Abstract
This chapter examines the contention of Michael Scriven that post-secondary courses designed to enhance students’ skills in analyzing, evaluating and using arguments should not employ the technical vocabularies of specialized theories of argument. Scriven contends that the resources of ordinary language are adequate for these purposes and the reliance on technical terminology would block the possibility of communication among those unfamiliar with one another’s theories. In order to assess this position I first attempt to clarify what constitutes a technical term. I next examine what sorts of technical terms in argument theory Scriven might take issue with. I argue that the learning objectives of the sort of course Scriven has in mind can be met using the resources of a non-technical vocabulary. Moreover, the use of any technical vocabulary brings with it a commitment to the theoretical baggage that any such terminology presupposes, implying that Scriven is envisaging a theory-free or theory-neutral pedagogy. I argue that the “non-technical” language of everyday natural language embodies a folk theory of argument in at least three respects. It presupposes a foundationalist epistemology; adopts an eclectic approach to logic; and assumes that the assignment of the burden of proof is open to negotiation.
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Notes
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Quotations in this paragraph are from the online Cambridge Dictionary, accessed 1 June 2018: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/technical.
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Anthony Blair, J. (2021). Technical Terminology and Argument Analysis and Appraisal. In: Boogaart, R., Jansen, H., van Leeuwen, M. (eds) The Language of Argumentation. Argumentation Library, vol 36. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52907-9_4
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