Thursday, February 22, 2007
Vector, Victor? Roger, Roger.
I think the Rogerian argument could be very useful in 1000- I wouldn't use it in every assignment, but he has a point that an argument that understands and addresses its opposition is more powerful than an argument that ignores its opposition. This would tie in well with one of my second-string paper assignments (read a short story, read an article of criticism on the story, disagree with the critic). One goal of the assignment is to encourage students to challenge received wisdom; fully understanding the opposed argument probably would help them to do this, and be able to use the critic's words against him.
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1 comment:
Love the _Airplane!_ reference. I agree that an argument that has incorporated an opposing viewpoint or worldview ( _Weltanschauung_, to follow the Germanic borrowings that the discussion of empathy began) can only be stronger--especially if it can have synthesized and incorporated its logic into its own presuppositions, thereby already accounting for it when one proceeds.
Just my opinion.
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