What to expect from a well-formed argument?
I have always felt that when two disciplines of knowledge come together, great learning comes out of the exchange. And this is true irrespective of the nature of the disciplines.
Take for example this instance when I was thinking about forming a hypothesis for a client of mine during an audit assignment, when I came across this little article on gemology in my hotel room in Cairo. The article was about unique properties of diamond and how diamonds can be classified. It talks about four aspects of diamond that qualifies a superior diamond from inferior ones – these are called the four ‘C’s of diamond classification. They are: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat. And then the article went on talking about the different aspects within the four.
But this got me thinking. Just like a diamond, don’t the same four parameters apply to anything else – say, an argument you put in front of your clients or colleagues, or a hypothesis / conjuncture that you form, or a statement that you make? Let’s consider how the four parameters stand in this case.
Let us say that you are working with a company, and the company is facing with a problem that they are losing business due to high costs. Now, what is your hypothesis? One could be that the company has very lopsided cost structure. The other could be that the pricing models are unrealistic. In any case, if you have to work your argument through, you can use the 4 C’s to ‘test’ your ‘diamond’ first.
Color – This would mean the bias that you carry when you make a conjuncture. And just like the best color for a diamond is no color at all, the best argument is the one which has no biases, no prejudices, and no baggage. I believe you will need to start from the drawing board, and without any personal biases before you come to a hypothesis. Make your mind free of thoughts and then apply it to the problem as if it was anew.
Clarity – The clarity of a diamond is viewed under magnification. Similarly, the clarity of an argument is viewed by magnifying the thought, expanding it, and seeing if there are any blemishes. The argument needs to be crystal-clear! (forgive my indulgence). In case there are any basic axioms / assumptions that are not cleared due to the nature of the argument, then they need to be either cleared wholly or included as ‘inclusions’ – that is the exact word gemologists use for tiny birthmarks in diamonds. The more the inclusions, the lesser is the clarity.
Cut – The cut of a diamond refers to its proportions, not its shape. Every diamond, regardless of its shape, gets its brilliance and glitter by cutting and polishing. Every argument, regardless of what it is about, makes an impression and shines well if it is well-formed and correctly articulated. An argument that is put in the correct form and structure is like a correctly cut, well-made stone that has the correct angles for dispersion and reflection so that the maximum beauty is realized.
Carat – As most of you would know, this refers to the weight of the diamond. This is the most significant parameter of all. As the weight of the diamond increases, so does its rarity and therefore its price. The weight, in case of an argument, is of course referring to the business impact it would have to the client. The more the impact, more is the value of your advice.
Well, that is that. Does this make sense?
The last line in the article read: ‘Don’t rush into your diamond purchase. Take your time and evaluate your diamond carefully’.
I spent five days and nights evaluating every argument I made to the client on the 4 C’s: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat. I do not know if the client found a set of diamonds, but I surely found a great way to looking at every statement that is made to me or by me!
Best
Shreekant
8th August 2010
I have always felt that when two disciplines of knowledge come together, great learning comes out of the exchange. And this is true irrespective of the nature of the disciplines.
Take for example this instance when I was thinking about forming a hypothesis for a client of mine during an audit assignment, when I came across this little article on gemology in my hotel room in Cairo. The article was about unique properties of diamond and how diamonds can be classified. It talks about four aspects of diamond that qualifies a superior diamond from inferior ones – these are called the four ‘C’s of diamond classification. They are: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat. And then the article went on talking about the different aspects within the four.
But this got me thinking. Just like a diamond, don’t the same four parameters apply to anything else – say, an argument you put in front of your clients or colleagues, or a hypothesis / conjuncture that you form, or a statement that you make? Let’s consider how the four parameters stand in this case.
Let us say that you are working with a company, and the company is facing with a problem that they are losing business due to high costs. Now, what is your hypothesis? One could be that the company has very lopsided cost structure. The other could be that the pricing models are unrealistic. In any case, if you have to work your argument through, you can use the 4 C’s to ‘test’ your ‘diamond’ first.
Color – This would mean the bias that you carry when you make a conjuncture. And just like the best color for a diamond is no color at all, the best argument is the one which has no biases, no prejudices, and no baggage. I believe you will need to start from the drawing board, and without any personal biases before you come to a hypothesis. Make your mind free of thoughts and then apply it to the problem as if it was anew.
Clarity – The clarity of a diamond is viewed under magnification. Similarly, the clarity of an argument is viewed by magnifying the thought, expanding it, and seeing if there are any blemishes. The argument needs to be crystal-clear! (forgive my indulgence). In case there are any basic axioms / assumptions that are not cleared due to the nature of the argument, then they need to be either cleared wholly or included as ‘inclusions’ – that is the exact word gemologists use for tiny birthmarks in diamonds. The more the inclusions, the lesser is the clarity.
Cut – The cut of a diamond refers to its proportions, not its shape. Every diamond, regardless of its shape, gets its brilliance and glitter by cutting and polishing. Every argument, regardless of what it is about, makes an impression and shines well if it is well-formed and correctly articulated. An argument that is put in the correct form and structure is like a correctly cut, well-made stone that has the correct angles for dispersion and reflection so that the maximum beauty is realized.
Carat – As most of you would know, this refers to the weight of the diamond. This is the most significant parameter of all. As the weight of the diamond increases, so does its rarity and therefore its price. The weight, in case of an argument, is of course referring to the business impact it would have to the client. The more the impact, more is the value of your advice.
Well, that is that. Does this make sense?
The last line in the article read: ‘Don’t rush into your diamond purchase. Take your time and evaluate your diamond carefully’.
I spent five days and nights evaluating every argument I made to the client on the 4 C’s: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat. I do not know if the client found a set of diamonds, but I surely found a great way to looking at every statement that is made to me or by me!
Best
Shreekant
8th August 2010
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