Decision By Debate

Decision by Debate broke new ground in argumentation and debate with its publication in 1963. Ehninger and Brockriede were the first to recognize debate as fundamentally a co-operative enterprise, with the competitive clash of ideas occurring within a framework in which everyone has the opportunity to speak, in which everyone agrees to suspend judgment until all arguments are presented, in which everyone agrees to abide by the decision of the adjudicator. The most lasting legacy of the work is its break with formal, deductive logic and its introduction of Stephen Toulmin's model of argument to undergraduate student debaters, which, since then, has become a mainstay of what many have called the Renaissance of argumentation studies. Without the work presented in Decision by Debate, contemporary interdisciplinary views of argumentation that now dominate many disciplines might have never have taken place or at least have been severely delayed.

This text moves from a discussion of general principles of argumentation to more specific procedures related to various debate formats. This edition contains a new glossary, a new chapter on the structure of reasoning and full texts of recent debates.

The principles of practical reasoning integrated into real world applications is the basic premise behind Professors Richard D. Rieke and Malcom O. Sillars' fourth edition of Argumentation and Critical Decision Making. The most current theories and research are combined with classic rhetoric to effectively explain the necessary functions of decision making in any given situation. With an increased emphasis on critical thinking, Rieke and Sillars help connect critical decisions with audience values and conventions. Real life examples are used to illuminate the principles of argumentation, ranging from interpersonal discussions to formalized conventions of science and law. A new discussion of language and argumentation highlights language practices that have had the most impact on effective argumentation.

Encryption protects information stored on smartphones, laptops, and other devices - in some cases by default. Encrypted communications are provided by widely used computing devices and services - such as smartphones, laptops, and messaging applications - that are used by hundreds of millions of users. Individuals, organizations, and governments rely on encryption to counter threats from a wide range of actors, including unsophisticated and sophisticated criminals, foreign intelligence agencies, and repressive governments. Encryption on its own does not solve the challenge of providing effective security for data and systems, but it is an important tool. At the same time, encryption is relied on by criminals to avoid investigation and prosecution, including criminals who may unknowingly benefit from default settings as well as those who deliberately use encryption. Thus, encryption complicates law enforcement and intelligence investigations. When communications are encrypted "end-to-end," intercepted messages cannot be understood. When a smartphone is locked and encrypted, the contents cannot be read if the phone is seized by investigators. Decrypting the Encryption Debate reviews how encryption is used, including its applications to cybersecurity; its role in protecting privacy and civil liberties; the needs of law enforcement and the intelligence community for information; technical and policy options for accessing plaintext; and the international landscape. This book describes the context in which decisions about providing authorized government agencies access to the plaintext version of encrypted information would be made and identifies and characterizes possible mechanisms and alternative means of obtaining information.

Historically, U.S. citizens have accepted most Supreme Court decisions without protest, but there have also been rulings that have aroused public anger, condemnation and defiance. These public reactions and the debates they have inspired have helped shape the social and political character of the nation. The Public Debate Over Controversial Supreme Court Decisions explores public reaction to over forty of the most well known and contentious cases ruled upon by the Court. The renowned cases covered begin with those from early in U.S. history, such as McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) and the Dred Scott decision (1857), to recent cases that have fanned the flames of debate over current highly-charged issues such as abortion (Roe v. Wade, 1973) and homosexual rights (Lawrence v. Texas, 2003). The book presents information through a unique integration of essays and primary source documents that bring both context and a sense of immediacy to the cases discussed. Each case entry includes: An informative introductory essay that explains: The facts of the case; The Court's ruling and its importance; A brief overview of the scope and magnitude of public response, with narrative thread tying together primary sources. Primary source selections from a wide range of public responses, including: Newspapers and magazines; Public opinion polls; Letters written about the case and to the justices; Comments or speeches made by presidents, members of Congress, and other public figures. The Public Debate Over Controversial Supreme Court Decisions is designed to fit into high school social studies and college curriculums. Public libraries will want this resource in their collections for any patrons who want to learn about the importance of these controversial cases in their own lives as citizens.

All of us use heuristics--that is, we reach conclusions using shorthand cues without using or analyzing all of the available information. Heuristics pervade all aspects of life, from the most mundane practices to more important ones, like economic decision making and politics. People may decide how fast to drive merely by mimicking others around them or decide in which safety project to invest public resources based on the past disasters most readily called to mind. Not surprisingly, opinions vary about our tendency to use heuristics. The 'heuristics and biases' school argues that the practice often leads to outcomes that are not ideal: people act on too little information, make incorrect assumptions, and don't understand the consequences of their actions. The 'fast and frugal' school contends that while mistakes will inevitably occur, the benefits generally outweigh the costs--not only because using heuristics enables us to reach judgments given realistic constraints of time and attention, but because heuristics users often outperform those using more conventionally rational methods. In The Heuristics Debate, Mark Kelman takes a step back from the chaos of competing academic debates to consider what we have learned--and still need to learn--about the way people actually make decisions. In doing so, Kelman uncovers a powerful tool for understanding the relationship between human reasoning and public policy. Can we figure out more optimal modes of disclosure to consumers or better rules of evidence and jury instructions if we understand more accurately how people process information? Can we figure out how best to increase compliance with law if we understand how people make decisions about whether or not to comply? Alongside a penetrating analysis of the various schools of thought on heuristics, Kelman offers a comprehensive account of how distinct conceptions of the role and nature of heuristic reasoning shape--and misshape--law and policy in America. The Heuristics Debate is a groundbreaking work that will change how we think about the relationship between human psychology, the law, and public policy.

Arguing is a fundamental human activity; it is a process of making sense of the world and negotiating understandings with others. Arguing can be—and often is—healthy for both relationships and societies. The values of the community are shaped through people sharing their opinions, offering reasons in support of their beliefs, and deliberating. Hollihan and Baaske present techniques for effective analysis, logical reasoning, and socially constructive argumentation. They illustrate their discussions of theory and practice with multiple engaging examples. The book focuses on narrative—argument as a story backed by evidence to evaluate courses of action or to resolve conflicts. A chapter on visual argumentation highlights the power of visual elements in arguments. Effective arguing requires a sensitivity to the demands of different argumentative contexts. Readers will become familiar with the elements of argument essential for politics, the law, debate, business, and relationships. Narrative arguments are rational arguments. Learning about the narrative reasoning process helps us tell more convincing, credible, and compassionate stories—and to become better critics of the stories we hear.