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Claims Page

In general, we think of three types of claims:  back to elements

The claim is a statement of what the argument is about, or what listeners (or readers) are expected to accept.  Therefore, any effective argument will present a clear and unambiguous claim.  Claims come in four general types.

  • Claims of fact    Claims of fact might, at least theoretically, be verifiable by observation.  In the real world, however, many claims of fact are debatable, thus, subject to argument.  Consider the following claim.  "North Korea possesses a three-stage ballistic missile which has the capability of striking the United States."  Theoretically, one could verify this claim by direct observation.  In reality, however, North Korea, like most nations, is very secretive about its military capabilities, so a direct observation is unlikely.  Thus, this claim of fact is controversial and subject to argument.   
  • Claims of definition    Claims of definition define a controversial term.  One might think such an argument might be settled by referring to a dictionary, but some definitions are not so easily derived.  
  • Claims of value    Claims of value are judgments about the worth or goodness of a thing.  They might express judgments about things which have value in themselves (art, music, etc.) or they might involve things which lead to higher values (voting or giving to charity).   
  • Claims of policy    Claims of policy deal with issues of what should be done.  They may deal with things a government or other organization should do or they might deal with behaviors that individuals ought to do.  

Title

Definition

Example
Claims of Fact

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 Assert that a condition exists, will exist, or has existed.  It must be supportable with observable data. 
  1. Capital punishment has never been a deterrent to the crime of murder.
  2. Effectively enforced handgun control laws will result in a reduction of the number of handgun deaths which occur each year.
  3. The east coast of the United States will experience a higher than usual number of hurricanes in the coming year. 
  4. Scientific advances in the control of reproduction was the primary cause of the rise of the modern women's movement.
Claims of Definition

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Assert the definition of a controversial term or concept.
  1. Drug or alcohol addiction should be understood as a disease.
  2. Capital punishment is cruel and unusual punishment.
  3. Abortion is murder.
Claims of Value 

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 Assert that something is more (or less) desirable because it is more (or less) ethical, beautiful, artistic, or valuable.
  1. The Negro Baseball League of the 1920s and 1930s featured players who were the equal of or better than white major league players of the day.
  2. Casablanca, directed by Michael Curtiz, is the best film ever made.
  3. Abortions performed in the third trimester are immoral.
Claims of Policy

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 Assert that some plan should be followed or that some action ought to be done.
  1. Parents should limit the amount of time children are allowed to watch television.
  2. The school corporation should provide more elementary teachers in order to achieve smaller class sizes.
  3. The U.S. Congress should enact strong gun-control legislation.
  4. In order to curb illegal immigration, we must vigorously enforce existing laws against employing illegal immigrants. 
 

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