Argument Writing

Argument Writing Level 2

When was the last time you had a lengthy, significant verbal altercation? The questions concern your last significant argument. You may choose a face-to-face argument or one conducted via electronic means. 1.With whom did you argue? 2.What did you argue about? 3.What was each side’s position? 4.What was used to support each side of the argument? • Did you try to convince the other side that you were right by trying to convince them that you knew more than they did about the subject? • Did you try to get them to emotionally connect with your argument? • Did you present specific, factual, and verifiable evidence to prove your position?

Argument Writing Vocabulary Claim: argumentative stance. Claim Statement: argumentative thesis statement. Counterclaim: Points that counter or disagree with your claim. (other side) Rebuttal: Ideas that respond against the counterclaim and support your claim again. “That’s a valid point but this is why my point is stronger”

2-3 Monday February 3rd Objective: Students will be able to define different organizational structures in order to identify them in Pinker’s essay “In Defense of Dangerous Ideas” and to compose their own argument essay. Take out a Piece of paper. Title it “Modes of Argument” Hw: None. (Revised from calendar)

Are there ideas too dangerous to be discussed?

In Defense of Dangerous Ideas What is a dangerous idea? m What is the claim of the argument? What are the points Pinker uses to support his claim? What is the counterclaim of the argument? What are the points Pinker uses to explore the counterclaim? Does Pinker rebut the points of the counterclaim? If so, how does he do this?

Claim: We should discuss/explore “dangerous ideas” • Dangerous ideas: • Can cause a harmful outcome • Devalue life or other human essential values • If it challenges our laws, morals, values and understandings

Claim: Dangerous ideas should be discussed • Reasons: • If we treat an idea as dangerous, people will not discuss it. They may ignore it, become afraid of it, or become angered by it. • Dangerous ideas should be discussed so they do not happen again/happen. • Truth: awareness and truth is better than delusion. • False ideas and understandings lead to more false ideas and understandings. • “If an idea is really false, only by examining it openly can we determine it is false.” – Public discussion/definition of ideas.

Counterclaim: discussion of some ideas is dangerous and should not occur. • People may act on the ideas discussed, and they may take these ideas too far. • If anyone might be hurt by the ideas. • If those advocating the idea are the main ones to benefit from it.

Are there ideas too Dangerous to be discussed?

Dangerous Ideas • Claim: Dangerous Ideas should be discussed. • What is a dangerous idea? • An idea that would upset society’s order. • Insulting. • Ideas, that if acted upon, would lead to disastrous ramifications. • Ideas that insult our human convictions (i.e. life is valuable)

Claim: Dangerous ideas should be discussed. • Truth: all relevant ideas should be explored. Intellectual exploration. • What classifies an idea as dangerous is subjective. • False ideas lead to more false ideas. (We should understand what is true.) • If we don’t explore the ideas, we won’t be thinking at all and may accept other’s opinions on ideas. • Public understanding of an idea prevents people from coming to other conclusions.

Counterclaims: Dangerous ideas should not be discussed. Discussing certain ideas might destroy a society’s morals, laws, etc. Some ideas for meant for intellectual debate, might actually be carried out by the less intellectual. Some ideas conflict with our other central ideas and cause conflict. People might act on the ideas discussed. Conflict of interest: some people might push certain ideas because it benefits them, not society. People may be hurt by the idea.

Hurt people’s feelings Controversy over moral issues If it challenges the majority’s ideas – “challenge the collective decency of an age” If people are “not ready” to deal with the idea

Why should we entertain dangerous ideas? 2. Support of the claim Truth: if we base our ideas, policies and rules on false information it yields false results. Awareness is better than ignorance. If an idea is false, it needs to openly examined. By openly examining a false idea, we learn as a public grow that this idea is wrong.

Counterclaim • Some Dangerous ideas should not be discussed: • 1. Can destroy people’s moral believes. • Discussing dangerous ideas may lead to action. • If people challenge one idea, they may challenge all ideas (laws/morals/rules). • 2. People may encourage a dangerous idea because it benefits them. • 3. People may be hurt by the idea.

Dangerous Ideas Are there ideas too dangerous to be entertained by society? Are there things we shouldn’t talk about, discuss, entertain, even for simply the intellectual challenge? Free Write. Metacognition. Take five minutes to consider and explore this question. Use the Pinker’s essay as a sample of questions and ideas that may be considered dangerous.

Modes of Argument The mode of an argument is the way in which the argument is presented. It is its organizational pattern. Some arguments use several modes, just as they do blends of rhetorical strategies.

Exemplification Provides specific examples to support the assertion (examples directly connected to the subject. High fat foods: fries, Twinkies, deep fried Twinkies . . .)

Enumeration Organizes by listing categories or details (There are three basic principles that govern . . . )

Analogy Making direct comparisons between the subject and similar circumstances (Just like in the 1920s, when liquor was illegal under Prohibition . . .)

Cause to Effect Presents the source that led to the problem (The banks lent to unworthy borrowers . . . The mortgage market collapsed)

Effect to Cause Presents the problem and then what caused it (The mortgage market collapsed . . . this was directly connected to the banks lending to unworthy borrowers)

Process Process – Organized in step-by-step order (A few banks developed complex loan instruments . . . They began pushing these on consumers . . . They packaged them as mortgage-backed securities to investors . . . High-risk loans ballooned . . . High-risk loans began to default in large numbers . . . Mortgage-backed securities collapsed in value . . . Major corporations went bankrupt.)

1 The decrease in crime in inner cities can be traced to Roe vs. Wade, which legalized abortion and made it easily and cheaply available to women in poor socioeconomic conditions and whose offspring were most likely to grow up, poor, under-educated, unemployed, and immersed in violence and crime.

2 The cotton gin, combine harvester, and tractor are all examples of devices that changed the face of agriculture forever.

3 Disgruntled lone killers who shoot up schools or workplaces are nothing new. The recent case in Norway is, in many ways, like the Bath school bombing that occurred in Michigan in the 1920s.

4 I will discuss the seven habits of highly effective teens: Be proactive, Begin with the end in mind, Put first things first, Think win-win, Think first to understand then to be understood, Synergize, Sharpen the saw

5 Government declared war on drugs . . . Prison terms for possession increased . . . Prison populations increased . . . Prison overcrowding a major problem . . . Selective parole procedures instituted for minor drug offenses

6 Mass layoffs and the resulting increasing in unemployment have led to an increase in violent crime in most urban areas.

Organization Re-read Pinker’s article. Pay attention to his choice(s) of organization. Mark the different organizational structures he uses.

Are there ideas that are too Dangerous to discuss?

Choose your stance. Write 1 paragraph arguing your claim as to whether you believe there are ideas too dangerous to be discussed. You need to use an example (hypothetical or historical). No “you”. Do not consider counterclaims or rebuttals yet.

Argument Writing