Assertion (SEP)

Asserting is the act of claiming that something is the case—for instance, that oranges are citruses, or that there is a traffic congestion on Brooklyn Bridge (at some time). We make assertions to share information, coordinate our actions, defend arguments, and communicate our beliefs and desires. Because of its central role in communication, assertion has been investigated in several disciplines. Linguists, philosophers of language, and logicians rely heavily on the notion of assertion in theorizing about meaning, truth and inference.

The nature of assertion and its relation to other speech acts and linguistic phenomena (implicatures, presuppositions, etc.) have been subject to much controversy. This entry will situate assertion within speech act theory and pragmatics more generally, and then go on to present the current main accounts of assertion.^[1]

By an account of assertion is here meant a theory of what a speaker does (e.g., expresses a belief) in making an assertion. According to such accounts, there are deep properties of assertion: specifying those properties is specifying what asserting consists in. There must also be surface properties, which are the properties by which a competent speaker can tell whether an utterance is an assertion, for instance that it is made by means of uttering a sentence in the indicative mood.

We shall classify accounts according to two parameters. Firstly, we distinguish between normative and descriptive accounts. Normative accounts rely on the existence of norms or normative relations that are essential to assertoric practice. Descriptive accounts don’t. Secondly, we distinguish between content-directed and hearer-directed accounts. Content-directed accounts focus on the relation between the speaker and the content of the proposition asserted, while hearer-directed accounts focus on the relations between speaker and hearer. Some theories have both normative and descriptive components. 

Read the rest here: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/assertion/

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Chatbot

Assertion: a statement that presents a proposition as true.

In logic and philosophy, asserting something is the act of committing oneself to its truth, as opposed to merely mentioning, questioning, or supposing it. An assertion has propositional content and a force: it says this is the case.

Examples:

• “It is raining” — an assertion.
• “Is it raining?” — not an assertion (a question).
• “If it is raining, the ground is wet” — the clause “it is raining” is mentioned, not asserted.

In argumentation, assertions function as premises or conclusions. They are what can be true or false and what can be justified, challenged, or denied.

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University at Buffalo

Types of Assertion

Basic Assertion

Simple expression of standing up for personal rights, beliefs, feelings or opinions.
Example: When being interrupted, “Excuse me, I’d like to finish what I’m saying.”

Empathic Assertion

Recognition of other person’s situation or feelings followed by another statement standing up for speaker’s
rights.
Example: “I know you are feeling angry and frustrated while you wait for a response. But, the best I can do is
give you a ballpark estimate of how long It will take.”

Escalating Assertion

Start with a “minimal” assertive response… Other fails to respond… Gradually escalate the assertion?–
increasingly firm without being aggressive.
Example: From the first example, “I know what you have to say is important but I really want to finish what I
was saying.” “I really want to finish before you begin to speak.”

Confrontive Assertion

Describe what was to be done… Describe what actually occurred… Express what you want.t.
Example: “I told you to complete the forms by November 15, and you agreed to do so. Now it is January 15 and
you are telling me that you forgot the forms but you still expect to complete our business on time. What is it that
you want me to do?”

I-Language Assertion

Description of behavior: “When you __________ ,”
How it affects you life: “It affects __________ ,”
Describe your feelings: “and I feel __________ ;”
Describe your desire: “Therefore, I would like __________ .”
Example: “When you shout the effect is I am unable to work with you and I feel angry. Therefore, I would like
for you to stop shouting and tell me what you want.”

Positive Assertion

Expressing positive feelings about yourself or someone else.
Examples: “I’m glad you came back to see me.” “I did a good job working with that upset student.”

Repeated Assertion

Sometimes called “Broken Record.” Opposite of escalation. Simple, calm, repetition–saying what you want
over and over again, rote repetition.
Example: “You said you would complete this form and there is missing information.”…A sarcastic reply… “The
form has not been completed.” …Another comment… “I have to have this form completed.”

Fogging Assertion

Acknowledging possibility of truth to what other person is saying–agreeing in concept but not necessarily in
fact. t.
Example: “I know these rules may appear to make no sense, but they are the procedures I must use.”

Find it here: https://ubwp.buffalo.edu/ccvillage/wp-content/uploads/sites/74/2017/06/assert-hand02.pdf