Types of Warrants

[redneckdad]

*** Authoritative ***

- These types of warrants rely on expert testimony to justify a claim.

- The warrant generically states that “qualified sources conclude that based on this data the following conclusion is justified.”

- This type of warrant is obviously dependent on backing offered in terms of expert testimony.


*** Motivational ***

- Motivational warrants rely on appeals to the audiences convictions, virtues, and values to support the claim.

- Speakers using these types of warrants must rely on precise audience analysis in order to understand what motivational appeals would be effective.


*** Substantive ***

- Substantive warrants more closely resemble more traditional forms of logical reasoning.

- There are several types of reasoning processes that can constitute substantive warrants. Some of these reasoning types include:
- Cause-Effect/Effect-Cause, Generalization based on example and Classification.


*** Why are Warrants Important? ***

- Warrants are essential to an argument. They make a logical connection between the accepted data and the claim.

- Warrants answer the unspoken audience question of, “How did you arrive at that claim based upon the data presented?”


*** Example of Backing ***


First :

- Suppose that a speaker is making the claim that the government should tax companies for the pollution that they produce.

- The warrant states that pollution causes health harms.

- In this example the speaker is using a substantive warrant based on causal reasoning.


Second :

- The speaker claims that the Titanic is the best motion picture of all time.

- The warrant states that the Titanic appeals to all of our romantic tendencies.

- In this example, the speaker is relying on a motivational warrant appealing to romantics. Notice that the argument would not be effective if the audience was composed of unromantic clods!


Third :

- The speaker claims that handguns should be banned.

- The warrant states that experts believe that handguns cause needless death.

- In this example, the speaker is relying on an authoritative warrant. Notice that the argument would not be effective without backing from a qualified source.