Analogy in Scientific Argumentation

Keith Gibson Utah State University

Abstract

Analogical reasoning has long been an important tool in the production of scientific knowledge, yet many scientists remain hesitant to fully endorse (or even admit) its use. As the teachers of scientific and technical writers, we have an opportunity and responsibility to teach them to use analogy without their writing becoming “overly inductive,” as Aristotle warned. To that end, I here offer an analysis of an example of the effective use of analogy in Rodney Brooks's “Intelligence Without Representation.” In this article, Brooks provides a model for incorporating these tools into an argument by building four of them into an enthymeme that clearly organizes his argument. This combination of inductive and deductive reasoning helped the article become a very influential piece of scholarship in artificial intelligence research, and it can help our students learn to use analogy in their own writing. Every one who effects persuasion through proof does in fact use either enthymemes or examples: there is no other way. (Aristotle, 1984b Aristotle. 1984b. The rhetoric and the poetics of Aristotle, Edited by: Roberts, W. R. and Bywater, I. New York: The Modern Library. [Google Scholar], p. 26)

Journal
Technical Communication Quarterly
Published
2008-03-17
DOI
10.1080/10572250701878868
Open Access
Closed
Topics

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (6)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Rhetoric Society Quarterly
  3. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  4. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Technical Communication Quarterly
Show all 6 →
  1. Technical Communication Quarterly

Cites in this index (2)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Technical Communication Quarterly
Also cites 13 works outside this index ↓
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    Mind  
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    Mind  
CrossRef global citation count: 12 View in citation network →