"The Art of Argument" by Robert W. Strauss is one of the most popular books on the subject. It teaches students how to argue effectively using logic and persuasive speech. The student edition features clear explanations, illustrations, dialogues, and dialectic discussion questions. Students will learn to analyze current events and debate with the author. There are also over 60 clever phony advertisements to practice with. A companion video and teacher's edition are also available.
In the book, Siegel explores the non-logical elements of argumentation, such as the power of repetition. Studies show that a repeated idea has greater impact than a single appeal to reason. Repetition is a common tool in propaganda and is often attributed to the Nazi politician Joseph Goebbels. Nazi rhetoric has been studied as a repetition campaign. Other studies have linked the credibility, attraction, and charisma of a communicator with empirically occurring arguments.
While winning an argument can be a satisfying experience, it is important to remember that an argument is not meant to be a competition, but to improve understanding of an issue. Getting "right" or "wrong" often distracts from the actual issue. This is what makes winning an argument so difficult. If you want to make a difference, try to avoid winning an argument over a single point. It is better to win a conversation than to win an argument.
While many argue that argumentation has evolved over time, the fundamentals of effective argumentation have not changed. While many scholars have embraced the concept of informal logic, the internet has also had an impact on the art of argumentation. As a result, the use of formal logic is less common than it once was. In the past, the process of argumentation was primarily governed by formal rules of inference. So, the term "the art of argument" has become a common term in the academic world.
Toulmin's theory of argumentation was first developed by Stephen Toulmin, a Cambridge-educated philosopher who is best known for his Toulmin model. Toulmin criticized "absolutism" - the belief that moral issues can be resolved by following standard principles of formal logic. But Toulmin argued that this view of argumentation is ill-suited for everyday situations. This view, as well as that of logical positivism, relies on unfounded assumptions and is ultimately unreliable.