A Particularist Approach to Arguments by Analogy

José Alhambra Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Abstract

AbstractIn this article I defend what I call a ‘particularist approach to arguments by analogy.’ Particularism is opposed to generalism, which is the thesis that arguments by analogy require a universal principle that covers cases compared and guarantees the conclusion. Particularism rejects this claim and holds that arguments by analogy operate on particular cases. I elaborate on two ideas that support this position. On the one hand, I contend that an analogy can be seen as a parallelism of argumentative relationships, drawing on the distinction between similarity and analogy (Gentner 1983) and on the meta-argumentative account of arguments by analogy (Woods and Hudak 1989). On the other hand, I argue that universal principles are not necessary neither for the analysis nor the evaluation of arguments by analogy (Govier 1989) and that, rather than being a requirement, they can be seen as by-products of good analogies.

Journal
Argumentation
Published
2023-12-01
DOI
10.1007/s10503-023-09616-7
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
OA PDF Hybrid
Topics
Export

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

  1. Argumentation

Cites in this index (5)

  1. Argumentation
  2. Argumentation
  3. Argumentation
  4. Argumentation
  5. Argumentation
Also cites 25 works outside this index ↓
  1. Alhambra, José. 2022. Argumentation by Analogy and Weighing of Reasons Informal Logic 42(4): 749–785. https:/…
  2. By Parallel Reasoning. The Construction and Evaluation of Analogical Arguments
  3. Bermejo-Luque, Lilian. 2012. A Unitary Schema for Arguments by Analogy. Informal Logic 32 (1): 1–24.
    Informal Logic  
  4. Bermejo-Luque, Lilian. 2014. Deduction without Dogmas: The Case of Moral Analogical Argumentation. Informal L…
    Informal Logic  
  5. Botting, David. 2022. Deductive Analogy Defended (En defensa de la analogía deductiva). Revista Iberoamerican…
    Revista Iberoamericana De Argumentación  
  6. Ethics without principles
  7. Pondering on Problems of Argumentation: Twenty Essays on Theoretical Issues
  8. Pondering on Problems of Argumentation
  9. Gentner, Dedre. 1983. Structure-Mapping: A Theoretical Framework for Analogy. Cognitive Science 7 (2): 155–170.
    Cognitive Science  
  10. Govier, Trudy. 1985. Logical Analogies. Informal Logic 7 (1): 27–33.
    Informal Logic  
  11. Guarini, Marcello. 2004. A Defence of Non-deductive Reconstructions of Analogical Arguments. Informal Logic 2…
    Informal Logic  
  12. Guarini, Marcello. 2010. Understanding Blended Multi-Source Arguments as Arguments from Partial Analogies. Ra…
    Ratio Juris.  
  13. Holyoak, Keith J., and Paul Thagard. 1997. The Analogical Mind. American Psychologist 52 (1): 35–44.
    American Psychologist  
  14. John, Woods Brent, Hudak (1989) By Parity of Reasoning Informal Logic 11(3). https://doi.org/10.22329/il.v11i3.2627
  15. Juthe, André. 2016. “Argumentation by Analogy: A Systematic Analytical Study of an Argument Scheme”, Disserta…
  16. van Laar, Jan Albert. 2014. “Arguments from Parallel Reasoning”. In: Henrique Jales Ribeiro (ed.) Systematic …
  17. Lamond, Grant. 2005. Do precedents create rules? Legal Theory 11 (1): 1–26.
    Legal Theory  
  18. How Philosophers Argue. An Adversarial Collaboration on the Russell-Copleston Debate
  19. Living Words
  20. Mckeever, Sean and Ridge, Michael. 2006. Principled Ethics. Generalism as a Regulative Ideal. Oxford: Oxford …
  21. Shecaira, Fábio. P. 2013. Analogical Arguments in Ethics and Law: A Defence of a Deductivist Analysis. Inform…
    Informal Logic  
  22. Toulmin, Stephen E. 1966. The Plausibility of Theories. The Journal of Philosophy 63 (20): 624–627.
    The Journal of Philosophy  
  23. The uses of argument
  24. Systematic Approaches to Argument by Analogy
  25. Waller, Bruce. 2001. Classifying and Analyzing Analogies. Informal Logic 21 (3): 199–218.
    Informal Logic