China Debate Education Network:
Constructing Arguments
Presented byLi Yong, Guangxi University
Chen Ying, Guangxi University of Finance and EconomicsRobert Trapp, Willamette University
Arguments and Argumentation
• Arguments are tools primarily used in debates
• Arguments use reasons to establish claims.
• Since all debaters will use arguments, general principles of constructing arguments are needed.
Elements of Arguments• Claim: the main point or conclusion of an
argument. • Evidence: any information on which the claim
rests. Evidence is information that supports the claim.
• Link: a link is a statement that creates a bridge between the evidence and the claim.
• Reservation: not present in all arguments, a reservation explains special circumstances when the claim should be set aside.
Structure of a Simple Argument
• a single piece of evidence leads to a single claim, following along a single link, and perhaps accompanied by a reservation.
Structure of a Simple Argument
• In this example, the evidence is actually a previous claim that the audience has been convinced to accept.
General Principles for Argument Construction
• Consequences of action– Choosing the action that has the most (or best)
positive consequences and the fewest negative consequences.
• Principles that guide actions– Evaluates actions based on the inherent rightness
or wrongness of the act rather than on the positive or negative consequences of the action.
Consequences Claim: Israeli policy towards Palestinian citizens prevents terrorist attacks on Israel. Description: Israeli policy allows Palestinian
houses to be destroyed if suspected terrorists are present.
Relationship: A policy of destroying houses containing suspected terrorists prevents terrorist attacks on Israel.
Evaluation: Terrorist attacks on Israel have killed thousands of Israeli citizens.
Principles
Claim: Israeli policy towards its Palestinian citizens violates the principle of human rights.
Description: Current Israeli policy allows Palestinian homes to be destroyed.
Relationship: Allowing homes to be destroyed violates of the right to property.
Evaluation: The right to property is a basic human right. The Israeli policy therefore violates the principle of human rights.
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