Chapter 17

Chapter seventeen is about fallacies of argument. The Chapter begins by explaining what fallacies are, it defines the word as arguments that are flawed by their very nature or structure. Fallacies can attack those against your argument by using reasonable criticism. Although, often times they are strategies that hurt everyone, even the person using them. 

Fallacies of Emotional Argument:

-scare tactics: which can be used to persuade people by making them scarred or fearful.

-either-or Choices: this can be used as a way to simplify an argument by giving people less options, you have one or the other. Making the choices the audience has more likely in your favor. For example: "Either you do your HW and get money for good grades or I'll take your cell phone away." 

-slippery slope: this strategy is very similar to scare tactics. It's an exaggeration of the consequences of an action, basically used to frighten people. 

-sentimental appeals: use of tender emotions excessively to distract readers from facts. It captures the heart over the mind. 

-bandwagon appeals: urge people to follow the same path everyone else is taking. Just what everyone goes through growing up, telling our parents that our friends have or can do this or that, why can't I? A phrase often said is "Well, if they jumped off of a bridge, would you jump too?" 

Further on in the chapter it talks about Faulty Analogies, which are caparisons that give ideas greater presence and help clarify. Once a comparison is extended it becomes an analogy, which is understanding unfamiliar ideas by comparing them with something that's already known. This can be very useful and helpful in an argument, letting the readers/audience have a clear understanding, especially when something is compared to what's going on in the world today. 

Chapter Thirteen

In Chapter thirteen of Everything's an Argument, it informs us about style and presentation in arguments. Every augment has its own style, there are three basic styles of communication which are: high (formal and serious) , middle (understandable and clear), and low (informal, everyday or humorous).  When putting an argument together and thinking about its style you must consider your choice of words, it's important to choose the right vocabulary and words to match your tone. You must also think about the sentence structure, a variety of sentences can help keep the reader involved. Another important element in writing an argument is punctuation, consider choices of punctuation closely! Know when to put a period, comma, or semi-colon. 

Special effects in an argument prefigurative language like a metaphor, simile, analogy, and schemes. In reading the special effects section of this chapter I found schemes most interesting. Schemes can add "zing" to an argument. 

Here are different word order choices:

-Parallelism: using similar phrases or clauses for special effect. 

-Antithesis: the use of parallel structures used to mark contrast or opposition. 

-Inverted word order: parts of a sentence or clause are not in the usual subject-   verb-object order (makes argument memorable)

*this was my favorite out of all of the schemes

one of the examples given in the book was:

" Hard to see, the dark side is." --Yoda

-Anaphora: effective repetition

-Reversed structures (which is often used in politics)

I find this very helpful because to be honest, I hardly ever think about the many ways I can order my word choices and this chapter gives great examples! This is definitely a great tip to think about when writing a paper, rather than leaving it dull and boring, this can be very effective keeping the reader entertained. It's definitely something to think about.

Chapter 7: Structuring Arguments

     Chapter seven is about the different ways of constructing arguments."The key to Rogerian argumentation is a willingness to think about opposing positions and to describe them fairly"(177). The Rogerian argument is about having a full understanding of the subject you wish to talk about and looking and explaining it from different point of views to make an argument. It's important to go in depth with the subject to get a deep understanding. How would you know what's best if you don't know everything about it? This provides ethos for the readers it lets them know you know exactly what you're talking about. It may be kind of challenging to write about the pros and cons from each point of view, yet, explaining how your point is better than all of the ones you've listed. It's better to compromise and build a common ground with the reader to strive for solutions that can benefit everyone. In my opinion, I think this would be more difficult, especially if you're very opinionated.

      Another argument mentioned is the Toulmin argument, which is about having a clear understanding of a subject but worrying less about the readers reaction, whether they agree or disagree it's about justifying your ideas. 

Toulmin Argument Outline:

-claim (what's being argued)

-qualifier (limit the strength of the argument)

-good reasons

-warrant (logical statement connecting the claim and data) 

-backing (prove the warrant is true by the use of evidence which also leads to authority)

-rebuttals (counter-arguments, as if the argument isn't true)

For our next project I plan on writing about Marijuana, 

here is my quick Toulmin argument outline: 

claim: Legalization of Marijuana in the United States (Pro Legalization)

reason: Marijuana is harmless

warrant: since it relieves the pain of cancer patients and is less risky/addictive than the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other nonprescription drugs.

backing: It has been made legal in certain states for medical purposes and proves to help relieve pain and stimulate appetite. If the United States can legalize other drugs and the use of alcohol surely they should legalize marijuana, it's one of the safest drugs out there. It can benefit us medically and economically, it can also improve society. 

rebuttals: Marijuana is a hallucinogen and has THC in it. It is an illegal substance that no one should use.

qualifier: Marijuana is harmless SO it should be legalized. 

authority: U.S. Government

Arguments Based on Emotion: Pathos

     "When writers and speakers find the words and images that evoke certain emotions in people, they might also move their audiences to sympathize with ideas that they connect to those feelings and even to act on them. Make people be aware of how much they owe to others, and they'll acknowledge that debt; persuade people to hate an enemy, and they'll rally against it; help people to imagine suffering, and they'll strive to relieve it; make people feel secure or happy (or insecure or unhappy), they'll buy products that promise such good feelings."

     Chapter 2 talks about the power of emotion. Ads can emotionally persuade us, but without them triggering emotion, would we all really buy into it? Probably not. They make us believe that products can make us happier, skinnier, smarter, or prettier, which are things we desire, sometimes they can make us feel sad,guilty, fearful, and sympathetic which is and example of what charities do, showing us photos of poor children, cripples, or people with disorders. Ads manipulate our emotions with their arguments even if the information given isn't valid. For example, I could look at photos of starving children and I would start to feel sympathetic and want to donate to that charity, but who's to say where my money is REALLY going? These arguments take over our emotion causing us to forget what's rational and logical. 

Here's an example of an Ad convincing emotional desires of guys:

So, basically AXE is telling men that they'll sexually attract all females with this magical spray, and lets just say the chances of that happening are…hmmm..slim to NONE. I mean, sure that would be great, but lets be rational here.

See, look at this guy ^

..I guess this product didn't fulfill his desires..

hahaha, I thought I'd just add that in here.

The Power of Photography

Chapter 14, Visual Arguments, is about the power of different mediums and the different styles and presentations that can be made. "Images make arguments of their own. A photograph, for example, isn't a faithful representation of reality; it's reality shaped by the photographer's point of view." It's crazy how images can be stronger than even words sometimes and you can convey your ideas through the lens of a camera and let other people see what you see. You can manipulate an image to make your view even stronger.

Photos can evoke power, emotion, courage, strength, thoughts, laughs and they can even tell stories. There's a photo on tumblr that has recently been going around of a woman who has overcame breast cancer showing the scars of her battle, she also has a breast cancer ribbon tattooed on her chest. No words are needed for this picture, it shows enough, text would be unnecessary and distracting. Making the photo black and white makes it more powerful, you can see the image and subject for itself rather than having distracting colors, although, with or without colors this photo is still strong, in my opinion black and white makes it even stronger and true, so this design works well. This woman was made to be "read"  as strong, courageous and beautiful. Words are unneeded for this image, the audience can see, feel  and understand the power it shows. 

About Me

     Hello, my name's Stephanie! I was born in Japan but I'm actually from England. I've done a lot of traveling and I can't wait to do more once I graduate. Life is way too short and I want to be able to explore the world. I'm very passionate about art and I couldn't survive without music. I'm actually an art major, abstract and surrealism are the genres I'm most interested in. I wish I was as artistic with my words as I am with paint, lyrical genius's amaze me. My art expresses me, lyrics move me. Underground hip-hop, indie, dubstep, and trance are my love and forever will be. I can't stand the mainstream bullshit that so many people listen to over and over again.

some of my art work:

"The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will." -Chuck Palahniuk