Voltaire said, "Common sense is not so common." Applying reason to our thoughts in a disciplined way is a learned skill, but most people never take the time to learn it. A number of simple, short guides are widely available, such as Anthony Weston's A Rulebook for Arguments. In this context, an "argument" is the conclusion you want to propose or evaluate, coupled with the statements offered in support of that conclusion. It is not the contentious exchange of ideas most of us think about when we think of the common definition of an argument.
Applying reason to arguments is a process of evaluating the truth of the statements offered in support of a conclusion, and then evaluating whether the statements together really do support the conclusion. Guides such as Weston's Rulebook provide clear, simple rules for using reason to develop your own arguments as well as for evaluating the arguments of others. I recommend finding a guide you are comfortable with using. Invest the time to read it and then refer to it periodically to keep from falling back into bad habits.
Accountability Citizenship, p. 40, Stephen P. Tryon, Xlibris, 2013
Applying reason to arguments is a process of evaluating the truth of the statements offered in support of a conclusion, and then evaluating whether the statements together really do support the conclusion. Guides such as Weston's Rulebook provide clear, simple rules for using reason to develop your own arguments as well as for evaluating the arguments of others. I recommend finding a guide you are comfortable with using. Invest the time to read it and then refer to it periodically to keep from falling back into bad habits.
Accountability Citizenship, p. 40, Stephen P. Tryon, Xlibris, 2013
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