THE FIGURES · WORDS THAT STICK
The Argument by Analogue
Make a case for a new action by linking it to a recognized past analogue associated with a positive outcome.
Borrow a precedent to make a new case feel familiar.
NEWLY FORGED FIGURE
Let precedent frame the proposal.
A method of persuasion that makes a case for a new or controversial action by presenting a historical or well-known “analogue”—a parallel situation from the past where a similar action led to a positive outcome. The argument is not based on the logic of the action itself, but on the precedent of its analogue.
Named for an argument that proceeds by identifying and invoking a compelling analogue.
Definition and original examples by Leonidas Esquire Williamson.
How it works.
Name the proposed action, identify a recognizable prior case, and explain the relevant similarity and its favorable outcome. Make clear which features are genuinely comparable. The precedent can lend plausibility, but an analogue is not proof that the new action will produce the same result.
- Name the proposal
- State the new or controversial action that needs support.
- Invoke a precedent
- Choose a known past case associated with a favorable outcome.
- Make the parallel explicit
- Show which features align, then use the analogy to frame the proposal.
In plain language: Point to a familiar past success to make a new proposal seem more credible. This explanation accompanies the original definition; it does not replace it.
Borrow a precedent to make a new case feel familiar..
Origin: A new original creation; no classical source figure.
A familiar pattern supports a new case (Precedent-based persuasion)
Present a new or controversial action beside a historical or well-known analogue. Emphasize the parallel and the favorable outcome associated with the precedent, inviting the audience to see the proposed action as part of a recognizable pattern.
A simple comparison highlights likeness. The Argument by Analogue uses a past case as precedent to justify a new action: the audience is asked to treat the new proposal as a recurrence of a successful pattern. Because similarity does not guarantee the same outcome, the analogy frames the case but does not replace evidence about the proposal itself.
Stunning Original Examples
“Some say a massive investment in green technology is too expensive and too ambitious. But they said the same of the Apollo Program, and that single endeavor reshaped American science and culture for a generation. This is our generation’s Apollo.”
(The Apollo Program is invoked as a precedent to make a new large-scale investment feel historically recognizable.).
“Remember when everyone thought the idea of renting out your spare room to a stranger was absurd? That was Airbnb. Our idea is in the same class.”
(Airbnb is presented as a familiar precedent for asking an audience to reconsider a novel business idea.).
“The linguistic scholars of the Renaissance, like Puttenham, created new English names for classical figures. Our work here is a modern analogue of that same tradition.”
(The Renaissance naming practice is used as a historical analogue for creating new rhetorical terminology.).
Real-World Alchemy
Illustrative applications supplied by the creator; these are possibilities, not client testimonials or product claims.
Policy advocacy
Connect a proposed investment to a well-known public precedent:
““This will require patience and substantial investment. The Apollo Program faced those same doubts, yet its legacy reshaped science and culture. This is our generation’s Apollo.””
Entrepreneurial pitches
Use a recognized innovation to make an unfamiliar business model legible:
““At first, the idea of strangers sharing spare rooms seemed implausible. Airbnb made that model familiar. Our proposal follows a similar pattern of turning underused capacity into a service.””
Organizational change
Frame a new initiative through a comparable past success, while making the relevant parallel explicit:
““Our first cross-team pilot used the same small-scale approach. It helped teams resolve handoff delays. This proposal applies that pattern to the next group.””
THE PRECEDENT AT WORK
Make the parallel visible—and test it.
Present a known past case, identify the favorable outcome, and show why the proposed action shares a relevant pattern. Similarity can make the case persuasive, but it cannot guarantee the same result.
“Some say a massive investment in green technology is too expensive and too ambitious. But they said the same of the Apollo Program, and that single endeavor reshaped American science and culture for a generation. This is our generation’s Apollo.”
The Apollo precedent frames the proposal as a familiar ambitious undertaking; the analogy still needs relevant evidence.
Explore the figure collection ↗The forge continues.
Read the creator’s reflective summary
Reflective Summary
The Argument by Analogue asks the audience to see a new proposal through the remembered shape of an earlier success. A familiar precedent gives the unfamiliar a history and makes a risky action easier to imagine. Its force depends on the parallel the speaker draws—and on the audience’s willingness to accept that the relevant features truly match. An analogue can lend a proposal credibility, but the comparison alone cannot guarantee the same result.
#NewlyForgedFigure
A PRIVATE COMMISSION
What could The Argument by Analogue make possible for your brand?
Bring a product, a conviction, or a possibility worth putting into words.
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