Argument

Are you impressed with my argument yesterday ?

Don't go that far.

Let's be a moment of Aristotle and consider the possible forms of an argument (or, if you are a fan of EBM, the level of an evidence):

1. Argument by evidence, i.e. proof by well conducted experiment.
2. Argument by example, i.e. proof by a series of observation with similar result.
3. Argument by authority, i.e. expert opinion.
   (On this, we rely on the presumably extensive experience of the authority. Those familiar with philosophy, however, would also recognize immediately that argument by authority is a classical case of logical fallacy.)
4. Argument by precedent, i.e. anecdotal report.
   (It usually begins with: I have seen X happened, therefore we should do Y. For example: I have seen people die of air pollution, therefore we should not breath.)
5. Argument by analogy.

I deliberately put analogy at the end of the list, because it is - unfortunately - the lowest level of an evidence. Yes, analogy could well be the most important kind of evidence (when there is no reliable alternative information, and we call it wisdom), and often the most attractive one - at least to some less educated general public.

After all, Buddha, Jesus, and several other greatest teachers in human history all taught us great lessons by analogy (alas, telling stories), but there are way more crooks in the world - all trying to fool us with the same trick.