Relevance, Conduction and Canada's Rape-Shield Decision

Abstract

I examine a Canadian Supreme Court decision concerning the constitutionality of Canada's 1982 rape-shield legislation, and suggest how material from the decision might profitably be used in an informal-logic class in connection with the topics of relevance and conductive argument. I also consider theoretical matters related to the decision: first I develop two analyses of what I call an argument from 'unchasteness' and connect them to George Bowles's theory of propositional relevance; then I present Trudy Govier with a problem in response to which she might revise her account of a conductive argument in a way I describe.

Keywords

• Canadian Supreme Court decision
• Canada's 1982 rape-shield legislation
• informal logic class
• relevance
• conductive argument
• "argument from 'unchasteness"'