The goal of argument is both to seek truth and to be persuasive both parts are needed to be effective. An argument that only seeks to find the truth will fail to persuade readers to the argument's cause. Why is this? Shouldn't truth be persuasion enough?
The truth is that humans are emotional creatures. An essay on the evils of xyz corporation, as true as it may be, will do nothing but offer information to the reader. Any action suggested by this essay, if there is any, will fall short of its goals.
An entirely persuasive essay can lie, and while it can elicit action, action based on false pretenses is never a good thing. Action on false pretenses can prove quite disasterous.
So, an essay, to be effective, must do a little bit of both. An essay founded on truth and uses effective persuasion techniques will elicit action based on (supposedly, truth is always changing) true pretenses, and the world will be a better place.
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