John Anthony Blair (born 12 August 1941) is a Canadian philosopher.
Along with his colleague
Ralph Johnson, he has been credited as one of the founding members of the
informal logic
Informal logic encompasses the principles of logic and logical thought outside of a formal setting (characterized by the usage of particular statements). However, the precise definition of "informal logic" is a matter of some dispute. Ralph H. ...
movement in North America. The two co-published one of the movement's most influential texts, "Logical Self-Defense". Blair is also co-founder of the
Centre for Research in Reasoning, Argumentation, and Rhetoric
The Centre for Research in Reasoning, Argumentation, and Rhetoric (CRRAR) is an interdisciplinary research group within the University of Windsor, Canada, which supports research in the fields of argumentation, informal logic, and rhetoric. Notable ...
, co-founder of the Ontario Society for the Study of Argumentation (OSSA), and a founding board member of the International Society for the Study of Argumentation (ISSA).
Before academia
Blair was born in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, and attended Fisher Park High School. He was Canadian Junior Downhill and Alpine Combined ski champion 1958, and played on McGill Intercollegiate Football championship teams (1960 and 1962).
Academia
Blair studied at the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
and
McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
. He taught philosophy at the
University of Windsor
, mottoeng = Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge
, established =
, academic_affiliations = CARL, COU, Universities Canada
, former_names = Assumption College (1857-1956)Assumption University of Windsor (1956-1963)
, type = Public universit ...
from 1967 until 2006, serving two terms as the head of that department.
He is currently
professor emeritus
''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...
at the University of Windsor.
Blair's publications have focused on
argumentation theory
Argumentation theory, or argumentation, is the interdisciplinary study of how conclusions can be supported or undermined by premises through logical reasoning. With historical origins in logic, dialectic, and rhetoric, argumentation theory, includ ...
,
critical thinking
Critical thinking is the analysis of available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments to form a judgement. The subject is complex; several different definitions exist, which generally include the rational, skeptical, and unbiased analysis ...
,
informal logic
Informal logic encompasses the principles of logic and logical thought outside of a formal setting (characterized by the usage of particular statements). However, the precise definition of "informal logic" is a matter of some dispute. Ralph H. ...
, and visual argumentation.
Selected works
*''Logical Self Defense'' (New U.S. Edition, IDEBATE, 2006)
*''Groundwork in the Theory of Argumentation: Selected Papers of J. Anthony Blair'' (Dordrecht: Springer, 2012)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blair, J. Anthony
Canadian philosophers
Living people
University of Michigan alumni
McGill University alumni
University of Windsor faculty
1941 births
People from Ottawa