Argument Maps

Philosophy Programme - University of Natal, Durban

Reason!Able argument maps

The list of links below are to Reason!Able argument maps, for use with selected courses taught by the Philosophy Programme at the University of Nata, Durban. To open or use the maps, you need a copy of the Reason!Able software. Note that many of the argument maps here are not complete, nor are they intended to be entirely accurate. They are, in fact, often deliberately incomplete and flawed, so that they can form the basis of tutorial and self-directed attempts to complete, improve, refine and evaluate the representations of the various arguments.

Information about Reason!Able can be found at www.goreason.com.

The primary web pages for the Philosophy Programme are at www.durbanphilosophy.nu.ac.za.

The home page for this set of secondary pages is: www.nu.ac.za/undphil/

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List of maps:

To use the files listed below you will need to download or save them to a local drive, on a computer on which Reason!Able has been installed and open them from there.

The argument maps are in several categories - use the table of contents below, or scroll down the page.

The Demarcation Problem

Cognitive Science

Introduction to Philosophy

The Demarcation Problem

Popper on the demarcation problem: popper1.re3

Kuhn on the demarcation problem: kuhn1.re3

Lakatos on the demarcation problem: lakatos1.re3

Ruse on why creation science is not science: ruse1a.re3

Laudan on why Ruse was mistaken: laudan1.re3

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Cognitive Science

The argument for distributed cognition:

First (very short) version: distcog1.re3

Second (somewhat larger) version: distcog2.re3

Third (larger still) version: distcog2.re3

[Note: Two of the branches of this map are marked DRAFT - they are ideas for arguments that could be built, rather than arguments.]

The argument focussed on TETRIS: distcogtet.re3

[Parts of the map in version 3 above have been deleted to make the arguments about TETRIS the primary focus.]

One of the sub-arguments relating to the TETRIS research was mapped in a tutorial exercise. The preliminary result of that effort can be found here: tetris1.re3

Two argument maps related to specific 'epistemic actions' from the Kirsh and Maglio research on TETRIS. As well as considering how these two maps might be improved and refined, you may want to consider how best to integrate them with the larger argument for distributed cognition, especially as represented in the map immediately above:

Translations as epistemic actions: tetris2.re3

Rotations as an aid to discovery: tetris3.re3

Andy Clark's three morals from the first chapter of Being There.

First moral: clarkmoral1.re3

Second moral: clarkmoral2.re3

Third moral: clarkmoral3.re3

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Introduction to Philosophy

Zeno's paradoxes of motion:

The argument maps relating to Zeno's paradoxes that used to be accessible from this page have been updated, and incorporated into a set of tutorial exercises. You can get the new links here.

Descartes' radical doubt:

The argument maps relating to Descartes' radical doubt that used to be accessible from this page have been updated, and incorporated into a set of tutorial exercises. You can get the new links here.

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Socrates' Apology:

The question of whether Socrates believes that the Sun and Moon are natural objects (tutorial starting point - try to find a helping premise, or set of them, to complete the simple argument, then consider how plausible the premise is.): apology1.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

The question of whether Socrates acknowledges gods, given that he acknowledges divinities (tutorial starting point - try to find a helping premise, or set of them, to complete the simple argument, then consider how plausible the premise is.): apology2.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

Socrates' mission to Athens (tutorial starting point - try, using the text of the Apology as a source, to complete the reason and objection, add in at least one more reason, and develop an objection to the objection): apology3.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

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Prisoner's Dilemmas:

Whether to defect in a one-shot prisoner's dilemma (tutorial starting point - try to find helping premises to complete the argument, then consider how plausible the conclusion is, and perhaps add in further reasons and objections.): pd1.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

Whether to defect in an iterated prisoner's dilemma (tutorial starting point - try to find helping premises to complete the argument, then consider how plausible the conclusion is, and perhaps add in further reasons and objections. Notice that the only difference between the starting point here, and for the argument immediately above, is the conclusion. Try to make explicit in the remainder of the argument what difference this makes.): pd2.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

Whether to defect in a one-shot prisonder's dilemma (further tutorial starting point - check positions of reasons and objections, fill in additional helping premises where needed, and then go into evaluation mode and consider the strength of the various reasons and objections in this map): pd3.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

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Political Philosophy:

Three maps of sub-arguments relating to Rawls' theory of justice. Each is a provisional version of an argument for one of the principles Rawls claims would be arrived at from the original position. [Suggested tasks: (1) Fill in objections relating to other principles (especially average utility and Nozick's entitlement approach). (2) Consider how Rawls' approach suggests objections to the objections, and (3) evaluate the overall support provided for the conclusion in each case.]

rawls1.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

rawls2.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

rawls3.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

A partial map representing some of Nozick's 'Wilt Chamberlain' argument. [Suggested task: Try to fill in any additional reasons (including reasons for reasons) and also attempt to develop at least one objection to the argument, if you can.]:

nozick1.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

A very preliminary map suggesting one way of looking at the consequence of the Wilt Chamberlain argument. [Task: try to develop objections to the conclusion, as well as to the reasons. Consider how both might be answered by one sympethetic to Nozick.]

nozick2.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

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Special Relativity:

A number of maps relating to Einstein's special theory of relativity follow. All are provisional, and in need of revision, correction and improvement.

einstein1a.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

einstein1b.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

einstein2.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

einstein3.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

einstein4.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

Einstein's arguments against the two assumptions he argues are required in order to regard the principle of relativity as in conflict with the view the the velocity of light in a vacuum is a law of nature:

einstein6a.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

einstein6b.re3 [GIF version - not editable.]

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This list maintained by David Spurrett. Last modified September, 2003.