Stephen Toulmin 25 Mar 1922 - 4 Dec 2009

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    EDUCATOR

    Stephen Toulmin was an English Philosopher and educator who was noted for his study of the history of ideas. Toulmin taught Philosophy at multiple different Universities to include: Cambridge, Oxford, University of Leeds, Brandeis University, Michigan State, University of California, University of Chicago, Northwestern, and the University of Southern California (Britannica).
  • ARGUMENTATION

    Toulmin was most notable for the creation of the Toulmin Module of Argumentation in The Uses of Argument published 1958. The Toulmin Module is essentially a structure for analyzing arguments utilized today (Excelsior). It breaks arguments down to six different components: Claim: The main argument, Grounds: Support, Warrant: Assumption, Backing: Additional support, Qualifier: Shows that a claim may not be true (words like presumably) and Rebuttal: Acknowledgement of other valid views (Purdue).
  • TOULMIN MODULE- SIX COMPONTENT EXAMPLES

    BACKING (you know that your neighbor has 2 dogs)--> WARRANT (dogs bark)--> GROUNDS (You hear barking)--> QUALIFIER ( so chances are...)-->CLAIM (There are dogs nearby)--> REBUTTAL ( Unless it's Coyotes). -Purdue
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    AUTHOR

    Stephen Toulmin authored The Uses of Argument, Foresight and Understanding: An Enquiry into the Aims of Science, Human Understanding, The Return to Cosmology: Postmodern Science and the Theology of Nature Cosmopolis: The Hidden Agenda of Modernity, and Return of Reason (Britannica).
  • THE TOULMIN METHOD EDUCATIONAL VIDEO

    Please enjoy this fun cartoon that breaks down the Toulmin Method of Argumentation in a very palatable way!: https://youtu.be/GWnEbMZ0IaA