Informal Logic: A Pragmatic Approach

by Douglas N. Walton

Informal Logic is an introductory guidebook to the basic principles of constructing sound arguments and criticizing bad ones. Non-technical in approach, it is based on 186 examples, which Douglas Walton, a leading authority in the field of informal logic, discusses and evaluates in clear, illustrative detail. Walton explains how errors, fallacies, and other key failures of argument occur. He shows how correct uses of argument are based on sound strategies for reasoned persuasion and critical responses. Among the many subjects covered are: forms of valid argument, defeasible arguments, relevance, appeals to emotion, personal attack, straw man argument, jumping to a conclusion, uses and abuses of expert opinion, problems in drawing conclusions from polls and statistics, loaded terms, equivocation, arguments from analogy, and techniques of posing, replying to, and criticizing questions. This new edition takes into account many new developments in the field of argumentation study that have occurred since 1989, many created by the author. Drawing on these developments, Walton includes and analyzes 36 new topical examples and also brings in recent work on argumentation schemes. Ideally suited for use in courses in informal logic and introduction to philosophy, this book will also be valuable to students of pragmatics, rhetoric, and speech communication.

Genres: Philosophy, Logic, Nonfiction, Mathematics, Reference

366 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2008

About the author

Douglas Neil Walton (PhD University of Toronto, 1972) is a Canadian academic and author, well known for his many widely published books and papers on argumentation, logical fallacies and informal logic. He is presently Distinguished Research Fellow of the Centre for Research in Reasoning, Argumentation, and Rhetoric (CRRAR) at the University of Windsor, Canada, and before that (2008-2014), he held the Assumption Chair of Argumentation Studies at the University of Windsor. Walton’s work has been used to better prepare legal arguments and to help develop artificial intelligence. His books have been translated worldwide, and he attracts students from many countries to study with him. A special issue of the journal Informal Logic surveyed Walton’s contributions to informal logic and argumentation theory up to 2006 (Informal Logic, 27(3), 2007). A festschrift honoring his contributions, Dialectics, Dialogue and Argumentation: An Examination of Douglas Walton’s Theories of Reasoning and Argument, ed. C. Reed and C. W. Tindale, London: College Publications, 2010, shows how his theories are increasingly finding applications in computer science. A list of titles of many of Walton’s books is given below. Links to preprints of many of his published papers can be found on the website

http://www.dougwalton.ca

Reviews

[Michael A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally got this damned book off my Kindle.

It's okay for what it offers -- it's a cheap textbook chock full with a lot of good information about what constitutes reasonsable dialogue, rules for carrying out a fair persuasion dialogue, and then what makes the process go all wrong. This last category is basically fallacies of communication or argument. So this book covers the usual suspects: ad hominem attacks, irrelevance (global/local), red herrings, statistical errors, the appeal to the expert, the appeal to force, and where natural use of language causes problems with ambiguity and vagueness and so on.

The major problem with this book is the major problem a lot of texts from academic sources have-- it's just too damned verbose for its own good. This text could have been much shorter and delivered the same amount of information. Some chapters included descriptions of the same point multiple times -- this honestly made me wonder why he felt the need to keep including those awful summaries at the end of each chapter.

If you already have studied critical thinking, I wouldn't recommend this at all. If you know nothing, this is an OKAY place to start. One word of advice though -- seek out Madsen Pirie's "How to Win Every Argument" before starting this one. Pirie's book is far better at explaining what the fallacies in question are and is much better as a reference. If you do decide to read this, I recommend skimming it in a lot of places.

[Jacob Thornton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not totally useless but most of the book dealt with quite basic fallacies and argumentative errors including errors in deductive reasoning. The novel insight, or gimmick of this book, seemed to be that the author was more cautious to consider certain argumentative approaches as fallacies. This is a relevant insight and certainly worth stating but I do not think it makes sense as a thesis that is reiterated repeatedly in three of the nine chapters.

Chapter 7 on appeals to authority was probably the most useful as it made the, in my opinion, non-trivial observation that appeals to authority are inherently defeasible arguments. It also provided strategies for questioning an expert as a layperson without extensive background knowledge. Some of the parts regarding polls and how they are often manipulatively or ambiguously worded, especially in political polls, were also illustrative as many examples were provided. One of the strengths of the book is that it uses real examples from various contexts and case studies.

[Jared Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." - 1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV

I found the original purchase reciept in my copy while re-reading several sections; I don't know if you could have described to me, back in June 2011, just how much the world would change.

Walton's text serves well as an exhaustive catalog of informal logic ( that is, not well-formed as defined as a technical term by a logician or mathematician ) and the basic dialogs exhibiting its varieties. From a certain point of view, the text has more in common with naturalism than logic as it relies on carefully describing and categorizing examples of each species of argumentation.

What's more important to me now upon rereading in this strangely troubled year of 2017 is how the book effectively guides the reader through the morass of Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter noise to tell us how, precisely, we've all managed to misunderstand each other so tragically.

I think you'll find Walton's Informal Logic an ultimately dry yet surprisingly necessary read for our contemporary failures to persuade, inquire, negotiate, learn from each other, and deliberate effectively.

[Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm just getting started at reading in the field of logic and argumentation, but this book was a marvelous introduction. It covers what sorts of different arguments there are, and how a fundamental disagreement about what the nature of your discussion is (debate, informational inquiry, critical discussion, negotiation, fight/quarrel) can doom the conversation before fallacies or bad arguments even can. That was an eye-opener for me, and I can think of examples from my own past where I think a misunderstanding over what the conversation actually was actually doomed it from the start.

He talks about setting goals and rules for discussions, which was a useful read.

He then goes into detail on many different types and structures of arguments. He doesn't go too heavy into defining arguments and semantics, just enough to give you a foundation. The rest is, like the title says, a pragmatic approach to understanding, critiquing, and strengthening arguments within their REAL world context. I like how subtle the book was, and how he shows where certain arguments become weaker or stronger. A fallacy is not always a foul where you get to imperiously blow the referee whistle and proclaim the argument done because your opponent's arguments are fallacious. Instead, certain fallacies are weak depending on their context or what they are purporting to respond to. Emphasis is placed on the ideal that one should always try to give your opponent as much chance as possible to shore up and improve his arguments; it's not about slam-dunking or mic-dropping.

I found it fascinating and easy to read. With that being said, I took my time digesting this. I wouldn't call it a quick read.

[Common Sense · Rating 4 out of 5]

Douglas Walton’s Informal Logic is an absolute gem for anyone looking to level up their argument game. Whether you’re into debates, teaching critical thinking, or just tired of losing arguments at the dinner table, this book has you covered.

Walton breaks down all kinds of arguments—good, bad, and downright sneaky—and shows you how to spot common fallacies and use reasoning like a pro. What’s really cool is how practical it is. The examples come from everyday life, politics, law, and even science, so it never feels like dry theory.

You’ll get the lowdown on things like spotting emotional appeals, dealing with personal attacks, and understanding analogies. Walton even dives into advanced stuff like defeasible reasoning (sounds fancy, but he makes it approachable). And he’s not just teaching you to win arguments—he’s helping you figure out what makes them fair and logical.

If you want a book that’s smart but easy to follow, though a bit repetitive sometimes, this one’s for you. It’s perfect for beginners who want to learn the basics and for seasoned thinkers who want to refine their skills. Plus, it’s just fun to read! Highly recommend if you’re into critical thinking or just love a good debate.

[JCJBergman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew a book on LOGIC would be so fascinating and at times addictive to get through? I think it's down to the fact that every piece of information in this is not only worth remembering, but applying. It's written brilliantly with examples on nearly every page and perfectly recaps information from previous chapters so the reader is on the same *page* as the author.

Honestly, this book is a must-read for everyone on the earth. If we all became more logical and consistent in our thinking, the world would be a better place... or would it? (we won't get into that here). In any case, it's an incredibly easy read (for the most part) and what is written within is fundamental in retaining and applying in everyday life. I will now use this as an intellectual guide when revising critical thinking skills and of course, specifically, the laws and correct application of logic. If you care about critical thinking and not being fallacious in reasoning... fret no more - buy this book.

[Alex Arcos · Rating 3 out of 5]

The content is not bad at all, and most of the examples effectively clarify the theory. However, Mr. Walton's writing style feels so unfocused, repetitive, and redundant. In some sections, I had the sensation of being stuck in an inescapable loop and often resorted to skimming out of sheer boredom. The information in Informal Logic: A Pragmatic Approach could have been conveyed more clearly and concisely in half the number of pages.