Counterarguments

Counterarguments

$1.25

Monday, February 17, 2014

Vol XCIII, No. 311

Refuting

"nah, man'

Why and How

Although Hermione initially 

displays all the characteristics of a stereotypical bookworm, her 

subsequent displays of courage, adventurousness, and loyal 

friendship prove that she is a 

round character. 

WHY

How

Reducing

It's not as big a deal because....

• Refute
• Reduce
• Concede
• Acknowledge and Change Accordingly (often in draft)

• Enhances your credibility
• Engages others in a dialogue or debate
• Shows respect for your readers
• Pre-emptive strike
• Come across as broad-minded and secure in your beliefs

"High school sports are notorious for exposing students to unhealthy competition, peer pressure from teammates, and stress. While these negative side effects are present in some situations, most high school sports do just the opposite. As noted by Harvard scientists, exercise has been proven to release chemicals that make you feel better and relax you, reducing stress levels. These chemicals, Endorphins, act as analgesics and reduce the perception of pain. By reducing the perception of pain, people are relieved of stress and anxiety, effectively making them feel better. As noted by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, “When stress affects the brain, with its many nerve connections, the rest of the body feels the impact as well.”, mental changes affect physical aspects of the body. Logic concludes that physical changes will affect mental aspects of the body as well. By increasing physical exercise and increasing the production of endorphins, people will feel happier, more relaxed, and less stressed."

https://competitivesports.weebly.com/counterargument.html

When you counter-argue, you consider a possible argument against your thesis or some aspect of your reasoning. This is a good way to test your ideas when drafting, while you still have time to revise them. And in the finished essay, it can be a persuasive and (in both senses of the word) disarming tactic. It allows you to anticipate doubts and pre-empt objections that a skeptical reader might have; it presents you as the kind of person who weighs alternatives before arguing for one, who confronts difficulties instead of sweeping them under the rug, who is more interested in discovering the truth than winning a point.

Not every objection is worth entertaining, of course, and you shouldn't include one just to include one. But some imagining of other views, or of resistance to one's own, occurs in most good essays. And instructors are glad to encounter counterargument in student papers, even if they haven't specifically asked for it

(https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/counter-argument)

Quotation 1

Ripped from the headlines examples

Concede

"fair enough"

https://mobile.twitter.com/tanehisicoates/status/925289478943633408

Those against year-round school argue that the costs of running many of the aging buildings year-round are too high. While it is true that keeping schools open throughout the year may cost more, the higher costs could be subsidized by making the buildings available for community rental to offset those costs.

https://writingcenterunderground.wordpress.com/tag/conceding-opposition/

What is the significance of X?

• What does X mean?

• How does X work in the text? Does it convey meanings other than its literal definition? Does it mean different things to different audiences? How would the text change if “X” were replaced with a synonym/analogous situation?

• What are the assumptions about X in this text?

• What conditions, influences or events caused X to be as it is? How or why did it become what it is? What controversies surround the event?

• What is the process that led to X? What were the steps in the process? How did that process take place? Where did it happen, who was involved and what was the outcome? What controversies surround the event?

• How could X have happened differently, and what might be the effects of changes to the process? What is the significance of this process?

• What is the effect of X? How does it achieve that effect? What details contribute to the overall effect? Might it have different effects on different audiences? What choices did the author/artist make in order to achieve that effect?

• Who is the audience for X? What is that audience’s expectations, and how are those expectations addressed? What are the various opinions about X? What disagreements might circulate around X? Is there any overlap between positions about X? What are the given/implied reasons for each opinion?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/10/31/sarah-sanderss-questionable-argument-that-paying-taxes-is-like-buying-beers/?utm_term=.5d512e861f30