My other Wednesday class with Pastor is Argumentation. I debated what to call it as I thought other proper names for it could be Critical Thinking, Logic, or Persuasive Arguing, but my mom told me to call it Argumentation.
Argumentation
The key thing to do is to read until you bleed. This is so very important that I can't possibly stress this enough. I got some statistics (now note, they may not all be completely true) that said that 1/3 of high school graduates never pick up a book for the rest of their life, 42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college, and 53 percent read fiction, 43 percent read nonfiction. The favorite fiction category is mystery and suspense, at 19 percent. How very depressing it is that 1) not that many people consider it profitable to read books after they've "stopped" their education and 2) that those who do read really don't tend to read what is wholesome.
Argument = appealing to the mind (basis of persuasive communication). It is a combination of statements meant to 1) change someones mind or 2) co previous beliefs.
Every argument has a premise. It always has a beginning point. You state your premise...you prove it...and then you define it. One thing about argumentation is that you must always define what you mean. Many people will agree with you until you define your words. You have to agree on the definitions or you will go nowhere. Depending on your worldview, your definitions will differ vastly. I read something the other day which I thought was fascinating. It said that words change meaning during the time of any war. This is so very true. The main reason for wars, I would say, is the fighting over the definitions of words.
To argue for God, we must presuppose God. It is a proof that cannot prove. It is something you must presuppose, or you simply presuppose man. This, simply put, means that you must have a starting point. If you starting point is not God, then it is man. You will always have some sort of premise. That is the main point of your entire argument. Your premise is where you are attempting to get the other person to agree with you on. You must be ready to argue for your premise. To challenge the argument, you have to challenge their premise (if you can find it) and then attack that. Keep your premise as short and non-controversial as possible. You will eventually build other premises off of your original one.
You give your premise, and then your conclusion, then go back and support your premise, and finally you connect everything. If they accept your premise you can easily get them to believe your conclusion. You want them ultimately to agree with your conclusion. This is all tied into worldview and faith issues.
Christianity is the life of the mind. Your pastor should always have good argumentation.
Inferences = "If this is true, then that means that this and this and this are true also". The means of tying everything together if they agree with you on one point. Formal logic is full of these, along with premises and conclusions.
People like to introudce emotion when they don't like your arguments. You can never conquer a person who is wrapped up in emotion. The facts are there...but even if they're true, if the other person doesn't care about it, they'll introduce some sort of emotion.
All your arguments are based upon your worldview. This is very key and we must keep this at the front of our mind when we argue with people. If their worldview doesn't match up with yours, then you won't go anywhere with that person.
Argumentation
The key thing to do is to read until you bleed. This is so very important that I can't possibly stress this enough. I got some statistics (now note, they may not all be completely true) that said that 1/3 of high school graduates never pick up a book for the rest of their life, 42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college, and 53 percent read fiction, 43 percent read nonfiction. The favorite fiction category is mystery and suspense, at 19 percent. How very depressing it is that 1) not that many people consider it profitable to read books after they've "stopped" their education and 2) that those who do read really don't tend to read what is wholesome.
Argument = appealing to the mind (basis of persuasive communication). It is a combination of statements meant to 1) change someones mind or 2) co previous beliefs.
Every argument has a premise. It always has a beginning point. You state your premise...you prove it...and then you define it. One thing about argumentation is that you must always define what you mean. Many people will agree with you until you define your words. You have to agree on the definitions or you will go nowhere. Depending on your worldview, your definitions will differ vastly. I read something the other day which I thought was fascinating. It said that words change meaning during the time of any war. This is so very true. The main reason for wars, I would say, is the fighting over the definitions of words.
To argue for God, we must presuppose God. It is a proof that cannot prove. It is something you must presuppose, or you simply presuppose man. This, simply put, means that you must have a starting point. If you starting point is not God, then it is man. You will always have some sort of premise. That is the main point of your entire argument. Your premise is where you are attempting to get the other person to agree with you on. You must be ready to argue for your premise. To challenge the argument, you have to challenge their premise (if you can find it) and then attack that. Keep your premise as short and non-controversial as possible. You will eventually build other premises off of your original one.
You give your premise, and then your conclusion, then go back and support your premise, and finally you connect everything. If they accept your premise you can easily get them to believe your conclusion. You want them ultimately to agree with your conclusion. This is all tied into worldview and faith issues.
Christianity is the life of the mind. Your pastor should always have good argumentation.
Inferences = "If this is true, then that means that this and this and this are true also". The means of tying everything together if they agree with you on one point. Formal logic is full of these, along with premises and conclusions.
People like to introudce emotion when they don't like your arguments. You can never conquer a person who is wrapped up in emotion. The facts are there...but even if they're true, if the other person doesn't care about it, they'll introduce some sort of emotion.
All your arguments are based upon your worldview. This is very key and we must keep this at the front of our mind when we argue with people. If their worldview doesn't match up with yours, then you won't go anywhere with that person.
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