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Cited by 88Linguistics and Discourse AnalysisPhilosophy and History of ScienceDiscourse Analysis in Language Studies

Verbal and visual causal arguments

Oestermeier, Uwe, Hesse, Friedrich W·2000·Cognition
DOI 10.1016/s0010-0277(00)00060-3
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Abstract

The present paper analyzes how verbalizations and visualizations can be used to justify and dispute causal claims. The analysis is based on a taxonomy of 27 causal arguments as they appear in ordinary language. It is shown how arguments from spatio-temporal contiguity, covariation, counterfactual necessity, and causal mechanisms, to name only a few, are visualized in persuasive uses of tables, graphs, time series, causal diagrams, drawings, maps, animations, photos, movies, and simulations. The discussion centers on how these visual media limit the argumentative moves of justifying, disputing, and qualifying claims; how they constrain the representation of observational, explanatory, and abstract knowledge in the premises of causal arguments; and how they support and externalize argument-specific inferences, namely generalizations, comparisons, mental simulations, and causal explanations.

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87 of 87 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Authors
Oestermeier, U., & Hesse, F. W.
Affiliations
University of Tübingen (DE)
Corresponding author
Oestermeier, Uwe
ORCID
Hesse, Friedrich W
Venue
Cognition
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2000-04
Volume
75
Issue
1
Pages
65-104
ISSN
0010-0277 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s0010-0277(00)00060-3
OpenAlex
W2008898190
Cited by
88
References
87
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 5
FWCI
26.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Cognition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Linguistics and Discourse Analysis
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy and History of Science
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Discourse Analysis in Language Studies
Keywords
causal argument, visual reasoning, verbal reasoning, causal reasoning, argumentation, visualization, causal graphs, counterfactual reasoning, covariation, causal mechanisms, persuasion, argumentative moves, generalization, causal explanation, mental simulation
MeSH terms
Humans, Judgment, Verbal Behavior, Visual Perception, Vocabulary

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