A Pragmatic Framework for the Evaluation of Policy Arguments

William J. Ball

Review of Policy Research, 1995, vol. 14, issue 1‐2, 3-24

Abstract: A policy argument is an oral or written statement that advocates adopting a policy or justifies the decision to adopt a policy. This article advances the study of policy arguments by establishing a simple and general framework for their evaluation that is inspired by pragmatic philosophy. A pragmatic framework recognizes that all policy arguments are normative in purpose and that a good policy argument supports its normative claim with factual and value‐based “good reasons.” Establishing an argument's claim mediates these supporting reasons. A pragmatic approach delineates the nature and purpose of policy arguments more clearly than has been done in the past, providing a more suitable framework for study.

Date: 1995
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