Debate: The Logical Argument

There are are three things wrong wrong with this sentence.

Argument An argument is a set of claims presented in a logical form. An argument attempts to persuade an audience to adopt a certain position on a specific topic.

Argument examples?

Argument An argument gives several claims, also known as premises or contentions, that support a position. An argument ends with a conclusion, also known as main- claim.

Create a sample argument… 1) ______________________. 2) ______________________. 3) _______________________. _______________________________________ 4) Therefore, ______________________.

Claim Examples 1)Dolphins are athletic. 2)Dolphins are very intelligent. 3)Dolphins are highly social animals.

Sample Argument 1)Dolphins are athletic. 2)Dolphins are highly intelligent. 3)Dolphins are highly social animals. 4) The best animal is athletic, very intelligent, and highly social. __________________________________ 5) Therefore, the dolphin is the best animal.

Resolution In debate, the specific issue being debated is known as the resolution, often just called the topic. The resolution must always be a statement (i.e. It must assert something and cannot be a question). The resolution must challenge the status quo.

Resolution Continued The “Pro” side, aka affirmative, argues in support of the resolution. If Pro proves the resolution true, they win. The “Con” side, aka negative, argues against the resolution. If Con proves the resolution untrue, or simply prevents the pro from proving it true, they win.

So, what is the conclusion of the following argument? 1)Dolphins are athletic. 2)Dolphins are highly intelligent. 3)Dolphins are highly social animals. 4) The best animal is athletic, very intelligent, and highly social. __________________________________ 5) Therefore, the dolphin is the best animal.

If this is the pro side, what is the resolution? 1)Dolphins are athletic. 2)Dolphins are highly intelligent. 3)Dolphins are highly social animals. 4) The best animal is athletic, very intelligent, and highly social. __________________________________ 5) Therefore, the dolphin is the best animal.

If this is the con side, what is the resolution? 1)Dolphins are athletic. 2)Dolphins are highly intelligent. 3)Dolphins are highly social animals. 4) The best animal is athletic, very intelligent, and highly social. __________________________________ 5) Therefore, the dolphin is the best animal.

Claims A claim is a statement that asserts something to be true. Each claim is a statement within the argument that the arguer needs accepted. These statements are given to logically lead the audience to the debater’s conclusion. Think of claims as the structural framework of your argument.

Claims …but claims don’t stand alone in bringing the audience to the conclusion. Each claim needs to be accepted as both relevant and true to create an effective argument – to prove the conclusion true.

A true claim is one which is either obviously true (i.e. prima facie), or proven accurate through evidence and reasoning. A relevant claim is one which leads logically to the conclusion.

Claims Only occasionally do claims do not need evidence to be accepted as true. These claims are called prima facie, or, (true) at first sight. Examples…

Evidence Most claims need support in order to be accepted as true. This support comes in the form of evidence. Evidence is information that accompanies each claim to make it accepted as true.

Premise 1 Support 1)Dolphins are athletic. According to Finn Sfermi, lead zoologist of Seattle Aquarium, “Dolphins are by far the most athletic animals in the sea, jumping as high as 30 feet out of the water.” (Aquarium Review, 2003)

Premise 2 Support 2) Dolphins are very intelligent. A 2005 research study at University of British Columbia found Dolphins to reliably recognize more than 100 words – far more than any other species. (Dolphins Are Smart, 2005)

Premise 3 Support 3) Dolphins are highly social animals. Dolphins live within close social groups, called pods, typically ranging from 10 to 60 individuals. (“Are Dolphins Social?” 1999) “I have never seen another species communicate so effectively, which dolphins do through complex echo location.” (Dr. Pourpa Sarkul, 2012)

Premise 4 Support 4) The best animal is athletic, very intelligent, and highly social. An online poll of 84 WHS students showed that athleticism, intelligence and sociability were ranked as the three highest traits of the best animal. (

Validity An argument with a conclusion that follows logically from its claims is a valid argument. An argument with a claim that is not relevant (even just one) is deemed an invalid argument, and loses its effectiveness.

Soundness An argument constructed of all claims that are accepted as relevant and true is a sound argument. An argument with a claim that is not accepted as true is deemed an unsound argument and it no longer proves the conclusion true.

Meaning… Valid: The conclusion follows logically from its claims. Sound: All claims are true and arrive logically at the conclusion.

Meaning… Soundness entails validity. That is, a sound argument is a valid one, but a valid argument is not necessarily a sound one.

Practice… Assess the following arguments for validity and soundness

1)All students in this room are male. 2)Mr. McCartney is in this room. ________________________ 3) Therefore, Mr. McCartney is a male.

1)All students in this room are people. 2)Mr. McCartney is in this room. ________________________ 3) Therefore, Mr. McCartney is a person.

1)All spotted owl populations require forests for habitat. 2)Spotted owls are birds. ________________________ 3) Therefore, all forests are habitat to birds.

1)Spotted owl populations require forests for habitat. 2)The spotted owl is endangered due to loss of habitat. _____________________________ 3) Therefore, to preserve the spotted owl we must preserve the forests they inhabit.

1)All humans in this room are people. 2)Mr. McCartney is a human. ________________________ 3) Therefore, Mr. McCartney is a person.

1)All dogs go to heaven. 2)Bowser is a dog. ________________________ 3) Therefore, Bowser will go to heaven.

1)All dogs are immortal. 2)Socrates is a dog. ________________________ 3) Therefore, Socrates is immortal.

1)All men are mortal. 2)Socrates is a man. ________________________ 3) Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

1)If you are angered by killing of Cecil the lion, then you must care about animals. 2)If you care about animals, then you must be vegetarian. 3)But, you are not vegetarian. ________________________ 4) Therefore, you must not be angered by the killing of Cecil the lion.

1)Raising the legal driving age to 18 will decrease traffic accidents. 2)Decreasing traffic accidents will save lives. 3)A law that will save lives is worth implementing. _________________________________________ 3) Therefore, the legal driving age should be raised to 18.

Questions?