Martin Hinton in “Why the Fence Is the Seat of Reason When Experts Disagree” (2019)discusses the use of the theory of argument schemes and their associated critical questions in the situation when experts disagree about a certain matter. In this commentary, I shall focus on his evaluation of the use of the argument scheme that plays a central role in this endeavour, the ‘argument from expert opinion’.
Hinton’s paper provides excellent insights into the pros and cons of using the various critical questions that go with this scheme. I agree with all of his conclusions, except for one, namely that the existing accounts of these critical questions give us not much to go on in the situation that there is disagreement between experts. Contrary to Hinton, I think that they are indispensable in such a situation. My point of view is premised on the idea that there is a crucial distinction to be made between ‘reasoning’ and ‘argumentation’. I shall first elaborateon this distinction and then relate it to Hinton’s opinions about the matter.
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