Asserting a position
calls for knowing your own arguments and presenting them well; it also
calls for detecting errors or even deliberate misdirection on the part
of those with contrary points of view. This exercise is intended to help
you sharpen your listening/evaluating skills.
Study
the statement you are given along with the position you are to take
(yes/no). Make assertions that will defend your position, and include
among them the one I suggest. Plan on 5-7 minutes, so develop two
assertions besides the one I suggest. You can rephrase my suggestion,
but stay true to the category.
Like
you, other students are using, among other (presumably correct)
arguments, one of the following approaches as an attempt to win you over
to their points of view. Although this is an exercise that invites
differing interpretations, try to identify the argument that fits one of
these categories. Of course, you can eliminate the category you are
using, but there are more categories than are being used tonight.
EGOCENTRIC
TRADITION
ETHNOCENTRIC
GROUPTHINK
OVER GENERALIZE
IRRATIONAL APPEAL
AD HOMINEM
SHIFT
BURDEN OF PROOF
UNWARRANTED
ASSUMPTION
MEANINGLESS
STATEMENT
STRAW
MAN
CIRCULAR
ARGUMENT
DOUBLE
STANDARD
Comments
or questions for Bob, email him at [email protected]
Gen101 Exercise
Arguments
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