Analyzing an Argument

Goals

1. Describe what “analyzing an argument” means.
   
2. Apply the process to analyze arguments skillfully and productively.

What?

Analyzing an Argument = process of {breaking down into parts, tracing how parts connect, evaluating premises, judging strength or soundness}.

Analogies

Here are a couple of analogies.

Car Analogy

• Breaking down into parts → popping the hood to see the engine, tires, and brakes separately.
  
• Tracing how parts connect → seeing how gears, belts, and wheels all work together to move the car.
  
• Evaluating premises → checking the quality of the fuel, oil, and tires — are the inputs solid?
  
• Judging strength or soundness → taking the car for a test drive to decide if it’s reliable.
  
• Helping others → explaining to a friend whether the car is trustworthy or needs fixing.

Pie Analogy

• Breaking down into parts → looking at crust, filling, spices.
  
• Tracing connections → noticing how crust texture and filling sweetness balance.
  
• Evaluating premises → asking if the ingredients are fresh and real.
  
• Judging strength or soundness → tasting to see if the pie is good overall.
  
• Helping others → mentoring the baker so they make even better pies in the future.

Why? (WIFM)

At essence, analyzing an argument equips you to engage productively with both the argument and the arguer.

Purposes = {understand, improve, challenge, apply, connect}

• Understand → grasp the structure so you don’t misrepresent it.
  
• Improve (steel-man) → strengthen it, making it as clear and fair as possible.
  
• Challenge → test its weaknesses, assumptions, or flaws.
  
• Apply → use it in reasoning, decision-making, or persuasion.
  
• Connect → build trust, teach, guide, manage, or parent more effectively.

👉 WIFM: You sharpen your own arguments, engage better with others, and use argument analysis as a core skill for teaching, helping, managing, leading, parenting, and being an ethical person.

How to Analyze an Argument

1. Identify the parts
   Break the argument into its individual TVA (truth, value, action) claims.

2. Find the point
   Determine which claim is the conclusion.

3. Structure it
   Map the argument into textbook logic form.

4. Test the reasoning
   Evaluate whether the logic is valid (does the conclusion follow?).

5. Test the inputs
   Evaluate the premises (Truth, Value, Action) for soundness or strength.

Argument Analysis in the Real World

1. Fallacies are common.
   Errors in reasoning show up everywhere, so it pays to develop skill in spotting them and responding effectively. Doing so saves time, reduces frustration, and keeps discussions on track.

2. Arguments are often underdeveloped.
   Many arguers have not yet learned strong reasoning or communication skills. As a result, their arguments can be incomplete, vague, or loosely connected. Analyzing such arguments is often like detective work—filling in missing pieces to reconstruct the intended reasoning.