Week 7 Discussion #2

In chapter 7, I found the section about raising objections useful. These objections show whether an argument is weak or bad.

Example:
Me: We should go shopping tomorrow again. (objection: we already went today)
Friend: You didn’t find anything today?
Me: I did, but I want to go again in case there’s something new so I can find my Vegas outfit. (objection: retail stores may not get inventory every day)
Friend: Tomorrow won’t make a difference.
Me: Well, it might. Some stores and department stores do get new clothing every day. Also, someone might do a return today or tomorrow, and maybe that would be my Vegas outfit. I won’t know until I go again. Besides, we have nothing else to do tomorrow. (answer).

In this example, my friend’s objections were: 1) we already went shopping. 2) the clothes we see tomorrow won’t be different from today. As a result, by strengthening my argument, I gave reasons to these objections such as: 1) some stores do get new clothing on a daily basis. 2) someone might return a potential Vegas outfit. 3) we have no plans tomorrow. Although objections show if an argument is bad, it is important to respond to these objections to show that the argument can be strong.

A second topic that I found useful in chapter 7 was the section about refuting an argument. In order to refute an argument directly, you must show that the premise is doubtful; that the argument is invalid or weak; that the conclusion is false. It is important to do these in order to show that the argument has is false and has an error in its reasoning.