Practical Reasoning

Taken from Chapter 4 of 'Persuasion in Practical Argument Using Value-based Argumentation Frameworks' (2003) Trevor Bench-Capon

In practical reasoning an argument often has the following form:

Action A should be performed in circumstances C, because the performance of A in C would promote some good G.

This kind of argument can be attacked in a number of ways:
- It may be that circumstances C do not obtain; or it may be that performing A in C would not promote good G. These are similar to the way in which a factual argument can be attacked in virtue of the falsity of a premise, or because the conclusion does not follow from the premise.
- Alternatively it can be attacked because performing some action B, which would exclude A, would also promote G in C. This is like an attack using an argument with a contradictory conclusion.
- However, a practical argument like the one above can be attacked in two additional ways: It may be that G is not accepted as a good worthy of promotion, or that performing action B, which would exclude performing A, would promote a good H in C, and good H is considered more desirable than G. The first of these new attacks concerns the ends to be considered, and the second the relative weight to be given to the ends...