The parts of an argument

In 1958 the British philosopher Stephen Toulmin published The Uses of Argument. He broke an everyday argument into parts: a claim, the reasons behind it, what links them, and the objections someone could raise.

One thing to hold: A claim, its reasons, and one honest objection.

Why it matters: Naming the parts shows what an argument still needs before it can stand.

Sources: Stephen Toulmin, The Uses of Argument (Cambridge University Press, 1958)