Chapter 10 Critical Thinking and Argumentation in Groups 1 Critical Thinking and Argumentation highly effective group members excel as critical thinkers They know how to engage in constructive argumentation and recognize the value of an open exchange of ideas Critical thinking is the kind of thinking you use when you analyze and evaluate what you read see or hear in order to arrive at a justified conclusion or decision Effective critical thinking promotes reasoned productive argumentation among group members working to achieve a common goal Argumentation is the way in which group members use critical thinking to advocate proposals examine competing ideas and influence one another Effective argumentation helps group members develop present and defend their own viewpoints as well as objectively listen to and analyze the views of others a Cooperative Group Argumentation i An argument is a claim supported by evidence and reasons for accepting it ii An argument is an ideas or opinion supported by evidence and reasoning iii An argument is a way of demonstrating that an idea proposal or decision is reasonable and worthwhile iv Effective arguers balance their personal desire to win an argument with the group s need to solve a problem or make a decision v Makau and Marty define cooperative argumentation as a process of reasoned interaction intended to help participants make the best assessments or the best decisions in any given situation vi Cooperative arguers focus on the group s shared goal of solving a problem or making the best decision vii A cooperative approach to argumentation in groups recognizes that 1 Others ideas and arguments are as important as your own 2 It is important for ideas to be discussed and understood by all members 3 Argumentation is a way to effectively solve problems b The Value of Argumentation in Groups effective argumentation helps groups understand and analyze ideas influence members and make informed decisions Thus the quantity and quality of argumentation is a significant factor in determining whether a group achieves its goal i Promotes Understanding 1 Some group members argue logically others emotionally 2 A few use a both and approach that combines logical and emotional arguments into a powerful persuasive message 3 Understanding how other group members reason and feel about the issues can help you strengthen and adapt your arguments ii Promotes Critical Thinking iii Decreases the Risk of Groupthink 1 Effective argumentation helps group members analyze issues and critically examine ideas 2 When you present an argument another member may challenge you claim and ask you to justify your position Your response requires skilled argumentation supported by strong evidence sound reasoning and an understanding of how other group members think and feel about the issue It may also cause you to rethink your position 3 Argumentation in groups goes hand in hand with critical thinking 1 Argumentation decreases the risk because groups trained to employ cooperative argumentations are able to form constructive forms of cohesion 2 Constructive and cooperative argumentation encourages the critical examination of opposing ideas without impairing group cohesion 3 Groups can avoid groupthink when member think critically ask questions offer reasons for their positions and appropriately seek justification from others 1 Argumentation helps group members examine the consequences of a potential action before making a final decision 2 Argumentation can also improve group decision making because unlike one on one argumentation it enables several members to work together to develop the same argument 3 Although there is strong evidence that argumentation improves group decision making it is based on the assumption that group members know how to develop and use arguments effectively 1 When groups value constructive argumentation and welcome arguments from both sides in a dispute the majority generally wins 2 However minority viewpoints can succeed when the arguments that support them are forceful and consistent v Values Minority Opinions iv Improves Group Decision Making 2 Structuring Arguments the Toulmin Model of Argument provides a way of building sound arguments and refuting the arguments of others Before you can build or refute an argument you need to understand the components of a complete argument In his layout Toulmin identifies the following six components The first three are essential in all arguments the second three help clarify the nature and power of an argument a Claim Evidence and Warrant the right to make your claim b Backing Reservation and Qualifier i The claim is the conclusion or position you advocate a statement you wish others to believe ii Evidence describes the facts statistics opinions examples and other materials you use to support your claim iii A warrant answers the questions How did you get there and Why does that evidence lead you to that conclusion it means a way to justify our beliefs and actions as in Given the way she behaved his angry reaction was warranted In argumentation warrants explain how the evidence supports and proves a claim iv v Warrants authorize or confirm the validity of a conclusion and give you i The backing provides support for the argument s warrant ii If you believe that members may doubt the validity of your evidence make sure you have backing to support it iii The reservation component of the Toulmin Model recognizes exceptions to an argument or indicates that a claim may not be true under certain circumstances iv The qualifier states the degree to which the claim appears to be true v Qualifies are usually words or phrases such as likely possibly certainly vi The Toulmin Model provides a blueprint for creating and evaluating unlikely or probably arguments vii When you develop your own arguments the Toulmin Model can help you test the strength of every component viii When you are analyzing someone else s argument the model helps reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the claims 3 Supporting Arguments all arguments gain strength when you research your position and use appropriate evidence to make your case Research is a systematic search or investigation designed to find useful and appropriate evidence A researcher with a good research strategy becomes an effective investigator with a systematic plan for searching sources of information in the same way a detective searches for clues a Types of Evidence Toulmin lists evidence as