Challenges Faced in Preparing for the Debate
Four challenges I faced in preparing for the debate were: 1) understanding the logic of my own argument—i.e., identifying the premise, assuring myself of its validity, and constructing my argument so that it logically followed from the premise to the conclusion; 2) identifying the counter-argument; 3) understanding the counter-argument’s logical fallacies and/or invalid premise; and 4) rebutting the counter-argument.
The first challenge for me—understanding my own argument, its premise and its logic—was difficult because it required a deep understanding of the subject and all the various sides and aspects of it. A superficial grasp of the subject would not do. I had to understand it fully in order to argue it, and I had to ensure that my argument was based on a valid premise. This was the first challenge, and I knew that my argument depended on doing the research, so I had to read up the subject very thoroughly.
The second challenge consisted of knowing what the counter-argument would be. I had to read contrary opinions and see where they were coming from—i.e., what premise they were starting from. This led to the third challenge, which was understanding the counter-argument and why it was faulty—i.e., how it was either based on a faulty premise or used faulty logic to reach its conclusion. Once I did this I faced the fourth challenge: using this understanding to develop a rebuttal for the counter-argument. By understanding how the counter-argument proceeded, I was able to see its weaknesses and prepare my rebuttal accordingly. I located the faulty premise and showed how it was based on a logical fallacy instead of on rational observation. That helped significantly in overcoming the challenge.
Four Ways I Would Have Prepared Differently for the Debate
Had I not had this class, I probably would have prepared differently for the debate by adopting more persuasive techniques than argumentative techniques. This most likely would have happened unconsciously. Arguments depend upon reason and research, whereas persuasion can be conducted by using all manner of appeals—such as emotional appeals or other means which are consistently rooted in logical fallacies. Many of my arguments would have more than likely been conceived in one sort of logical fallacy or another. I would have...
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