议论文“三要素”理论的来源及其局限性

现代议论文理论的核心“三要素”理论来源于形式逻辑的“证明”理论。将形式逻辑的理论运用于议论文写作 ,丰富了写作学科的理论体系。然而 ,脱胎于“证明”理论的“三要素”理论也有它的局限性。从本质意义上说 ,“三要素”理论就是在推理中证明某一观点的“是”或“不是”。然而事物是非常复杂的 ,常常不能以简单的是或否来做出符合实际的结论。形式逻辑的证明是先有论点 ,然后选择论据的 ,它对论据的选择以是否有利于论点为标准。这从认识论上来说 ,是根本错误的。用“三要素”理论中的“中心论点”说来解释议论文 ,有的解释不通。“三要素”理论只适用于以证明为主的议论文而不甚适用于以阐述为主的议论文。

Theoretical Origin and Limitations of Argumentative Writings'''' "Three Essential Factors"

The "three essential factors", the nuclear of modern argumentative writings' theory, originated from the "demonstration" theory of formal logic. The knowledge of writing system can be enriched by using of the theory to argumentative writings, but also has some limitations. Essentially speaking, the "three essential factors" theory is to prove a certain view "yes" or "no"; but the world is so complicated that we cannot make a sound conclusion just by saying "yes" or "no". It is firstly to put forward an argument and then to choose grounds that can prove the argument reasonable in formal logic. This deducing process, according to the theory of knowledge, is basically wrong. The "central argument" in the "three essential factors" theory cannot explain all the situations about the argumentative writings. In my opinion, the "three essential factors" theory is only suitable to analyze the demonstration, not the explanation of the argumentative writings.