6 Objections to, and Reasons for, the Same Contention 246
4.7 Independent Co-Premise Groups. 248
4.8 It’s Complicated. 252
4.9 Argument Strength and Independent Arguments. 256
4.10 Arguments, Facts, and Opinions. 257
Exercises. 260
Solutions. 270
5. Sub-Contentions 282
5.1 Introduction. 282
5.2 Mapping and Navigating Sub-Contentions. 286
5.2.1 Adding Reasons for Reasons. 286
5.2.2 Re-Arranging Boxes in Argumentation.io. 286
5.3 Reasons for Objections. 289
5.4 Objecting to a Reason. 292
5.5 Objecting to an Objection. 294
5.6 Sub-Contentions, Co-Premises, and Independent Arguments 296
5.7 Identifying Supporting Reasons. 302
5.8 A Sequence of Sub-Contentions is Only as Strong as its Weakest Link 308
5.9 Arguing that an Explanation is Best 311
Exercises. 315
Solutions. 329
6. Inference Arguments and Unstated Claims 359
6.1 Introduction. 359
6.2 Inference Objections. 360
6.3 Mapping an Inference Objection. 361
6.4 Moving Objections into Inference Objection Position 365
6.5 Inference Reasons. 366
6.6 Unstated Co-Premises. 368
6.7 Are Unstated Co-Premises Good or Bad?. 373
6.8 Ambiguity About What’s Hidden. 374
6.9 Arguments with Multiple Unstated Co-Premises. 376
6.10 Unstated Contentions. 377
6.11 Arguing About Analogical Arguments. 378
Exercises. 385
I. Map the Already-Given Arguments. 385
II. Map the Arguments and Add the Unstated Premise. 395
Solutions. 398
I. Map the Already-Given Arguments. 398
II. Map the Arguments and Add the Unstated Premise 420
Features
Argument Mapping
Philosophical Diversity
Many examples drawn from a diverse group of classic and contemporary thinkers, including Al-Ghazali, Anscombe, Arendt, Aristotle, Astell, Bolìvar, Dkarmakitri, DuBois, Epicurus, Elisabeth of Bohemia, Mencius, Mill, Mozi, Sartre, Shankaracharya, Solomon, Yacob, Tochihuitzin, and many more.
Authentic Examples and Exercises
“Authentic” examples and exercises about college life, relationships, career, and more. Authentic content “makes sense to” and “engages” today’s college students, leading to better learning outcomes (Abrami et al. 2015, p. 290). Each chapter has over 30 practice exercises.
Screen Reader Compatibility
Each image of an argument map has below it a link to the map in Argumentation.io, which is screen reader and keystroke compatible.
Efficient Feedback and Instruction
Section headings make it easy to refer the student to relevant sections in feedback. Common student mistakes have their own sections with descriptive headings. Explanations of relevant Argumentation.io functions are integrated into the text and are given for both mouse and key command users. Instructors will spend less time explaining the technology and replying to student questions about it.
Argumentation.io's Inference Box
Maps are made with Argumentation.io, the only kind of argument map with a single, distinct object representing an inference. With a simple and clear representation of inferences, students will gain a better understanding of what an inference is, inference rules, and objections to inferences. It also makes the concept of an inference a tool for clarifying other difficult critical thinking concepts. We use the inference box to clarify independent reasons, arguments for premises of inferences to the best explanation, and objections to analogical inferences.
Scaffolding
The book begins with simple concepts and adds complexity slowly and gradually. This gives students a chance to start off with some succes, build confidence, and feel motivated to take on the next challenge.
