Why is anticipating opposing arguments effective?
Because you have to present all ideas in a fair and rational way, you must anticipate the arguments on both sides of the issues. When you argue for the superiority of one position over another, you must present its strengths and weaknesses.
How do you counter the straw man argument?
The main way to counter a straw man is to point out its use, and to then ask your opponent to prove that your original stance and their distorted stance are identical, though in some situations you might also choose to either ignore your opponent’s strawman, or to simply accept it and continue the discussion.
What does it mean to refute an opposing argument?
Refutation is simply disproving an opposing argument. It is an important rhetorical skill because it is frequently the hinge point as to whether or not a writer or speaker successfully persuades the audience. We often see argument and refutation for a particularly controversial topic.
Why is it always important to anticipate and refute possible opposing views?
By anticipating the ways that your audience might disagree with you, you can work to refute opposing views and increase the effectiveness of your argument.
Why is it so hard to have a productive debate?
One of the most difficult — and crucial — elements of a productive debate is keeping it on one track. Arguments tend to fracture, especially when people feel like their ideas or identities are coming under attack.
What makes a good debater?
Be intellectually humble. For a debate to truly be productive, participants need to be willing to respect every viewpoint and change their minds when necessary. This is what psychologists call intellectual humility, and it’s one of the most important skills a good leader — and productive debater — can develop. This rule breaks down like so:
Is there prejudice in debate?
And the idea of prejudice within debate is key throughout history: for arguments to be properly heard, one has first to accept that all have the right to make them, and to believe in a commonality of capability, capacity and sensibility.
Why does debating still matter?
Why debating still matters. And yet the art of debate involves mastering skills of obvious intrinsic value: the confidence to speak in public, and make sense; the construction of a logical argument; the ability to read an audience’s reactions; and, perhaps most importantly, the willingness to hear others’ arguments, and to respond to them.