--9--ARGUMENT: WHAT'S A GOOD ARGUMENT?

What's A Good Argument?

    Fighting maybe easier than arguing,but even fighting can't proceed when viewpoints and ideologies become entangled.

Critical Reading Of Arguments 

    In reading argument, maintaining  openness is not always easy ,especially  when the arguments express values that differ from your own. It can require a lot of restraint to slow down those inner objections  in order to make sure that you really understand what is being  said. Critical analysis cannot be fair unless it is based on a careful and accurate reading of the material.

 What Viewpoint Is The Source Of This Argument?

   You might have begun by first skimming through each argument ,reading the names,titles ,and affiliations of each speakers then argument in light of this information.From such clues ,you might have been able to make inference about the speaker's values,motives,and beliefs.

What Is The Issue Of Controversy?

  Thus ,every controversial topic generates many issues; moreover ,surrounding  these issues are many debate questions .

1.  Should we be willing  give up some freedom  for sake of national security  ?
2. Do we need to suspend some civil liberties in order to flight terrorism ?
3. In national security more important than our civil liberties  ?

 Debate questions can also be less general than the three given previously ,addressing a more specific aspect of the larger problem :  

•  Does dissent threaten national security?
• Should the USA Patriot Act be repealed  ?
• Are secret arrests detentions ,and hearings justifiable in the fight against terrorism ?
• Should cyber liberties be curtailed for the sake of national  security  ?

Is It Argument Or A Report?

 Argument  and report  are each structured differently and have different  objectives we cannot analyze one according to the standards  of the other.