GOOD Arguments

MAKING YOUR CASE in WRITING and PUBLIC SPEAKING

RICHARD A. HOLLAND JR. and BENJAMIN K. FORREST

a division of Baker Publishing Group

Grand Rapids, Michigan

© 2017 by Richard A. Holland Jr. and Benjamin K. Forrest

Published by Baker Academic

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.bakeracademic.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Holland, Richard A., Jr., author. | Forrest, Benjamin K., author.

Title: Good arguments : making your case in writing and public speaking / Richard A. Holland, Jr. and Benjamin K. Forrest.

Description: Grand Rapids, MI : Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, [2017]

Identifiers: LCCN 2017000743 | ISBN 9780801097799 (pbk.)

Subjects: LCSH: Reasoning. | Logic.

Classification: LCC BC177 .H645 2017 | DDC 168—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017000743

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2011

To Larissa,

for your unending patience and love.

RAH

To Reagan, Hudson, and Graham,

with prayers that you spend your life sharing Christ

through your actions, love, and arguments.

BKF

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Why Arguments Are Good

1. The Basics of Good Arguments

2. Reasoning and Logic

3. Fallacies

4. Belief, Fact, and Opinion

5. Defining Your Terms

6. Drawing Analogies

7. Cause and Effect

8. On Good Authority

9. Making Your Case

Case Studies

Glossary

Index

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As with any project, there are many individuals behind the scenes who helped bring this book to fruition. We would first like to thank the entire Baker Academic team, especially R. David Nelson, David Cramer, Steve Ayers, Jeremy Wells, and freelance editor Ryan Davis. Their encouragement gave us the ability to take on this project and see it through to completion. In addition we would like to thank Christopher P. Davis, Ronnie Campbell, Christopher Bosson, and Josh Erb for feedback on the case studies. Their insight and critique were helpful and encouraging.

Rich would like to thank his wife, Larissa, for her loyalty and encouragement. He also wishes to thank his dear friends Daphne and Gene Woodall for providing their home as a writing retreat, for their constant love and encouragement, and for being family.

Ben would like to thank his wife, Lerisa, for her constant encouragement and for listening to the formation and planning of this text with patience and interest. Her constant encouragement is a blessing and a gift!

Lastly, we would like to thank the Lord for calling ...