THE TOULMIN MODEL
In The Uses of Argument (1958), philosopher Stephen Toulmin developed a system of analyzing argument which may be more flexible than classical syllogisms because the latter demands that all premises be absolute.
There are three parts of the Toulmin model:
1. Claims. These are simply statements or assertions one hopes to prove. We can think of them as theses, but they should be contestable. That means they are not simply statements of fact, and that they are also not beliefs that are very widely accepted—they are controversial.
The Electoral College
has outlived its usefulness.
It’s time to lower
the drinking age.
NASA should launch a
human expedition to Mars.
Vegetarianism is the
best choice of diet.
2. Support. Support can be comprised of reasons (often sub-claims), data, anecdotal evidence, authoritative testimony, and personal experience.
The Electoral College
has outlived its usefulness because it gives undue power to small and mid-sized
states in presidential elections.
NASA should launch a
human expedition to Mars because Americans need a unifying national goal.
Vegetarianism is the
best choice of diet, the only one that doesn’t require the suffering of
animals.
3. Warrants. Warrants are persuasive and logical connections between claims and support. We might also call warrants the assumptions or premises of the argument.
|
CLAIM |
SUPPORT |
WARRANT |
|
Electoral College should be abolished |
EC gives undue influence to small states |
No state should have undue influence regardless of population |
|
Lower the drinking age |
Voting age is 18, not 21 |
If one is responsible enough to vote, one is responsible enough to drink |
|
Send humans to Mars |
|
Unifying national goals are positive; manned flight would be such a goal |