Becoming a Relativistic Thinker

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Becoming a Relativistic Thinker

• Developing and Analyzing Arguments

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Three Types of Student Thinkers

• Dualistic thinkers
• Knowledge exists absolutely
• Present judgments and evaluations without need
  for substantiation
• See the warrant of expert as unquestionable
• Multiplistic thinkers
• Recognize multiple perspectives to problems
• Unable to evaluate each perspective adequately
  (were all entitled to own opinions)
• Argumentation ends or is avoided
• Believe everyone has right to make claims without
  backing

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Three Types of Student Thinkers contd

• Relativistic thinkers
• Knowledge is relative to particular frame of
  reference
• Evaluate their own ideas as well as others
• Have conscious conception of justification

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Toulmins Model

• Six part model
• Claim
• Grounds
• Warrant
• Backing
• Qualifications
• Rebuttal

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1. Claim

• The position or claim being argued for,
• The conclusion of the argument
• The part of the argument that the arguer seeks to
  prove
• Five types of claims

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1. Five types of claims Claims contd

• Claims of fact is it real? is it a fact? is it
  true?
• Global warming is occurring
• Claims of definition what is it? What is it
  like?
• Alcoholism is a disease not a vice
• Claims of cause how did this happen? What caused
  it?
• The popularity of the internet has led to a rise
  in plagiarism amongst students
• Claims of value is it good or bad? Moral or
  immoral?
• Doctor-assisted suicide is immoral
• Claims of policy what should we do? How are we
  to act?
• Welfare programs should not be dismantled

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2. Grounds

• The reasons or supporting evidence that bolster
  the claim
• The data that support the claim

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3. Warrant

• The principle provision or chain of reasoning
  that connects the grounds/reason to the claim
• The frame through which data is viewed
• The justification or logic for your transition
  from the data/grounds to the claim

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4. Backing

• Support, justification, reasons to back up the
  warrant
• Further evidence and/or logic to support your
  warrant(s)
• Also provides material to combat any rebuttals

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5. Qualifications

• Specification of limits to claim, warrant and
  backing
• State the extent to which the claim is logical
• Claim may need to be qualified to reflect
  something more realistic

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6. Rebuttal

• Exceptions to the claim
• Description and rebuttal of counter-examples
• Any arguments that might block or impede the jump
  from the grounds to the claim

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Example The US should change its energy policy
to substantially reduce its dependence on foreign
oil.

• Purchasing foreign oil increases terrorism
• Revenue from oil sales supports terrorist bent
  regimes
• Most terrorist regimes use oil revenue as their
  primary revenue
• The Journal XXX says terrorists use oil revenues
  to fund their terrors
• Very often to modify claim
• Sometimes trade connections discourage terrorists
  from attacking

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Example Affirmative action policies still have a
place in universities

• University should use AA admissions policies
• AA policies provide equal access to education for
  all ethnic groups
• Equality of access is a basic American value
• Equality before law is a fundamental right of all
  Americans
• Qualifier if a university doesnt have a diverse
  student body
• AA policies dont result in reverse
  discrimination because they are only part of a
  process that attempts to ensure fairness in
  college admissions