4 REPORT ON THE WINDSOR SYMPOSIUM A Symposium on Informal Logic was held at the University of Windsor, June 26-28, 1978. The symposium co-chairmen were Professors Ralph H. Johnson and J. Anthony Blair of the Department of Philosophy. Funds for the symposium, which was attended by about 80 persons from Canada and the United States, were provided by the Canada Council, the University of Windsor, Mr. Howard Webster, and registration fees. Here are brief summaries, prepared by the editors, o~ the papers read at the symposium. "The Recent Development of Informal Logic," Ralph H. Johnson and J. Anthony Blair. The authors review the literature (monographs, articles and textbooks) on informal logic published in the last 25 years. Their paper pro- vides documentation for the claim that informal logic is presently experiencing a period of growth, and looks to what Johnson and Blair refer to as the "new wave" of textbooks as providing the most dramatic evidence of this growth. The paper concludes with an assessment of the present status of informal logic, and a tentative list of some of the major problems confronting it. A biblio- graphy of recent work on informal logic is included. ''What is Informal Logic?" John Woods. Woods argues that informal logic (particularly the theory of fallacy) stands to benefit from the use of formal methods, and that prejudice against this stems from a confusion between formal systems and formalization. Woods says that the pursuit of formal methods in the construction of a theory of fallacy will likely lead in the direction of rationality theory, but this is not tantamount to a re-emergence of psycho- logism. "The Nature and Classification of Fallacies," Howard Kahane. Kahane attempts to clari~ the nature and classification o~ fallacy by answering two questions: ''What makes arguments fallacious?" and "What leads us to reason fallaciously?" In answer to the former, he produces a logical classification of fallacy into three types: invalid inference, unwarranted premise, and suppressed evidence. The psychological classification which emerges in answer- ing the second question yields three factors which dispose people to reason fallaciously: strong emotions, strong desires, and rational confusion. Kahane then argues that this dual and overlapping classification of fallacy is rich enough to cover the known varieties of fallacy. "Can the Ability to Reason Well be Taught?" Robert Binkley. The answer to this question, says Binkley, is "Yes." His paper involves the construction of an argument which parallels Plato's argument in the Meno, where a similar question was confronted: Can virtue be taught? Plato's distinction between knowledge and right opinion has its counterpart in the teaching of critical thinking, in the distinction between teaching logical theory and helping the students to develop logical intuitions. Binkley contends that a mixture of the ~ two is needed, with more emphasis on the latter, but that a third factor-- t the love of reason--must also be included. ~ "Arguments That Aren't Arguments," Peter Minkus. Minkus brings a Wittgensteinian distrust of generalization to bear on the question of finding and appraising arguments. A preoccupation with rules can easily blind us to the concrete realities of the use of language for different ends. There are continued on page 5 \ I 5 occasions when what might otherwise be called a fallacious argument is perfectly appropriate. What we tend to do in logic, Minkus claims, is to be fond of rules without qualifications, and when this fondness combines with the appetite for rigour derived from mathematics, we find ourselves even further away from language as it is used. Far from defeating confusion, then, logic runs the risk of compounding it. "The Philosophical and Pragmatic Significance of Informal Logic," Michael Scriven. In a wide-ranging paper, Scriven spotlights a number of important points of impact which the serious study of informal logic can have on philosophy. He contends that the development of informal logic may in fact save philosophy by breaking the back of neo-positivist epistemology, and that it would have payoffs for ethics as well. The pragmatic significance would manifest itself in the improved teaching of basic skills, and in the area of pedagogy, among others. The net effect of Scriven's paper is a call to action in informal logic. "Petitio Principii and Argument Analysis," Douglas Walton. This paper explores three different ways of understanding the petitio: the alethic (or truth-theoretic), the epistemic, and the dialectical--attempting to evaluate the main strengths and weaknesses of each. Throughout his paper, Walton addresses himself to the question of what is necessary for adequate analysis ". of argument. He explores the use of digraphs (borrowed from graph theory) as a vehicle for elucidating the dependency petitio, and concludes his paper by arguing that the petitio is an epistemic fallacy. "Advertising: Its Logic, Ethics and Economics," Alex Michalos. The aim of this paper is to disclose some of the logical, ethical and economic features of contemporary advertising in North America. After adopting a working definition of advertising, Michalos shows how the theory of public goods, and a few plausible assumptions, would lead one to expect some deceptive advertising. Several instances of misleading advertising from the public and private sectors are produced. The paper concludes with an examination of responses to several criticisms of advertising provided by two contemporary apologists. WINDSOR SYMPOSIUM REGISTRANTS The following people registered at the Windsor Symposium. We list them in response to requests, and to provide notice of some of the people who are interested in informal logic. We will update this list from time to time. Send your name and address if you would like to be included in such updates. E ssor John Barker sophy Department bern Illinois University . dsville, Ill. 62026 i. Beveri dge " .Carling Crescent or, Ontario N8s 3Yl Elias Baumgarten Dept. of Philosophy University of Michigan-Dearborn Dearborn, Michigan 48128 Prof. Robert Binkley Dept. of Philosophy University of Western Ontario London, Ontario N6A 3K7 Prof. William Berriman Dept. of Philosophy University of Regina Regina, Saskatchewan s4s OA2 Prof. J. Anthony Blair Department of Philosophy University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 continued on page 6 l'· ., I I I" - Prof. Richard W. Brooks Dept. of Philosophy Oakland University Rochester, Michigan 48063 Mr. R. Byrne 12 Bartkey Road, Northenden M22 4BG Lancashire England May-Chu Choy Dept. of Philosophy University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3Gl Prof. William Dibrell Dept. of Philosophy Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48858 ?rofessor Robert H. Ennis 3ureau of Educational Research L88 Education Building Jniversity of Illinois Jrbana, Illinois 61801 Prof. P. J. Galasso Faculty of Human Kinetics University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 Professor James P. Greene Dept. of Philosophy Northern Michigan University Marquette, Michigan 49855 'rofessor Nicholas Griffin )ept. of Philosophy ~cMaster University iamilton, Ontario L8s 4Kl ?rofessor Ralph H. Johnson )ept. of Philosophy Jniversity of Windsor ~indsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 6 Prof. Jerome V. Brown Dept. of Philosophy University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 Dr. R. P. Byrne SUNY Oswego Oswego, New York 13126 Prof. Stanley Cunningham Dept. of Philosophy University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 Professor James Duthie Faculty of Human Kinetics University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 Professor Patrick Flood Dept. of Philosophy University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 Prof. Richard Burke Dept. of Philosophy Oakland University Rochester, Michigan Prof. Alburey Castell Dept. of Philosophy University of Michigan- Dearborij, Michigan 4812 Professor John Deck Dept. of Philosophy University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 i Denis Dutton j Department of Philosophy University of MiChigan-De Dearborn, Michigan 48128 Professor James A. Ford I Dept. of Philosophy : Laurentian University I Sudbury, Ontario P3E 2C61 Professor David Gallop Dept. of Philosophy Trent University Peterborough, Ontario K9J TE8 Professor Trudy Govier Dept. of Philosophy Trent University I Peterborough, Ontario K9JI Prof. Carol Greenstein Dept. of Philosophy SUNY Brockport Brockport, New York 14420 Professor David Hitchcock Dept. of Philosophy McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario L8s 4Kl Prof. Howard Kahane Dept. of Philosophy University of Maryland __ Baltimore County Baltimore, Maryland 21228 Prof. Harold Greenstein Dept. of Philosophy SUNY Brockport Brockport, New York 1441 Dennis Hudecki Winters College York University Down sview, Ontario Prof. Nolan Kaiser 120 Anspach M3J Central Michig~~ Univers Mount Pleasant, Michiga 48859 continued on page 7 tessor Lawrence LaFave · • of Psychology '~rsity of Windsor or, Ontario N9B 3P4 tessor K. L. McGovern . of Philosophy .. on College rsity of Regina !, Saskatchewan s4s OA2 or, Social Indicators lesearch Programme :nrsity of Guelph ph, Ontario NIG 2Wl t. James Munro . of Philosophy boro State College boro , PennsYlvania 16444 t. Robert C. Pinto · of Philosophy ersity of Windsor or, Ontario N9B 3P4 t. David Raynor • of Philosophy i&1 University obn's, Newfoundland 5S7 t. and Mrs. Tashar Sarkar · of Philosophy rsity of Waterloo rloo, Ontario N2L 3Gl essor Loi s Smedick · of English rsi ty of Windsor or, Ontario N9B 3P4 N. Tomko of Educational Research ucation Building sity of Illinois , Illinois 61801 7 Professor J. C. Lash Applied Arts Division Conestoga College Doon Campus Kitchener, Ontario Prof. John E. McPeck Faculty of Education University of Western Ontario London, Ontario N6G IG7 Prof. Peter Minkus Dept. of Philosophy York University Downsview, Ontario M3J IP3 James 0 'Meara 8110 Dale Dearborn Heights, Michigan Prof. and Mrs. Nelson Pol~ Dept. of Philosophy Cleveland State University Cleveland, Ohio 44115 . Professor Charles Ripley Dept. of Philosophy Lakehead University Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5El Prof. Edward M. Sayles University of Michigan-Dearborn 4901 Evergreen Road Dearborn, Michigan 48128 Professor Thomas Stokes Dept. of Philosophy University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 Sarah Y. W. Tsang Dept. of Psychology University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 Prof. G. J. Marshall Campion College University of Regina Regina, Saskatchewan s4s OA2 Prof. Daniel D. Merrill Dept. of Philosophy Oberlin College Oberlin, Ohio, 44074 Prof. Robert Monk Dept. of Philosophy University of Illinois Urbana, Illinois 61801 Ms. Deborah Orr Dept. of Philosophy York University Downsview, Ontario M3J IP3 Professor William J. Rapaport Dept. of Philosophy SUNY Fredonia Fredonia, New York 14063 Larry Roberts 1519 Victoria Ave. Windsor, Ontario N8x IP4 ., II I I, In ! III ii' II II II >/1 ~I! Professor Michael Scriven I:i. Box 64 II: Point Reyes, California 94956 :~:, Professor T. L. Suttor Dept. of Religious Studies University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 Professor Douglas Walton Dept. of Philosophy University of Winnipeg Winnipeg , Manitoba R3B 2E9 continued on page 8 Sheldon Wein Dept. of Philosophy Waterloo University Waterlqo, Ontario N2L 3Gl Paul Yu 238 Anspach Hall Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, Mich. 48859 John Westwood 1851 Coney St. 8 Windsor, Ontario N9E 3P4 AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST WITHIN INFORMAL LOGIC Professor John Woods Dean Faculty of Humanities University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta T2N IN4 The following people from the above list indicated areas of particular interest within the domain of informal logic: John Barker (Begging the Question, theory of argument, problem-solving), Anthony Blair (teaching critical thinking, informal fallacies, critique of advertising and news), Robert Ennis (critical thinking testing, definition, assumption finding), Trudy Govier (presupposi- tion), David Hitchcock (developing self-instructional materials for improving skill in analyzing and evaluating arguments and other practical prose), Ralph Johnson (teaching critical thinking, informal fallacies, critique of advertising), John McPeck (the concept of 'critical thinking'--following up Ennis' early work in Harvard Ed. Rev. (1962), now working on a monograph), Daniel Merrill (general theory of argumentation), Nelson Pole (logic, philosophy for children), William Rapaport (teaching interdisciplinary course in effective thinking and writing--with others from math, English, education), Tashar Sarkar (Indian logic and its relation to current developments in informal logic), Michael Scriven (informal logic: basic, scientific, ethical), Tom T~mko (teaching logic and critical thinking in secondary school, connections between philosophical theories of meaning and psychological theories of language and language acqui- sition). [Also at the Bureau of Educational Research with Ennis and Tomko are: Stephen Norris (logic and critical thinking, teaching philosophy of science, philosophical aspects of testing and evaluation), Bruce Stewart (logic and critical thinking, testing and evaluation, assessing partial knowledge) and Frances Wagner (logic and critical thinking in ethics and value theory).] CASH CONTRIBUTIONS Some of those who attended the Windsor Symposium made donations to the Newsletter at that time, or mailed donations later. When sending subscription payment, those individuals may subtract their donation from the subscription rate, and forward the balance. Of course we can use those donations (which totalled $27) as part of the capital needed to start off the Newsletter. PUBLICATION OF THE WINDSOR SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS At present, the Symposium co-chairmen are corresponding with the editors of the Canadian Library of Philosophy about the publication of the proceedings. URder CLF auspices, the proceedings should appear by March 1979. We will announce definite publication plans once they are known.