A concept from Chapter 7 that I found interesting was refuting an argument. Being able to show that an argument is unrepairable is helpful in refuting an argument. In order to refute an argument one must see that the following three occur:
- Show that at least one of the premises is dubious.
- Show that the argument isn’t valid or strong.
- Show that the conclusion is false.
An example argument would be:
It is always best to cut your own hair. Salons are always busy. The hairdresser never cuts your hair the way you want it. You will end up leaving sad and ugly. Therefore, it is simply best to cut your own hair.
This argument can be refuted by pointing out that most of the premises are unreliable and just not true. It is false to say that all salons are always busy and it is also false to say that all hairdressers never cut hair the way a person wants it. The argument is not strong at all because the premises and the conclusion are simply weak, most of the claims being completely false. Due to these factors, the argument can easily be refuted.
Hi Ralph Lauren,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post about the concepts in chapter seven because it summed up everything about what a refuting argument is. You had a great example of a refuting argument and it was easily understood. I like how you clearly stated the points about how to refute an argument. Your example was interesting and it caught my attention because it relates to me and how I feel about getting my hair cut but I do agree that the argument is not strong. It is not strong because the premises are not true and not reliable, thus leaving the conclusion in a weak state of form.