Argument Academy

The power of warrants in persuasion: Implications for politics, public health and marketing argumentacademy.com/the-power-of-w…

Conflicting warrants explain political polarisation. When no shared warrants remain, evidence is irrelevant, compromise is impossible and conflict risks sliding into civil war. Learn more about warrants here. 👇

🚀 New article: The Teleopraxis model Most argument claims describe or assess reality. Claims of action aim to change reality. My new article introduces the Teleopraxis model, a new process for creating effective change through goals, feedback and iterative cycles. 👉 argumentacademy.com/the-teleopraxi…

Educationalist @C_Hendrick has written a fascinating newsletter this morning about the importance of identifying the boundary conditions for claims. Addressing Richard Mayer's work on using multimedia in learning, Hendrick quotes a recent Mayer reflection "which called for researchers to specify 'for whom the principle applies, for which kind of lesson the principle applies, and under what circumstances the principle applies'". Henrick go on to state that this is "essentially asking for a shift from universal claims to conditional ones: who benefits, under what conditions, and to what extent?". This can also be applied to business strategy, therapy and politics. Too many claims are made without boundary conditions so they end up being treated as universal rather than conditional. And this can have damaging consequences. (This seems to be relevant to your recent thinking @chrislakin.) carlhendrick.substack.com/p/which-multim…

A different approach to understanding and encouraging learning and change Problem The problem with some skill and personal development courses is that the actual process of change is not clearly explained. And if what’s needed to achieve change isn’t clearly spelt out, it’s easy for new learners to get demoralised when they don’t get results as quickly as they would like. To remedy this, I’ve been working on a model that will: ✅ help course developers explain the mechanics of change to their learners more effectively ✅ help learners understand what they actually need to do to achieve the results they desire. The Teleopraxis model Description of the model The model is called the Teleopraxis model. The word ‘Teleopraxis’ is made up of two parts: ✅ 'Teleo-' comes from the Greek word 'telos', meaning 'end, purpose or goal' ✅ 'Praxis' in Greek means 'action, practice, or deed'. Teleopraxis can be defined as “the taking of purposeful action to close the gap between a person’s current state and their desired future state”. The model has five key pillars: ✅ being clear about the desired future state ✅ using feedback ✅ correcting errors ✅ understanding the need for multiple iterative cycles ✅ maintaining motivation. 1. Desired future state Adult learners need to be clear about their desired future state not just to provide motivation for putting in the needed effort but also to enable them to assess the progress they are making. 2. Using feedback Feedback is information about the positive or negative results that learners have achieved, which they can then use to improve the effectiveness of their future actions. 3. Correcting errors Error correction, a concept I’ve borrowed from @DavidDeutschOxf, has two elements in this context. Firstly, learners may have errors in how they think, behave, and relate to their emotions that are stopping them from reaching their desired state and that will need to be corrected. And, secondly, learners need to be aware that some of their actions may not be getting them closer to their goals so they will need to error correct to get back on course. 4. Multiple iterative cycles A cycle involves: ✅ assessing overall progress towards the desired state ✅ deciding what needs to be done to make further progress and planning how best to do it ✅ putting the plans into action ✅ monitoring the results of those actions. Sometimes goals can be achieved in one cycle. However most complex skills will require multiple cycles. The nature of iteration means that the monitoring of results and assessment of progress allow learners to make course corrections that then help them get closer to their desired state. These cycles will continue until the desired state is either reached or is no longer considered to be a priority for the learner. 5. Maintaining motivation Finding ways to help learners maintain motivation is critical as they go through multiple effortful cycles. It can be very demoralising to feel one is making slow progress or even regressing - and easy to give up at that point. A simplified version of the Teleopraxis process The core elements of a cycle are: 1. Assess progress 2. Decide + plan 3. Act 4. Monitor results. The first cycle starts when a desired state is defined and a decision is taken to move towards that desired state. The sequence is then followed over multiple cycles until the overall process comes to an end, either because the desired state has been reached or because it is no longer a priority. Implementing the process The process can be used in two ways. 1. It can help course developers map out the sequence of cycles that their learners are likely to go through as they learn the new skill. Course developers can then work out how they can move their learners through each cycle most effectively. 2. Learners can have the sequence of cycles explained to them so they can be clear about what the learning process involves, in terms of both the pitfalls and disappointments they will encounter. Applying the Teleopraxis model to the Alexander Technique To show how the Teleopraxis model might work in practice, I asked Grok to provide a hypothetical case study of someone learning the Alexander Technique using the teleopraxis framework. It’s important to realise that Grok may have introduced some misconceptions about the Alexander Technique and the actual practice of individual Alexander Technique teachers will naturally vary. However I think the scenario still has value in showing how the Teleopraxis model can work in practice. The Alexander Technique is a method for improving posture, movement, and body awareness to reduce tension and enhance well-being, often requiring cognitive, behavioral, and emotional adaptations. Individual: Liam, a 35-year-old office worker, experiences chronic neck pain, stress, and poor posture from long hours at a desk. He feels self-conscious about his slouched posture and is disconnected from his body, which impacts his confidence and energy. Current State: Psychological/Behavioral: Liam has habitual poor posture (e.g., slouching, forward head position), lacks body awareness, and moves inefficiently, contributing to physical discomfort. Emotional: He feels frustrated by his pain, is anxious about appearing unconfident in social settings, and is sceptical about changing long-standing habits. Social: Liam avoids activities like yoga or dance due to self-consciousness about his posture and movement, limiting social engagement. Desired Future State: Liam envisions moving with ease, standing tall with natural posture, feeling confident in his body, and managing stress effectively. He wants to feel physically comfortable and socially engaged, being able to participate in activities like dance classes without self-consciousness. The Process of Teleopraxis: Liam engages in the Alexander Technique to achieve his desired state, making purposeful, adaptive changes across cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and social domains. Below is a detailed breakdown of how the process might unfold in his journey. 1. Cognitive Changes (Building Awareness and Understanding) Initial Gap: Liam is unaware of his habitual movement patterns (e.g., tensing his neck while typing) and sceptical about changing them. Adaptive Changes: ✅ Learning the Technique: Liam enrolls in weekly Alexander Technique lessons with a certified teacher. He learns key concepts, such as “inhibition” (pausing before reacting to stimuli) and “direction” (mentally guiding the body to release tension, e.g., “let the neck be free”). ✅ Body Awareness: Through guided exercises, he develops mindfulness of his body’s alignment, noticing when he slouches or tenses unnecessarily. For example, he observes his posture while sitting at his desk. ✅ Reframing Beliefs: Liam initially believes his posture is “just how I am.” His teacher helps him reframe this as a learned habit that can be unlearned, fostering a growth mindset about physical change. ✅ Goal Setting: He sets a specific goal: “Within six months, I want to sit and move with ease, reducing neck pain and feeling confident in my posture.” Outcome: These cognitive shifts increase Liam’s awareness and understanding, laying the groundwork for behavioral changes. He begins to think intentionally about movement, aligning his mindset with his desired state of ease and confidence. 2. Behavioral Changes (Implementing New Movement Patterns) Initial Gap: Liam’s habitual movements (e.g., slouching, rushing) reinforce tension and pain, and he lacks practical strategies to change them. Adaptive Changes: ✅ Practicing Inhibition: Liam practices pausing before habitual actions (e.g., before sitting or standing) to avoid tensing his neck or shoulders, a core Alexander Technique principle. ✅ Applying Directions: He incorporates mental directions like “let the head go forward and up” or “allow the back to lengthen and widen” during daily activities, such as walking or working at his computer. ✅ Daily Integration: Liam integrates the technique into routine tasks, such as consciously sitting upright while eating or walking with a lighter step. He sets reminders (e.g., phone alerts) to check his posture hourly. ✅ Feedback Seeking: During lessons, his teacher provides hands-on guidance to refine his movements, and Liam records observations in a journal to track progress (e.g., “Felt less neck strain today when I paused before typing”). Outcome: These behavioral adaptations replace old habits with intentional, efficient movements, reducing physical tension and moving Liam closer to his desired state of easeful posture. 3. Emotional Changes (Managing Frustration and Building Confidence) Initial Gap: Liam’s frustration with pain and anxiety about his appearance hinder his motivation, and he doubts his ability to change ingrained habits. Adaptive Changes: ✅ Emotional Regulation: Liam uses mindfulness, a component of the Alexander Technique, to manage frustration when progress feels slow. For example, when he catches himself tensing during a stressful work call, he pauses to breathe and release tension. ✅ Building Confidence: As he notices small improvements (e.g., less neck pain after a week of practice), Liam celebrates these wins, boosting his self-efficacy. He visualizes himself moving confidently in social settings, reinforcing his desired state. ✅ Reframing Setbacks: When he reverts to slouching under stress, he uses self-compassion (learned from his teacher) to avoid self-criticism, instead viewing setbacks as opportunities to practice inhibition. Outcome: These emotional adaptations reduce anxiety and build confidence, making Liam more resilient and motivated to continue his journey toward physical and psychological ease. 4. Social Changes (Engaging with Others and Building Community) Initial Gap: Liam’s self-consciousness about his posture limits social engagement, and he feels isolated in his journey to improve. Adaptive Changes: ✅ Joining a Community: Liam joins a group Alexander Technique workshop, connecting with others learning the method. Sharing experiences (e.g., discussing challenges with tension) fosters a sense of belonging. ✅ Social Experimentation: Encouraged by improved posture, he enrolls in a beginner’s dance class, applying Alexander principles (e.g., “free neck, light steps”) to move confidently in a social setting. ✅ Seeking Support: He discusses his progress with a close friend, who encourages him and holds him accountable for practicing. He also shares tips from the technique with colleagues, creating a mini-support network at work. Outcome: These social adaptations reduce Liam’s isolation, enhance his confidence in social settings, and provide external support for his journey, aligning with his goal of feeling connected and engaged. The Iterative Nature of Teleopraxis Liam’s practice is dynamic and iterative: ✅ Feedback Loops: When his teacher points out lingering tension in his shoulders, Liam adjusts his practice (e.g., focusing on “widening” his shoulders), integrating feedback across cognitive (awareness), behavioral (movement), and emotional (staying patient) domains. ✅ Adapting to Setbacks: Stressful workdays cause Liam to revert to old habits, but he uses inhibition to pause and reset, preventing discouragement and refining his approach. ✅ Progress Monitoring: Liam tracks improvements, like reduced neck pain or compliments on his improved posture, which motivate further adaptations. Outcome (Bridging the Gap) After six months of practice, he has the following results: ✅ Psychological/Behavioral: Liam moves with greater ease, maintaining natural posture during work and daily activities. He applies Alexander principles automatically, reducing neck pain significantly. ✅ Emotional: He feels confident in his body, with less anxiety about his appearance. Stressful situations are more manageable as he uses mindfulness and inhibition to stay calm. ✅ Social: Liam participates in dance classes, feels comfortable in social settings, and has built a small network of peers through workshops, enhancing his sense of connection. ✅ Achievement: Liam achieves his desired state of moving with ease, standing tall, and feeling confident, with improved physical well-being and social engagement. Embodying the Principles of Teleopraxis Liam’s journey embodies the principles of the Teleopraxis model because it involves: ✅ Purposeful Direction: His goal of moving with ease and confidence drives his engagement with the Alexander Technique. ✅ Adaptive Change: He makes multifaceted adaptations—cognitive (learning, awareness), behavioral (new movement patterns), emotional (managing frustration), and social (building community)—to align with his desired state. ✅ Dynamic Process: The process is iterative, with feedback and setbacks prompting ongoing adjustments. ✅ Error Correction: He takes steps to remedy the errors that are stopping him attain his desired future state: cognitive - the mistaken belief that his posture is fixed; behavioural - identifying and correcting inefficient movements like slouching; and emotional - correcting self-defeating emotional patterns like frustration and self-consciousness. Keep updated If you would like to be kept informed about future developments of the Teleopraxis model, please sign up to the newsletter at teleopraxis.com or follow me here on X at @francis_miller . Thanks Thanks to @kevindmackay for being a sounding board when I was developing the model and for making a very useful comment that helped me come up with the word ‘teleopraxis’ for naming the model.

@olivierkbb ""Please analyse the core ideas Samuel Beckett uses in Waiting for Godot using Francis Miller's Argument Claim Hexagon model, which posits that all arguments are made up of 6 types of claims: fact, cause & effect, definition & classification, interpretation, evaluation & action."

@olivierkbb This is one to start off with.

Applying the argument claim hexagon model to works of literature. Up to now, I've used the model to break down real-world arguments into the six types of claims — fact, cause & effect, definition & classification, interpretation, evaluation and action. 1/

You can read the analyses produced as well as some thoughts about how the model might be useful for students here. I'd be very interested to get feedback from English teachers about the potential value of this approach. 4/ argumentacademy.com/applying-the-a…

So I used ChatGPT to analyse DH Lawrence's 'Sons and Lovers' and Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot'' using the model framework. I found the analyses incredibly interesting. But I also thought the framework might be useful for students who are studying particular texts. 3/

This week has been all about tariffs. I've used the argument claim hexagon model to analyse three of the most interesting articles I've read this week on tariffs - by @eastdakota, @RayDalio and @EpsilonTheory. argumentacademy.com/an-analysis-of…

⁦@MaryMyatt⁩ ⁦@Counsell_C⁩ Do have a look at ⁦@francis_miller⁩'s mix of his hexagon summary model with ChatGPT. As applied to an introduction to Oswald Spengler’s ideas – ArgumentAcademy.co' argumentacademy.com/introduction-t…

This gives a new meaning to what a template can be. Great innovation by @1eo and @francis_miller in embedding expertise that you can instantly apply in your context. This is powerful.

The Argument Analyst, an AI agent for analysing arguments which I've developed with @1eo, has now launched. It is designed to help users quickly understand other people's arguments better – and make their own arguments stronger. And it works on the @tana_inc platform. It uses my Argument Claim Hexagon model together with AI to dissect the structure of an argument. And provides a fast, smart tool to explore, refine or challenge any argument. You can use the agent to analyse the text of any article, blog post or paper. You can then ask it to identify any gaps in the argument or how the argument could be strengthened. It can also be used to analyse your own writing. This is how it works. First you paste in any text you want to analyse. Then you can ask it to provide you with an analysis of the argument, using the argument claim hexagon structure. And, in seconds, that's what you get. Then you can ask the agent to identify the gaps in the argument. And, seconds later, that's what you're given. Perhaps you then want to find out how the argument could be strengthened. That's easy too! Next, you can ask the agent to summarise all the different claims and sort them into the different claim types with relevant Tana supertags. And the task is performed immediately! Arguments underpin every aspect of our lives, from daily decisions to complex policy-making. They shape how we interpret reality and guide the actions we take. Yet humans often struggle with reasoning. Thinking is hard work and traditional tools often fall short. The Argument Claim Hexagon model offers a fresh approach. Breaking arguments down into the six types of claims used and the underlying relationships between them reveals what's really being said—and why it matters. And pairing the model with AI makes the process even more powerful. Even if you aren't already a Tana user, you can try out the Argument Analyst template with Tana's 14-day free trial, which includes free AI credits. The Argument Analyst template is free. You can read more about it and get it here. argumentacademy.com/argument-analy…

The next Argument Academy newsletter is coming out tomorrow. It features details of a very interesting discovery I made last week. Subscribe here. argumentacademy.com/newsletter/

An introduction to Oswald Spengler's ideas using the argument claim hexagon model argumentacademy.com/ntroduction-to…

An introduction to @holland_tom's ideas about the influence of Christianity on the modern world - looking at the claims of fact, cause and effect, definition and classification, interpretation, evaluation and action he makes. argumentacademy.com/hexagon-analys…

@horacioneiva ..., interpretation, evaluation and action. Please focus on his ideas rather than ideas about him and his influence."

@horacioneiva This was the prompt: "Please analyse the ideas of Tom Holland concerning Christianity using Francis Miller's argument claim hexagon model, which says that arguments are made up of the following types of claims: fact, cause and effect, definition and classification....

It's hard to find a good top-level summary of @holland_tom's ideas about the influence of Christianity on the modern world. I asked ChatGPT to produce one using my argument claim hexagon model. I think the summary that it's provided is a very useful one. You can read it below.