Argument mapping represents a powerful framework for providing policy advice. This post describes how Argunet has been used in a recent project on so-called climate engineering methods. Continue reading…
Six Critical Thinking Textbooks Reviewed (Textbook Reviews Series, #1)
This post reviews the following textbooks on critical thinking:
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[1] Tracy Bowell and Gary Kemp: Critical Thinking: A Concise Guide. Routledge: London 2010 (3rd edition). |
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[2] John Butterworth and Geoff Thwaites: Thinking Skills. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge 2005. |
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[3] Alec Fisher: Critical Thinking: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge 2011 (2nd edition). |
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[4] Alec Fisher: The Logic of Real Arguments. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge 2004 (2nd edition). |
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[5] Joe Y. F. Lau: An Introduction to Critical Thinking and Creativity: Think More, Think Better. Wiley: Hoboken 2011. |
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[6] Anne Thomson: Critical Reasoning: A Practical Introduction. Routledge: London 2009 (3rd edition). |
In a nutshell, my favourite is Bowell/Kemp [1], closely followed by Lau [5].
Factcheck by Debattenprofis: A Comment on an Argument Mapping Experiment
Since October 2012, Ralf Grötker from Debattenprofis has been conducting a media experiment involving argument maps and swarm intelligence. In the so-called Faktencheck (Factcheck) series, Grötker sets up and moderates online forums on controversial issues (e.g., “boycott of textiles — helpful or not?”). Debattenprofis use argument maps to aggregate the discussions. In a recent article Grötker sums up his experience so far.
Relaunch & Release: Argunet 2.0
It’s been a while since our last update to our site or software. So let’s do both at once. Let me introduce you first to our new site and then to the new version of Argunet Editor.
Relaunch
We decided to simplify things: one page for the editor, one for our upcoming browser widget and one for our new blog. This will make it easier for you to find what you are looking for. And it will make it easier for us to maintain the site. Did I say “new blog”?
Yes, a brand-new blog!
While we were busy deploying Argunet in exciting new projects and trying out unreleased cool features, this site lay dormant for years. With this new blog we want to change that. Next week we will begin to post regularly about everything related to Argunet, argument maps and argumentation theory in general. So watch out for new posts!
Continue reading…
So, what exactly is an argument map?
An Argunet argument map visualises the structure of complex argumentations and debates as a graphical network. In this network all nodes are either sentences or arguments and all relations between them are either attack or support relations.
The reconstruction and visualisation with argument maps can be useful in many ways:
- Argument maps can give you a fast overview over the state of a debate
- Argument maps help you to remember complex argumentation structures
- The logical reconstruction allows a detailed analysis and evaluation of arguments and dialectic strategies
- Argument maps help to keep focused on relevant parts of the debate by filtering out irrelevant or redundant information
- Argument maps help concentrate on a rational, fair debate
- Argument maps can guide and structure live discussions. Misunderstandings, repitition and unfair persuasion techniques can be avoided.
- Argument mapping can be used for presentations or whole seminars
Argunet 1.2.0 released
The latest version of Argunet features new tools that make it easier to organize the debates and to search through debates located on the Argunet-server or on your computer. To help you organize your work you can label the debates using private and non private tags and search for existing debates using a search-engine.
The label-feature allows you to mark the debates with some keywords relevant to your work and to filter the debates by the keywords you have introduced, thus saving you time and unneeded scrolling.
Argunet 1.0.1 released
The latest version of Argunet
- fastens Client-Server communication. Specifically, argument maps are only updated if they have been changed on the server. This fixes the issue that you could hardly work on huge maps online.
- improves the inplace editor for arguments and theses.
- adds context menu options: “Insert conclusion into map”, “Insert premisses into map”
- adds context menus everywhere
- eliminates group-blinking.
Argunet Server up again
The Argunet Server is up again. We hope that it will work more reliable now. If you have any problems, please write a note at our mailing list.
Argunet server temporarily down
The Argunet Server at the FU Berlin is temporarily down for maintenance and updates. It will be back soon. No data or debate is lost, so please be patient.
Until then, you can use all features of Argunet locally and offline. If the server is running again, you will be able to upload your argument maps to an online debate. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Out of Beta: Argunet 1.0.0 released!
After more than a year of work, we proudly present you Argunet 1.0.0! By now Argunet contains every feature you need for rapid and in-depth argument mapping. Thanks to all who participated in this project, especially to our lead developer David Schneider, who spent quite a few weekends working with us on Argunet long after his actual work had been done.
With this release the Argunet development has not come to an end. We already have many ideas for new features, a new task list and even some money for development. Parallel to this, we work on our new homepage, so expect to see something new here very soon…
Continue reading…