Conductive Arguments: Why is This Still a Thing?

Authors

  • Kevin Possin Winona State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22329/il.v36i4.4527

Keywords:

Anatomy of a position paper, Balance-of-considerations arguments, Conductive arguments, Critical-thinking skills, Deductive arguments, Elements of a position paper, Inductive arguments, On-balance premises, Rationality, Warrant, Wellman

Abstract

Conductive arguments, as a separate category of reasoning, has experienced a revival.  In 2010, the University of Windsor’s Centre for Research in Reasoning, Argumentation, and Rhetoric dedicated a two-day symposium to the topic and later published the proceedings.  In this article, I argue against the existence of conductive arguments as a usefully distinct type of argument.  Some of what are deemed conductive arguments are simply inductive arguments and some are best construed as subsets of the constituents of what is commonly called a position paper.

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University of Windsor

Author Biography

Kevin Possin, Winona State University

Professor Emeritus

Department of Philosophy

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Published

2016-12-14

Issue

Vol. 36 No. 4 (2016)

Section

Articles

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