Claim: The best test of an argument is its ability to convince someone with an opposing viewpoint.
Reason: Only by being forced to defend an idea against the doubts and contrasting views of others does one really discover the value of that idea.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which the claim is based.
I strongly agree that the best test of an argument is its ability to convince someone with an opposing viewpoint. Obviously, it is not the only parameter on which the validity of the argument can be judged. Having a sound background knowledge, its feasibility and the impact of the argument plays an equally important role in determining its credibility. However, putting your views in front of someone with a completely opposing viewpoint and to convince him that it's you who has a more cogent argument almost sums up everything mentioned before. The reason stated that by being forced to defend an idea against the doubts and contrasting views of others does one really discover the value of an idea is also completely valid.
The reason given speaks for itself. When we discuss our views with someone else, we get to see a whole new perspective of the topic that we might have completely missed. Since all human beings are unique, someone could think about a topic in such a different way that you would never think of. However, that is all the more reason that if you can prove your points to be more sound than his and can answer every question or doubts he puts up, proves that it's your argument that has the upper hand. While you are trying to convince the person in front to accept your way of thinking, your argument’s validity is also being cross-checked. If your arguments are based on void claims and misleading information which you might think is correct, you would easily be rebuked by the person and he would refuse to believe in your agenda. The reason that discussion between contrasting parties leads to the conclusion as to whose viewpoints are the most cogent is the basic reason why we have debates in parliament. In a democracy where everyone has the right to put his/her views, legislators debate and then vote on every law that is passed to ensure that only the laws that have sufficient sound reasoning behind them get passed.
When preparing arguments from ourselves we sometimes tend to forget to consider all the points related to it and with our half assessed information get confident on our claims. As such, hearing a different viewpoint helps us to debunk such claims. For example, let's suppose you consider that electric cars are the future. Your main argument could be that since electric cars produce no emissions and in the United States 50 per cent of emissions from the non-industrial category are from cars and bikes alone, electric cars would be a boon and would lead to a healthier climate. Being confident, you discuss this with John who believes electric cars are impractical. To your surprise, John tells you that in the industrial sector, producing electricity amounts to 28 per cent of the total emissions and that is when we are only supplying to households. If all cars become electric, the added load would only increase this number, hence cancelling out the good effect you were counting on. Again, you could provide further arguments and this will go on. In any case, both of you would get valuable insights into each other’s viewpoints and finally reach a common conclusion.
However, this way of testing doesn’t apply every time. It also depends on the quality of people you are having this discussion with. Discussing your views with someone having little to no knowledge to support his claims would do nothing to prove the credibility of your argument. Also if the listener is an extreme egotist, you just won’t be able to convince him no matter how good your arguments are. It is like the saying goes, it's easy to wake up someone who is sleeping but impossible to wake up someone who has already woken up.
Persuading someone with an opposing viewpoint to give up their way of thinking and to follow your viewpoint is really a very strong indicator of the credibility of your ideas and hence its safe to say that it is the best test of an argument. Even while you are asserting your views, you come to learn the different implications and ways it can be inferred which you can further add to your arguments to make them even more cogent. But as we discussed, it does not work in all conditions and depends on person to person. Hence, it is an excellent measure to gauge your argument as long as you are doing so in front of a humble, listening and informed audience.
| Post date | Users | Rates | Link to Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-01-16 | jason123 | 66 | view |
| 2020-01-09 | Abhipray Singh | 58 | view |
| 2020-01-09 | Abhipray Singh | 66 | view |
| 2019-12-12 | Pranjil | 66 | view |
| 2019-11-26 | NRS | 58 | view |
- Claim: The best test of an argument is its ability to convince someone with an opposing viewpoint.Reason: Only by being forced to defend an idea against the doubts and contrasting views of others does one really discover the value of that idea.Write a res 66
- Every Individual in a society has a responsibility to obey just laws and to disobey and resist unjust laws.Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim.In developing and supporting your position , be sure 66
- Claim: The best test of an argument is its ability to convince someone with an opposing viewpoint.Reason: Only by being forced to defend an idea against the doubts and contrasting views of others does one really discover the value of that idea.Write a res 58
- The following appeared in a health magazine published in Corpora."Medical experts say that only one-quarter of Corpora's citizens meet the current standards for adequate physical fitness, even though twenty years ago, one-half of all of Corpora& 82
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 3, column 456, Rule ID: IT_IS[17]
Message: Did you mean 'it's' (='it is') instead of 'its' (possessive pronoun)?
Suggestion: it's; it is
...stion or doubts he puts up, proves that its your argument that has the upper hand. ...
^^^
Line 7, column 174, Rule ID: HE_VERB_AGR[1]
Message: The pronoun 'someone' must be used with a third-person verb: 'has'.
Suggestion: has
...ith. Discussing your views with someone having little to no knowledge to support his c...
^^^^^^
Line 7, column 286, Rule ID: SENT_START_CONJUNCTIVE_LINKING_ADVERB_COMMA[1]
Message: Did you forget a comma after a conjunctive/linking adverb?
Suggestion: Also,
...prove the credibility of your argument. Also if the listener is an extreme egotist, ...
^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
also, but, finally, hence, however, if, really, so, then, while, as to, for example, in any case
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 38.0 19.5258426966 195% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 19.0 12.4196629213 153% => OK
Conjunction : 22.0 14.8657303371 148% => OK
Relative clauses : 30.0 11.3162921348 265% => Less relative clauses wanted (maybe 'which' is over used).
Pronoun: 98.0 33.0505617978 297% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 101.0 58.6224719101 172% => OK
Nominalization: 15.0 12.9106741573 116% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 3596.0 2235.4752809 161% => OK
No of words: 756.0 442.535393258 171% => Less content wanted.
Chars per words: 4.75661375661 5.05705443957 94% => OK
Fourth root words length: 5.24361079503 4.55969084622 115% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.59353724287 2.79657885939 93% => OK
Unique words: 341.0 215.323595506 158% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.451058201058 0.4932671777 91% => More unique words wanted or less content wanted.
syllable_count: 1117.8 704.065955056 159% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.5 1.59117977528 94% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 18.0 6.24550561798 288% => Less pronouns wanted as sentence beginning.
Article: 4.0 4.99550561798 80% => OK
Subordination: 7.0 3.10617977528 225% => Less adverbial clause wanted.
Conjunction: 1.0 1.77640449438 56% => OK
Preposition: 4.0 4.38483146067 91% => OK
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 31.0 20.2370786517 153% => OK
Sentence length: 24.0 23.0359550562 104% => OK
Sentence length SD: 54.9486563868 60.3974514979 91% => OK
Chars per sentence: 116.0 118.986275619 97% => OK
Words per sentence: 24.3870967742 23.4991977007 104% => OK
Discourse Markers: 3.09677419355 5.21951772744 59% => More transition words/phrases wanted.
Paragraphs: 5.0 4.97078651685 101% => OK
Language errors: 3.0 7.80617977528 38% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 13.0 10.2758426966 127% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 12.0 5.13820224719 234% => Less negative sentences wanted.
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 6.0 4.83258426966 124% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.325260788672 0.243740707755 133% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0922941831328 0.0831039109588 111% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.131231430288 0.0758088955206 173% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.231290417471 0.150359130593 154% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.200832556305 0.0667264976115 301% => More connections among paragraphs wanted.
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 13.2 14.1392134831 93% => Automated_readability_index is low.
flesch_reading_ease: 55.58 48.8420337079 114% => OK
smog_index: 3.1 7.92365168539 39% => Smog_index is low.
flesch_kincaid_grade: 11.5 12.1743820225 94% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 10.62 12.1639044944 87% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 7.73 8.38706741573 92% => OK
difficult_words: 139.0 100.480337079 138% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 11.5 11.8971910112 97% => OK
gunning_fog: 11.6 11.2143820225 103% => OK
text_standard: 12.0 11.7820224719 102% => OK
What are above readability scores?
---------------------
Write the essay in 30 minutes.
Rates: 58.33 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 3.5 Out of 6
---------------------
Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.