Further Discussion: Refuting an Argument

One section that I don't think we covered enough was in Chapter 7 of the Epstein text, discussing refuting an argument. Basically, refuting an argument is when one hears an argument and makes a counter argument, indicating that the original argument is not strong or valid. There are two ways to present a counter-argument: directly and indirectly. In order to directly refute an argument, it needs to be shown that one of the premises is uncertain, that the argument is not valid or strong, or that the conclusion is false (Epstein, 149). Refuting an argument indirectly is a bit more challenging, as finding the imperfections in the original argument is more difficult. In this instance, if one knows that something is wrong with one of the premises, they need to refute indirectly. I found this section important to what we've learned over the semester. While we learn to make stronger arguments, we also need to learn how to correctly indicate when an argument is not at its strongest, therefore making our understanding and recognition of good arguments and bad arguments alot stronger.

What I've Learned...

Over the course of the semester, I've learned quite a bit about arguments. That's the one word I will always link to this class, "arguments." Something I hate doing. I don't like to argue. Yet, it doesn't hurt to learn how to do it right.

I've learned how to recognize how an argument is formed, and what good arguments are based off of. I've learned what not to say in an argument, things that make your position seem weak or inaccurate. I've learned the sneaky tactics that advertisers use to gain attention towards their products. I've learned how to better communicate and work with a group, even when the only communication is via the internet.

So what has this class taught me? It's taught me how to structure arguments in a better way, as well as give me plenty of tools to prove points that I'm sure will come in handy in school or somewhere else down the road.

Generalizing

We briefly covered generalizations in chapter 8, where we talked about general claims. Chapter 14 goes deeper into generalizations. Epstein sees generalizations as when a sample is used to describe a total population. In other words, generalizations are when one unique situation is categorized and recognized as similar to other situations. This can work, yet, for the most part, generalizations are not affective in making strong arguments.

Making generalizations is very frequent in our everyday lives. It makes sense to voice our opinions on matters by categorizing them all together. Generalizing can make one thing seem worse, or better, than it actually is. For example, I hear, and use, generalizations about school all the time. That in itself is a generalization. I don't literally hear generalizations about school every hour or minute of the day, but I do hear them quite frequently. These types of generalizations are bad, as they include bias towards structuring the argument. Some people aren't big fans of school, and they exaggerate their opinions by generalizing the repercussions of school related problems. Generalizations like this make weak arguments.

Criteria for Cause and Effect

In every chapter we go over, the sections that include the boxes help me out the most. These are the boxes that highlight the basics of what the chapter is about. In section 8 of chapter 15, the criteria for cause and effect section sums up the chapter for me. In this section, you can figure out how to recognize if an argument can be categorized as a legitimate cause and effect argument. Basically, these are the rules that a cause and effect argument have to follow. By looking at this section, I find it easier to identify examples of cause and effect.

The section is designed to sum up the chapter and everything we've learned about, however I find it as the most important section in the chapter. Many of the exercises deal with recognizing arguments, so understanding what a cause and effect argument looks like and is made up of, so sections like this one, in my opinion, make completing these exercises simple and easy to learn.