Humanistic Discourse: Textual Patterns and Argumentation
Textual Patterns of Humanistic Discourse
The content that is often part of humanistic scholarly text and journalistic modalities such as manuals or books that teach specific knowledge about a discipline; articles of reviews of newspapers and magazines and essays, which are the main form of transmission of its contents.
The Essay
An essay is a literary genre in which a subject is studied exhaustively in the demonstration or justification for a thesis. It develops in a systematic mode, based on the author’s personal interpretation of the subject. Its intention is to raise a variety of issues for the reader through reflection. What is important in the essay is the viewpoint that the author takes on the main theme. Its characteristics:
- The variety of themes: one can develop ideas of all kinds: philosophical, moral, aesthetic, literary, scientific, etc.
- The variable extension: can occur in many different ways: journalistic opinion articles, monographic studies in a book, etc.
- The free structure: the thought is not presented with a rigorous order. The discourse often progresses through associations of ideas and digressions.
- The diversity of tone: depending on the author, the tone can be profound, didactic, ironic, humorous, and so on.
- The aesthetic intentionality: in general, the author avoids a plain style, often using literary resources.
- The subjectivity: the essay reflects the author’s personal attitudes: their likes and dislikes, and their vital spirit.
Principal Essay Styles:
- Personal essay: The writer outlines their views on events and things with a light and conversational tone.
- Formal essay: This is a more rigorous modality, close to academic or advisory work.
- Poetic essay: This is the most literary, showing reality through the sensitive and poetic vision of the author, implying greater aesthetic intention in form.
- Expository essay: The author informs the reader of their ideas in an apparently objective manner. However, the assessments made by the author matter as much as the facts.
The Argument of Humanistic Texts
Argumentation is the main form of utterance used in humanistic texts, but often appears combined with exposition or with narrative and description. Argumentation consists of explaining and defending ideas or concepts, i.e., convincing the reader that what one states is true. Therefore, it involves providing reasons demonstrating the falsity or the certainty of an opinion, an event, or an idea.
Argumentative texts are mainly based on the presentation of views, though they often include exposing facts. Opinions cannot be proven as true or false; they depend on the viewpoint from which they are presented. It may happen that many opinions are very generalized and shared by people, but they still do not cease to be opinions. For this reason, one must distinguish between opinions and the statement of facts.
Main Types of Arguments
- The opposition of concepts: for example, between what is beneficial and harmful, between what is moral and immoral, or between what is beautiful and what is not.
- The argument from authority: an idea is justified by citing the testimony of a famous personality with prestige.
- The argument from example: it tells of a real or fictional case similar to the matter at hand.
- Personal expressions: it relies on what has happened to you personally to give weight to an idea.
- Generalized opinions: an idea is justified because it is accepted by most people.
- Stereotypes: although often presented as facts, they are not valid arguments. They are learned prejudices or thoughtless opinions on nations, religions, professions, ages, or gender.