Why Bother

Blog – Explain the statement that “real-world arguments seldom prove anything” (p. 88). If so, why bother learning a system like Toulmin’s?

Real-world arguments rarely prove anything because very few concepts can actually be proved. Proving something requires the same result no matter how many times the proof procedure is run. Essentially you must prove that the proof procedure works an infinite number of times. According to Wikipedia, there is another way to prove something, called Tautology. Regardless, most things in this universe that have been proven are mathematical or scientific, not literal. Simply arguing will not prove anything (except that you can speak).
So, why bother learning a system like Toulmin's? It's excellent for making sure you think about every viewpoint of an argument. It also helps discover the "warrant" and the "grounds" of a viewpoint. Toulmin's system is strangely reminiscent of the United States judiciary system - which is an unrelated but compelling reason to learn Toulmin's system as well.