Braga2019

“‘Sentiments’, ‘sophisms’ and ‘derivations’:
Vilfredo Pareto as argumentation theorist”
IV Braga Colloquium in the History of Moral and Political Philosophy
Universidade do Minho, 29-30 January 2019
IV BRAGA COLLOQUIUM 2019Giovanni Damele giovanni.damele@fcsh.unl.pt

[§798] «In concrete theories, which we shall designate as
c, there are, besides factual data, two principal elements
(or parts) […] . The element a directly corresponds to
non-logical conduct; it is the expression of certain
sentiments. The element b is the manifestation of the
need of logic that the human being feels. It also partially
corresponds to sentiments, to non-logical conduct, but it
clothes them with logical or pseudo-logical reasonings»
[§868] «we call the things a, residues, the things b,
derivations, and the things c, derivatives»
Vilfredo Pareto as argumentation theorist
IV BRAGA COLLOQUIUM 2019
2
Giovanni Damele giovanni.damele@fcsh.unl.pt

[§ 1401] «The derivations comprise logical reasonings,
unsound reasonings, and manifestations of sentiments
used for purposes of derivation : they are manifestations
of the human being's hunger for thinking»
[§ 975]. «This residue explains the need people feel for
covering their non-logical conduct with a varnish of
logic»
3

[§ 168] «Theoretical discussions, C, are not,
therefore, very serviceable directly for modifying D
[conduct]; indirectly they may be effective for
modifying A [a psychic state]. But to attain that
objective, appeal must be made to sentiments rather
than to logic and the results of experience. The
situation may be stated, inexactly to be sure, because
too absolutely, but nevertheless strikingly, by saying
that in order to influence people thought has to be
transformed into sentiment»
4

[§ 1746] «Derivations are manifestations of sentiments»
[§ 1746] «A derivation which merely satisfies that
hankering for logic which the human being feels, and
which neither is transmuted into sentiments nor re-
enforces sentiments, has slight if any effect on the social
equilibrium. It is just a superfluity: it satisfies certain
sentiments, and that is all. Briefly, but not in strict
exactness, one may say that in order to influence society,
theories have to be transmuted into sentiments,
derivations into residues»
5

[§ 445] «We shall have to try to separate those two
parts ; and then not stop with the reflection that a
certain argument is inconclusive, idiotic, absurd, but
ask ourselves whether it may not be expressing
sentiments beneficial to society, and expressing them
in a manner calculated to persuade many people who
would not be at all influenced by the soundest logico-
experimental argument».
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[§ 1397] Human beings are persuaded in the main by
sentiments (residues), and we may therefore foresee, as
for that matter experience shows, that derivations derive
the force they have, not, or at least not exclusively, from
logico-experimental considerations, but from
sentiments»
[§ 1747] «Once the derivation is accepted it lends
strength and aggressiveness to the corresponding
sentiments, which now have found a way to express
themselves»
7

[§ 2201] «If the effects of derivations are much less
considerable than the effects of residues, they are
not, as we have many times seen, altogether without
influence, serving primarily to give greater strength
and effectiveness to the residues that they express»
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[§ 1543] «Class IV [Derivations]: Verbal proofs. This
class is made up of verbal derivations obtained through
the use of terms of indefinite, doubtful, equivocal
meaning and which do not correspond to any reality»
[§ 1551] IV-α [Indefinite terms] «Use of terms that do
indeed arouse indefinite sentiments but otherwise
correspond to nothing real»
9

[§1552]. IV-β: «Terms designating things and arousing
incidental sentiments, or incidental sentiments
determining choice of terms».
[§1556]. IV-γ: «Terms with numbers of meanings, and
different things designated by single terms».
[§1614]. IV-δ : «Metaphors, allegories, analogies».
[§1686]. IV-ε: : «Vague, indefinite terms corresponding
to nothing concrete. This is the extreme limit in verbal
derivation, and it ends as a mere jingle of words».
10

[§1525]. «The “modern conception of the state” is another
abstraction. The conception voiced by the German Kaiser is
held by many people living today. Why then is it not entitled
to be called a “modern” conception ? An enthymeme is
involved. Suppose we state it : “The Kaiser's conception is
contrary to the modern conception of the state ; therefore it is
bad.” [The major premise has been suppressed.] The
completed syllogism would be : [Major premise :] “Everything
that is contrary to the modern conception of the state is bad.”
[Minor premise :] “The Kaiser's conception is contrary to the
modern conception of the state.” [Conclusion :] “Therefore the
Kaiser's conception is bad.” The major premise was
suppressed as calling attention to the weak point in the
argument.»
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[§1772] «The qualities that make a good derivation out of a
reasoning are oftentimes the opposite, therefore, of the
qualities which would make it a sound logico-experimental
reasoning»
[§1590] «Ordinarily the point of departure and the point of
arrival are known in advance. The derivation follows some
path, any path, that will bring the two points together.»
[§2086] «[People] feel a certain need for logic, but readily
satisfy it with pseudo-logical propositions.»
12

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