According to the communicating online text, the Toulmin method is “ a method of analysis that helps readers use critical thinking of an argument and detect the weaknesses in that argument.” ( p. 317). This method of analyzing arguments includes the following setup: Claim, Qualifier, Grounds, Warrant, Backing, Rebuttal.
A good example of the Toulmin method being currently used online was a website called procon.org. Procon.org is a website that provides both sides to topics commonly discussed and debated in our society by providing a list of multiple pros and cons on the topic. Each pro and con for the topic applies the Toulmin method with the claim being the initial pro or con followed by a qualifier, grounds, and a warrant. These all lead up to the study around the topic being used to back the pros or cons being discussed. A direct example I am going to use to break down the Toulmin method on this website is a con argument for zoos, which I have linked here. Con #3 states “ Zoo confinement is psychologically damaging to animals.” this is the initial claim of the argument. It is followed by the warrant being that Animal behaviorists have seen psychological changes in animals not seen in the wild such as OCD, or depression. This links us to the grounds which say that this occurs from what zoo animals are exposed to in captivity such as limited space or change in diet tying us back to the claim. The qualifier in all of this is the fact that zoos have provided psychiatric programs as a result. For the backing of this con, there was a study cited about negative behavior in captive whales and captive chimpanzees. The rebuttal or pro # 3 to this argument was “ Zoos save species from extinction and other dangers” which one can see the Toulmin method applied.
This website is a great example of well-thought-out debates where the user can see the rebuttals listed side by side and provides well-thought-out arguments to get users to critically think about each opposing viewpoint. According to the websites about me section, procon.org was created to “make readers more comfortable debating and discussing their views with others by critically evaluating information” (https://www.procon.org/about-us/ , retrieved Nov 19,2021.) Lastly, the creators of this site believe that having the pros and cons listed side by side gets individuals to do a comparison of each argument, and honestly, it did make me think about the validity of both viewpoints which can be broken down even further using the Toulmin method.
