What is an argument?

Part A.

So our class is asked to write a full page response on the question "What is argument?" As sad as it is, I can define this in one sentence versus three people compiling an entire book about this question. When the question was asked, I thought of argument as when two or more people share opposing ideas or thoughts. When some individuals shared their own opinion on what an argument is, we all came to the same conclusion: everyone is on the same track. No one had the same answer, always a variation from the person before them. In all honesty, is there really one definition for argument? Our teacher brought up a good point that an argument doesn't necessarily have to be with two people. Take example, a book on some political or personal matter to someone. The author hasn't compiled a 365 page book of dialogue between two people the entire time. In almost every case, the author cites his or her own opinion, and then backs it up with his or her evidence. That's another thing we talked about in class: evidence. Ms. Mandviwala pointed out that almost every argument has some kind of evidence as well as rhetoric (the "why" question) to it, no matter how idiotic the logic may be. She placed an example on the board and made her claim of "I am awesome." She had her evidence: I finger paint. When asked why she was awesome because she finger paints, her logic led her to her rhetoric answer of "anyone who finger paints is awesome." I'm rather positive that if a student in the class were to think of the word "argument," the opinionated definition wouldn't be what we had discussed in class. Almost every single classmate would have thought the word "fight" in place of argument. So by asking the class "what is argument," in all honesty our teacher got everyone to, in a sense, bullshit an answer. On another note, I just realized how ironic our required text is (Writing Arguments). It's a book arguing about what an argument really is.

Part B.

So I have read chapter three and am supposed to re-answer the question "what is argument?" Well the textbook argues that argument originate in an issue question. An issue question meaning a question that people can feed off of and share opinions and ideas, versus an information question. An information question just deals with knowledge-based answers. So by asking the question "what is argument?" nobody can actually argue a point across. It's an information question and just wants answers. Another point that the text made was the Logos, Ethos, and Pathos appeals (also known as rhetorical triangle). There are three appeals to any argument. The Logos has the logic side (or point, whichever way you view the triangle), the Ethos questions how the writer/speaker is to present their argument, and Pathos is all about emotion (boo hoo, woo hoo, etc.). Essentially, that IS what an argument is (or at least a point of): trying to persuade another to believe that their thinking is the "right way."