There are different types of arguments according to different criteria: the type of reasoning they use, the content, the objective, the degree of persuasion and the issuer’s position.
Arguments are statements that are used to prove or disprove something and are arguments that serve to justify an author’s point of view and to persuade the reader or receiver.
Types of arguments according to the type of reasoning they use
Arguments start from premises, that is, from ideas from which a conclusion is derived. Depending on how the premises, the conclusion and the relationship between the premises and the conclusion are, the arguments can be:
- deductive arguments. The reasoning starts from premises that are generalizations, to reach a conclusion that explains a particular case. For example: If all the plants cannot move and the eucalyptus is a plant, the eucalyptus cannot move.
- inductive arguments. The reasoning starts from premises that are observations of particular cases, to draw a conclusion that will be a generalization. For example: In autumn the eucalyptus has yellow leaves, in autumn the oak has yellow leaves, therefore in autumn all trees have yellow leaves.
- abductive arguments. The reasoning starts from premises that refer to a fact from which a conclusion is derived. For example: Today it is raining, on rainy days I don’t go to the park, therefore today I won’t go to the park.
Content-Based Argument Types
According to the content of the premises, the arguments are classified as:
- authority arguments. The reasoning is supported by quotes, expert comments, and testimonials. For example: According to specialists in epidemiology, the use of the chinstrap reduces the chances of people catching Covid-19.
- arguments of fact. The reasoning is justified with evidence that was previously carried out in investigations or studies. For example: According to the survey conducted, 92% of consumers prefer to drink soft drinks and the remaining 8% prefer to drink water, therefore most of the people prefer to drink soft drinks.
- morality arguments. Universal moral values are used to justify an idea. For example: All people have the right to choose their representatives in a democratic system; therefore, all citizens of this country have the right to vote.
- tradition arguments. An idea is justified with statements that refer to customs or traditions. For example: Adults work for a salary, therefore, young people have to prepare to find a job that provides a good salary.
- Probabilistic arguments. The justification is made with statements that refer to a probability, which can be quantitative or qualitative. For example: 30% of college students are doing social careers.
- Arguments from personal experience. The justification is made using statements that refer to the personal experience of the author. For example: I really like coffee, therefore the coffee is rich.
- aesthetic arguments. The justification is done using statements that refer to whether something is beautiful, ugly, pleasant, unpleasant, etc. For example: That house must be poorly built, because it is very ugly.
Types of arguments according to the objective
According to this classification, arguments are divided into two large groups: those that use rational logic to prove an idea (logical arguments) and those that seek to move the reader (affective arguments).
- logical arguments. The conclusion is a rational and logical consequence of the premises. They may be:
– Instantiation arguments. Examples are used to justify an idea. For example: Packaged foods often contain trans fats, such as cookies, snacks, and desserts.
– Generalization arguments. It is based on particular cases to establish a generalization. For example: Roses have a good aroma, jasmine has a good aroma and sunflower has a good aroma, therefore all flowers have a good aroma.
– Arguments by analogy. Since two or more things have characteristics in common, it follows that they are likely to have another characteristic in common. For example: All the books I have read by this author are good, therefore the new book by the same author must be good.
– Sign arguments. An event is considered to be a sign and therefore can give information about another event. For example: Before it rains there is always humidity; It’s humid today, so it’s going to rain. - affective arguments. They are used with the purpose of persuading the reader because they use statements with emotional content. For example: Everyone knows how important it is to finish a university degree, so let’s support the economic measure aimed at helping students who have to finish their higher education.
Types of arguments according to the degree of persuasion
Persuasion is used to convince the reader. Depending on the degree of persuasion, the arguments can be:
- Relevant arguments. They are directly related to the idea that you want to convey. For example: This computer is the best I’ve ever owned, so probably all computers of this brand are good.
- valid arguments. They are logical and relevant. For example: If the oak table is very resistant, all the furniture that is made with oak will be very resistant.
- irrefutable arguments. They cannot be false because they use propositions with scientific or demonstrable evidence. For example: Earth is a planet inhabited by animals and plants.
Types of arguments according to the position of the issuer
The position of an issuer can be for or against an idea and this is reflected in the arguments used.
- Arguments in favor of an idea. They are used to justify an idea. For example: Face-to-face education is essential because it involves a necessary social exchange for all people at any stage of growth.
- Arguments against an idea. They are used to refute ideas. For example: It is said that more and more people do not want to receive vaccines but, according to statistics, 93% of the population have the full vaccination schedule.
Examples of argument types
- Cats meow; Whiskers is a cat; therefore Onewhisker meows. (inductive argument)
- Salmon is a fish and breathes through its gills; the dorado is a fish and breathes through its gills; therefore, fish breathe using their gills. (deductive argument)
- All the food in this restaurant is of a very good quality; Pablo only eats in good quality restaurants; therefore, Pablo must eat at this restaurant. (abductive argument)
- According to a leading physicist, black holes are not a threat to our solar system. (argument from authority)
- Uranus’s temperature ranges from −214.2 °C to −205.2 °C, making Uranus the coldest planet in the solar system. (factual argument)
- All people have the right to express themselves freely, therefore, the journalist can say what he thinks about the economic measures. (morality argument)
- Hand washing helps fight germs; people usually wash their hands before eating; therefore, in this restaurant the cooks wash their hands before starting to cook. (tradition argument)
- The Internet is not a service used worldwide because a third of the population does not have Internet access. (probabilistic argument)
- The Caribbean beaches are a great tourist destination because when I went there I had a very good vacation. (argument from personal experience)
- This dress must be of very good quality because it is beautiful. (aesthetic argument)
- All jungles are very important places for the ecosystem, such as the Congo jungle and the Borneo jungle.
- The lion is a mammal and has four legs; the zebra is a mammal and has four legs; the rhinoceros is a mammal and has four legs; therefore, mammals have four legs. (generalization argument)
- José and Pedro read many books; José writes very well; therefore, it is likely that Peter writes very well. (argument by analogy)
- If the stars are not seen at night, the next day it rains. (argument from signs)
- Many people know that the dog is man’s best friend, so it is very important that people adopt dogs that do not have a home. (affective argument)
- If the jasmine is not watered, it dries up; if the grass is not watered, it dries up; therefore, it is important to water the plants so that they do not dry out. (pertinent argument)
- The water from the polluted rivers is not suitable for consumption; this river is polluted, therefore its water is not suitable for consumption (valid argument)
- All living things need nutrients to continue living. (irrefutable argument)
- Global warming has very negative consequences because it produces an increase in dry and arid areas, an increase in storms, a rise in sea level, loss of species and problems in the health of people. (argument in favor of an idea)
- It is considered by many to be the best novel of the year, but according to some critics, it does not tell a novel story or have an original style. (argument against an idea)
It can help you: