A note on the purpose of an argument

Authors do not usually write arguments to get a reader to act differently, to change his or her mind once and for all.

Most authors intend their arguments to raise questions in the minds of readers and encourage them to reconsider their positions on the claim. (“You might think feral hog porchetta sounds unappetizing, but you should reconsider.”)

An argument does not fail because it is not immediately convincing. It fails if the argument’s claim is not supported by quality, relevant, and credible evidence.

Most arguments outside of scholarly scientific journals require follow-up research on the part of a reader before the reader becomes completely convinced that the claim is correct. In fact, you may not want to accept or reject an argument once and for all based on presentations such as the example arguments in this lesson.

It is always good to rethink any position you hold on almost anything. It is usually good to tentatively accept an argument that makes sense and is backed by recognized authority. It is very seldom good to accept as true an argument that you have not pursued by checking its facts and replicating its evidence.

As a reader of an argumentative text, you need to balance skepticism with understanding of an author’s purpose. In the essay by Joseph Brings Plenty, you should notice the places where you cannot “accept without question” the information he is giving us. At the same time, you should realize that he intends to make us aware of an issue, not necessarily to prove once and for all the correctness of his position.