Arguments are a critical tool in ethics. In arguments, we first research facts and reasons on all sides of an issue, then evaluate the information we've gathered to determine what is the best position on the issue. Finally, we organize our thinking systematically to persuade others.
Argument maps provide a way to organize and visualize all of the complex pieces of a good argument. Here is an example of an argument map I made about an issue that's often a popular essay topic for students.
This week, you'll begin to use argument maps to learn how to put together simple arguments. Watch the brief instructional video, below, to learn the basics, and then create your own simple argument map on a topic of your choice (but it has to be a topic on which you can take a position and offer reasons in support and objections against!). Pick something fairly straightforward to start.
