John Anthony Blair (12 August 1941 – March 7 2024) was 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 North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. 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, co-founder of the

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

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 is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

, and attended Fisher Park High School. He was Canadian Junior Downhill and Alpine Combined ski champion 1958, and played on McGill I ntercollegiate Football championship teams (1960 and 1962). He died in Windsor,

on March 7, 2024.

Academia

Blair studied at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

and

McGill University McGill University (French: Université McGill) is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University, Vol. I. For the Advancement of Learning, ...

. He taught philosophy at the

University of Windsor The University of Windsor (UWindsor, U of W, or UWin) is a public university, public research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has approximately 17,500 students. The university was incorporated by ...

from 1967 until 2006, serving two terms as the head of that department. He was

professor emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retirement, retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". ...

at the University of Windsor. Blair's publications have focused on argumentation theory,

critical thinking Critical thinking is the process of analyzing available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments to make sound conclusions or informed choices. It involves recognizing underlying assumptions, providing justifications for ideas and actions, ...

, 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 20th-century Canadian philosophers 21st-century Canadian philosophers Living people University of Michigan alumni McGill University alumni Academic staff of University of Windsor 1941 births Academics from Ottawa