The Essence of Arguments - Essay Example

The Essence of Arguments The Essence of Arguments Anthony Weston’s A Rulebook for Arguments written by offers a guide to constructing effective arguments. It is a guide to critical thinking, constructing the argument and logical communication to present evidence to support ones conclusions. Weston explains different forms argumentation and various concepts concerning arguments. The first section deals with the general rules for composing short arguments, generalizations, analogy, and arguments from authority.

The second section addresses argumentative essays. The book explains a number of sound rules for making arguments. These rules include distinguishing the premises and conclusions, presenting the ideas in a natural order and use of reliable premises (Weston, 2009). They also entail the use of definite and concrete language, as well as consistent terms and a single meaning for the terms used. Weston also addresses common logical fallacies in the final chapter of the book including ad hominem, ad populum, ad ignorantiam and ad misericordiam.

I found A Rulebook for Arguments to be very informative and thought provoking. The non-Christian bias presented when arguing the existence of God was a little distracting for me. However, the book is an excellent guide to improving ones argument strategies applicable in both personal and professional environments. Managers are in a position that requires presentation of ideas to be adopted by the workforce. Therefore, it is necessary for managers to think critically, construct a sound argument and communicate their position effectively.

In addition, the book is useful to any manager who intends to improve on their argumentation skills. The book is applicable to problem-solving since it emphasizes critical thinking.ReferenceWeston, A. (2009). A rulebook for arguments (4th Ed.). Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company.