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19Arguing forever? Or: Two tiers of argument appraisalIn H. V. Hansen, C. W. Tindale & A. V. Colman (eds.), Argumentation and Rhetoric, Vale. 1997.In this paper I explore Ralph Johnson's proposal that in addition to premises and conclusion every argument should have a dialectical tier in which the arguer addresses objections to the argument, and considers alternative positions. After exploring several reasons for thinking that Johnson's proposal is a good one, I then raise a number of objections against it and move ahead to respond to those objections, which I do by distinguishing making out a case for a conclusion from offering an argumen…Read more
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17Is "There Are External Objects" an Empirical Proposition?Canadian Journal of Philosophy 8 (2): 305-321. 1978.Alice Ambrose once criticized Moore for treating the proposition ‘There are external objects’ as an empirical one. She said that those who denied that we could know this proposition to be true would not accept any evidence as going against their denial of it, and were not regarding the issue of its truth as empirical. She also maintained that one could not point out an external object in the way in which one could point out a dime or nickel and alleged on these grounds that saying that there are…Read more
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265Self-Trust, Autonomy, and Self-EsteemHypatia 8 (1). 1993.Self-trust is a necessary condition of personal autonomy and self-respect. Self-trust involves a positive sense of the motivations and competence of the trusted person; a willingness to depend on him or her; and an acceptance of vulnerability. It does not preclude trust in others. A person may be rightly said to have too much self-trust; however core self-trust is essential for functioning as an autonomous human being.
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Alex C. Michalos, Militarism and the Quality of Life Reviewed byPhilosophy in Review 11 (2): 91-94. 1991.
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24Philosophers, Argument, and Politics without CertaintyInquiry: Critical Thinking Across the Disciplines 18 (1): 95-103. 1998.
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4Douglas N. Walton, Arguer's Position: A Pragmatic Study of Ad Hominem Attack, Criticism, Refutation, and Fallacy Reviewed byPhilosophy in Review 5 (9): 405-406. 1985.
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20This paper explores the relationship between narrative and argument in the context of ‘telling our stories’, a common aspect of processes of political reconciliation. Truth commissions and informal workshops often emphasize the telling of stories as a means of providing a sense of the experiences of persons affected by political conflict. Such stories, or narratives, may provide a powerful tool in reconciliation processes, given that they provide a basis for acknowledgement, understanding and em…Read more
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4IsCanadian Journal of Philosophy 8 (2): 305-321. 1978.Alice Ambrose once criticized Moore for treating the proposition ‘There are external objects’ as an empirical one. She said that those who denied that we could know this proposition to be true would not accept any evidence as going against their denial of it, and were not regarding the issue of its truth as empirical. She also maintained that one could not point out an external object in the way in which one could point out a dime or nickel and alleged on these grounds that saying that there are…Read more
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Robert Dahl, Controlling Nuclear Weapons: Democracy Versus Guardianship Reviewed byPhilosophy in Review 6 (6): 265-268. 1986.
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74Forgiveness and RevengeRoutledge. 2002.Forgiveness and Revenge is a powerful exploration of our attitudes to serious wrongdoings and a careful examination of the values that underlie our thinking about revenge and forgiveness. From adulterous spouses to terrorist factions, we are surrounded by wrongdoing, yet we rarely agree which response is appropriate. The problem of how to respond realistically and sensitively to the wrongs of the past remains a perplexing one. Trudy Govier clarifies our thinking on this subject by examining the …Read more
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30Nuclear Hardware and Power: The War of PerceptionsCanadian Journal of Philosophy 17 (4). 1987.Nations possessing nuclear weapons have seen them as useful for many purposes. These include classic nuclear deterrence, extended nuclear deterrence, the fighting of a nuclear war ‘if deterrence fails,’ and a ‘diplomatic’ use in which the weapons are seen as implements of coercive political power. Concerning all these uses profound ethical questions arise. It is the last use which will be the focus of attention in this paper.I have chosen this subject partly because I believe that it has receive…Read more
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23Critical Thinking and Education John E. McPeck Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1981. Pp. vi, 170. $13.50, paperDialogue 22 (1): 170-175. 1983.
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67Logic and Parables: Do These Narratives Provide Arguments?Informal Logic 32 (2): 161-189. 2012.We explore the relationship between argument and narrative with reference to parables. Parables are typically thought to convey a message. In examining a parable, we can ask what that message is, whether the story told provides reasons for the message, and whether those reasons are good reasons. In exploring these questions, we employ as an inves-tigative technique the strategy of reconstructing parables as argu-ments. We then proceed to con-sider the cogency of those argu-ments. One can offer a…Read more
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19Two is a Small Number: False Dichotomies RevisitedIn Ralph H. Johnson and David M. Godden J. Anthony Blair Christopher W. Tindale Hans V. Hansen (ed.), Dissensus and the Search for Common Ground, Ossa. 2007.Our acceptance of falsely dichotomous statements is often intellectually distorting. It restricts imagination, limits opportunities, and lends support to pseudo-logical arguments. In conflict situations, the presumption that there are only two sides is often a harmful distortion. Why do so many false dichotomies seem plausible? Are all dichotomies false? What are the alternatives, if any, to such fundamental dichotomies as ‘true/false’, ‘yes/no’, ‘proponent/opponent,’ and ‘accept/reject’?
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5Jeffrey C. Goldfarb, The Cynical Society: The Culture of Politics and the Politics of Culture in American Life Reviewed byPhilosophy in Review 12 (1): 25-28. 1992.
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Areas of Specialization
Applied Ethics |
Social and Political Philosophy |
Logic and Philosophy of Logic |
Areas of Interest
Applied Ethics |
Meta-Ethics |
Social and Political Philosophy |
17th/18th Century Philosophy |