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Once you learn how to break down an argument, there are other skills you can develop in thinking and reading critically that are important to understanding and doing philosophy:

Analytic and Critical Analysis of Arguments (From Judith Boss, Analyzing Moral Issues, 3rd Ed.)

 Identify the key terms. In a good argument, the key terms will be clearly defined at the beginning of the paper. Circle the key terms and underline their definitions.

 Identify the objections or counterarguments. Some writers list not only their own premises, but also the other prevailing arguments which run counter or are different from their own. If this is the case, you need to identify what is the argument the writer is making, and what are the arguments the writer mentions only as means of distinguishing her own argument. You can mark counterarguments, for example, by placing a CA in the margin next to where they occur in the text.

 Critically analyze the argument: Go over the reading again and ask yourself:  Are the key terms and concepts clearly defined?  Are the empirical (factual/descriptive) premises acceptable? (correct facts? well-run studies?)  Are the prescriptive premises (those based on moral principles) consistent with our most

fundamental moral beliefs and intuitions? Have all the relevant moral premises and issues been included?

 Do the premises support the conclusion? → are any of the key premises based upon incorrect data or unacceptable prescriptive

statements? → are there any logical fallacies involved? → if analogies are used, are the similarities morally relevant

 Are you satisfied with the writer’s response to the objections of counterarguments? → does the writer take the counterarguments seriously, or dismiss them too quickly?

 What are the possible implications of the arguments? → has the writer considered the practical implications of his or her conclusions? → are there other implications that you would not accept?

 Is it a good argument? → can the argument still stand on its own if you weed out the weak, contradictory,

and fallacious premises? → if the argument cannot stand on its own, you should reject the argument no matter

how strongly you may feel about the thesis this doesn’t mean the conclusion is false, but only that the writer has failed to support it.

Constructing Arguments:

Similarly, you can use your analytic and critical reading skills when you construct your own arguments. In addition, here is a general outline of the process for constructing an argument:

Steps for Constructing an Argument

(Judith Boss, Ethics for Life, 4th ed., pp. 53-54)

1. Develop a list of premises → Premises should be relatively uncontroversial and acceptable to most reasonable people. → Include the relevant moral principles and ideals, and be sure to use only supportable facts—not

mere opinion. → Be sure to define all key terms that could be ambiguous.

2. Eliminate irrelevant of weak premises → Eliminate any weak or irrelevant premises → Resist the elimination of a premise merely because it does not support your personal opinion on

the issue. → Make sure you have included all relevant information → Make sure your premises do not contain any fallacies

3. Come to a conclusion → The conclusion should not include more than what is contained in the premises, but should

account for all of the relevant information contained in the premises. 4. Try out your argument on others

→ Resist the urge to slip into rhetoric if your argument comes under critical analysis → A good philosopher is willing to revise their argument if it turns out not to stand up to challenge.

5. Revise your argument if necessary → Include any additional information in the premises → Change or modify your conclusion in light of new information or feedback from others.