Farnsworth's Classical English Argument - by Ward Farnsworth (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Learn the art of argument from the masters. Here is a curated collection, with hundreds of examples, of reasoning and debate from the golden age of debate in England and America. Leave it to Farnsworth to illuminate principles of debate through examples by masters of the language. Thomas Paine, Abraham Lincoln, Jonathan Swift, Edmund Burke, Winston Churchill, and many others, each provide exemplars of reasoning, persuasion, and aggression. From "Insult and Invective" to "Reductio ad Absurdum," from "Ad Hominem Arguments," to "Deduction and Induction" (and the final chapter "Futility"), readers will see how to craft winning arguments of their own. A readable reference, the book is also meant for fun. "It shows masters of the language," as Farnsworth writes, "crossing analytical swords and exchanging abuse when those things were done with more talent and dignity than is common today. They made argument a spectator sport of lasting value and interest." Farnsworth's Classical English Argument is the fourth book in a series about wise use of words from an earlier age that we can learn from today. Previous titles in the series are Farnsworth's Classical English Rhetoric, Farnsworth's Classical English Metaphor, and Farnsworth's Classical English Style. Each one is for readers seeking a deeper understanding of communication by seeing how it is done at its best"--

Book Synopsis

"Instructive and entertaining."--Wall Street Journal

Learn how to argue from the masters. This book is a complete course on the art of argument, taught by the greatest practitioners of it: Churchill, Lincoln, and hundreds of others from the golden age of debate in England and America.

The book's concise chapters provide lessons in all aspects of give and take--the syllogism and the slippery slope, the argumentum ad hominem and reductio ad absurdum, the fallacy and the insult. Ward Farnsworth shows how the full range of such techniques can be used or repelled, and illustrates them with examples that are fascinating, instructive, and fun to read.

The result is a browsable reference in which every page is a pleasure. It will leave you better able to win arguments and to defend yourself under fire. It's also an entertaining reminder that argument can be a source of beauty and delight. As Farnsworth says of the illustrations, they show talented advocates "crossing analytical swords and exchanging abuse when those things were done with more talent and dignity than is common today. They made argument a spectator sport of lasting value and interest."

Farnsworth's Classical English Argument is the fourth book in a series about the ideas and methods embedded in the best speech and writing of an earlier time. Previous titles in the series are Farnsworth's Classical English Rhetoric, Farnsworth's Classical English Metaphor, and Farnsworth's Classical English Style. Each book is a treasury of insight and an essential reference for all users of language.

Review Quotes

Praise for Farnsworth's Classical English Argument

"Mr. Farnsworth explains, among many other things, how the most gifted controversialists have used irony and humility in debates, deployed legitimate ad hominem arguments and countered fallacious ones, counseled caution and urged immediate action, and shifted the burden of proof to their opponents. . . . An instructive and entertaining measure of what we've lost."

--Wall Street Journal

"A master class on the art of argument from someone who grades them for a living. You should need a permit to carry it."

--Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)

"In this brilliant and useful book, Professor Farnsworth brings the spirit of the Stoics to public discourse. It's a set of lessons for the ages--in analysis, rhetoric, civility and wit."

--Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO)

"The man who composed and orchestrated Farnsworth's Classical English Argument and its three preceding volumes, is among the few living Americans I know who qualify as truly learned--beyond erudite, deeper, subtler, of greater breadth and wider culture."

--Claremont Review of Books

"It's delightful to be reminded of the expressiveness, the pertinence, and the close reasoning that once typified political and literary argument....The clinical perspective we get from the temporal distance is a distinct gain in objectivity, but the biggest advantage is in enhanced eloquence. By hearkening back to the golden age, we see nimbler minds that are comfortable handling words and ideas. We're truly observing speakers 'with all the best words.' "

--Bryan A. Garner, Los Angeles Review of Books