Claim: The best test of an argument is its ability to convince someone with an opposing
viewpoint.
Reason: Only by being forced to defend an idea against the doubts and contrasting
views of others does one really discover the value of that idea.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the
claim and the reason on which that claim is based.
For an argument to be good, it should be lucid, substantial and cogent. The prompt explores the idea what is the best test of an argument and provides reason for that. The reason is strong enough, however, it overstretches saying it is the only way. Below, I will provide reasons why I agree with the gist of the claim and qualify my support for using the word “only”.
First of all, most issues pertaining our societies do not have any single solution. Most of the cases, there are two opposing arguments, with each side trying to win over the others. Because most of the issues are complex, each side try to focus on a specific part of the issue. For example, in abortion debate, pro-life supporters advocate the value of unborn life, and pro-choice supporters advocate individual liberty. In the debate whether developing countries should adopt a stricter environmental regulation policy, proponents argue for the irreversible effect of pollution on environment, and other argue that it will hinder economic growth. Now, if one wants to make his/her argument more robust, he/she should compare it with its opposing view. He/she should consider the factors what are the underlying reasons behind that opposing viewpoint. He/she should also objectively consider which sectors are important and which sectors are not so much. For example, a proponent of stricter regulation should understand the people’s fear for price hike of commodities, the cost of maintaining environment friendly regulations etc. If he would like to convince them, he must address their concern. He can say not imposing strict regulation will introduce indirect costs like treating the illness and disease caused by a toxic environment, ruining natural properties which could be used as a resource in future etc. By doing so, he can also refine his initial point of view. Thus, by properly addressing the doubts and reasons of opposition, one can make his argument better.
However, the reason stated in the prompt makes an overestimation by adding the word “only” before it. True, one can find the value of his idea by defending it against contrasting views, but this is not the only way. One does not necessarily need to be forced to be defend his idea to discover its value. If he is diligent and intelligent enough, he himself can refine the argument. Sometimes, the opposing view are so disparate that no reconciliation is possible. If one thinks it is ok to kill people of other religions because God says so, no amount of convincing can make them do otherwise. Because all arguments against it failed to convince them, does it mean they failed the test? I don’t think so.
In summary, the prompt gives a strong reason that by comparing contrasting views one ca refine their arguments. But saying it is the only way is stretching too far.
- Every individual in a society has a responsibility to obey just laws and to disobey and resist unjust laws. 70
- The following appeared in a health magazine published in Corpora.“Medical experts say that only one-quarter of Corpora’s citizens meet the current standardsfor adequate physical fitness, even though twenty years ago, one-half of all ofCorpora’s citi 72
- Claim: The best test of an argument is its ability to convince someone with an opposingviewpoint.Reason: Only by being forced to defend an idea against the doubts and contrastingviews of others does one really discover the value of that idea.Write a respo 54
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 13, column 86, Rule ID: CA_PRP[2]
Message: Possible typo. Did you mean 'can'?
Suggestion: can
...that by comparing contrasting views one ca refine their arguments. But saying it i...
^^
Line 15, column 1, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
... the only way is stretching too far.
^^^^^^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
also, but, first, however, if, so, thus, for example, in summary, first of all
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 20.0 19.5258426966 102% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 19.0 12.4196629213 153% => OK
Conjunction : 11.0 14.8657303371 74% => OK
Relative clauses : 8.0 11.3162921348 71% => More relative clauses wanted.
Pronoun: 49.0 33.0505617978 148% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 49.0 58.6224719101 84% => OK
Nominalization: 17.0 12.9106741573 132% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 2402.0 2235.4752809 107% => OK
No of words: 473.0 442.535393258 107% => OK
Chars per words: 5.07822410148 5.05705443957 100% => OK
Fourth root words length: 4.66353547975 4.55969084622 102% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.84515700898 2.79657885939 102% => OK
Unique words: 255.0 215.323595506 118% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.53911205074 0.4932671777 109% => OK
syllable_count: 740.7 704.065955056 105% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.6 1.59117977528 101% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 11.0 6.24550561798 176% => OK
Article: 7.0 4.99550561798 140% => OK
Subordination: 7.0 3.10617977528 225% => Less adverbial clause wanted.
Conjunction: 4.0 1.77640449438 225% => Less conjunction wanted as sentence beginning.
Preposition: 7.0 4.38483146067 160% => OK
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 27.0 20.2370786517 133% => OK
Sentence length: 17.0 23.0359550562 74% => The Avg. Sentence Length is relatively short.
Sentence length SD: 44.4081642045 60.3974514979 74% => OK
Chars per sentence: 88.962962963 118.986275619 75% => OK
Words per sentence: 17.5185185185 23.4991977007 75% => OK
Discourse Markers: 2.88888888889 5.21951772744 55% => More transition words/phrases wanted.
Paragraphs: 4.0 4.97078651685 80% => OK
Language errors: 2.0 7.80617977528 26% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 14.0 10.2758426966 136% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 6.0 5.13820224719 117% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 7.0 4.83258426966 145% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.244006106722 0.243740707755 100% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0647716928939 0.0831039109588 78% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0791151771323 0.0758088955206 104% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.163466993481 0.150359130593 109% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.102711377517 0.0667264976115 154% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 11.3 14.1392134831 80% => Automated_readability_index is low.
flesch_reading_ease: 54.22 48.8420337079 111% => OK
smog_index: 3.1 7.92365168539 39% => Smog_index is low.
flesch_kincaid_grade: 9.9 12.1743820225 81% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 11.89 12.1639044944 98% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.39 8.38706741573 100% => OK
difficult_words: 117.0 100.480337079 116% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 7.5 11.8971910112 63% => OK
gunning_fog: 8.8 11.2143820225 78% => OK
text_standard: 12.0 11.7820224719 102% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Better to have 5/6 paragraphs with 3/4 arguments. And try always support/against one side but compare two sides, like this:
para 1: introduction
para 2: reason 1. address both of the views presented for reason 1
para 3: reason 2. address both of the views presented for reason 2
para 4: reason 3. address both of the views presented for reason 3
para 5: reason 4. address both of the views presented for reason 4 (optional)
para 6: conclusion.
Rates: 54.17 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 3.25 Out of 6
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Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.