1. Quick Demonstration of Value Arguments
Jason Miller President, Lexwerks Foundation

2. Motivation: Where do you want to get to?
‘Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’
‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat.

3. Structuring the argument
Value
Why
Criterion
How
Claims
What
simple as that

4. Example: Ice cream!
Value: Liberty. This is the freedom people fought for this nation’s in-dependence for in the first place.
Criterion: Choice. We know we have Liberty when we have freedom to make choices.
Claim: having a variety of ice cream flavors increases choice while being stuck with one ice cream flavor—even if it’s chocolate—inhibits choice.

5. How is this different?
“Very few people or companies can clearly articulate WHY they do WHAT they do.
We say WHAT we do,
we sometimes say HOW we do it,
but we rarely say WHY we do WHAT we do.”

6. Example: Which way alice ought to go from here
Value: Reason. Aristotle regarded humans as the only animal capable of reasoning; our ability to reason is a measure of our humanity.
Criterion: Avoid Mad People. Because Reason is best exercised with other reasonable people.
Claim: Prefer visiting the March Hare to Avoid Mad People since, as this is May it won’t be raving mad—at least not so mad as it was in March.

7. Motivations are persuasive
Since we agree on Reason, you should trust me on this Rabbit.
Since we agree on Liberty, you should trust me on Ice Cream.

8. Thank you for your time I’m Jason Miller (@Lexwerks on Twitter)
I condensed this to a printable two pages for my students – Click here for the PDF.
I’ve referenced here:
Sinek: Start with Why (2009) – Click here for the TED Talk.
Fox Searchlight Pictures: Thank You for Smoking (2005) – Click here for ice cream.
Carroll: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Click here to go down the rabbit hole.
I also recommend:
National Speech & Debate Association: Debate Training Guide – Click here for the PDF.
Heinrichs: Thank You for Arguing (2017) – Click here to order the book.
Warner Bros: V for Vendetta (2005) – Click here for the revolutionary speech.