User:Dreftymac/Docs/ArgumentByCategory

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This page is an essay. This is an essay. It is not a policy or guideline, it simply reflects some opinions of its authors. Please update the page as needed, or discuss it on the talk page.


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[edit] Argument by Category

There is some matter at issue and one of the proponents of a particular viewpoint supports that viewpoint with a generalized appeal to an entire domain or sub-domain of an academic discipline or body of knowledge.

Examples:

  • all extreme finitists other than yourself recognize that ...
  • in all of neoclassical economics, there is no disagreement about ...
  • it is a widely established practice in biology to assume ...
  • It's proven sociological fact that people have a tendency to ...

[edit] implications of "argument by category"

  • implies the matter at issue has already been resolved;
  • implies the existence of a uniform, "monolithic establishment" without acknowledging that the establishment is comprised of individuals and organizations, each with unique perspectives;
  • implies that there is some "fixed practice" (within the establishment) that is not subject to change or refinement;
  • implies a "fixed boundary" (around the establishment) that is not subject to influence or refinement by related concepts in outside disciplines;

[edit] fundamental limitations of argument by category

  • every major discipline has "grey areas" and "contestable claims";
  • every major discipline has terms and concepts that mean different things depending on which expert you ask;

The less trivial a matter is, the greater its potential for alternate re-interpretation by different people. The more trivial a matter is, the more likely it is to be readily apparent to anyone of sufficient familiarity with the establishment. Therefore, "Argument by Category" is many times either: 1) too obvious to be worth mentioning; or 2) a side-stepping of a matter at issue as though it were not at issue.

[edit] Contrast basic definition and cross-domain comparisons

It is not "argument by cateogry" to present basic definitions or comparisons.

For example the following kinds of statements could be considered comparisons:

  • Most economists use the greek letter "Delta" to mean "change", but many lawyers use it to mean "Defendant".
  • In the automotive repair industry, certification is often a pre-requisite for employment, not so for the plumbing industry.
  • Zoologists tend to apply a different meaning to "endogenous" than most sociologists.

[edit] See also

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