How Do I Incorporate Counterarguments
Overview
BloggingOnewaytobuildcredibilityincraftingpersuasiveargumentsistomakeuseofpossible
well-reasonedobjectionstoyourargument.Sometimeswhenwespendsomuchtimecoming
upwithapersuasiveargument,wetendtowanttoavoidevenacknowledgingitspossibleflaws,
forfearofweakeningourstance.Wemayjustavoidbringingthemupaltogetherinorderto
ensuretheapparentsolidityofourargument.Evenwhenwedecidetoreckonwithpossible
objections,wetendtorelyononeprimarymethodofincludingthem—theparagraphright
beforetheconclusioninafive-paragraphessay.Thiscanfeelboringifyou’vebeendoingitfora
longtime.Thegoodnewsis,thereareactuallymoreoptionsavailabletoyou,andyoushould
makeadecisionaboutwhichtousebasedonyourargument’saudienceandpurpose.
General Considerations
Acounterargumentisatypeofrebuttal.
Rebuttalsareyourwayofacknowledginganddealingwithobjectionstoyourargument,and
theycantaketwodifferentforms:
1. Refutations:Refutationsareanoftenmoreconfrontationalformofrebuttalthat
workbytargetingtheweaknessesinapossibleobjectiontoyourargument.Thinkof
refutationsasthemoresophisticatedandmatureoldersiblingof,“that’snottrue!”
Generally,theyworkbypointingoutweaknesseswiththesolidityorrationaleofthe
objection’sclaimitself(whattheobjectorsaysabouttheargument)orofits
evidence(thesupportofferedfortheclaim).
2. Counterarguments:Counterargumentsareamorecooperativeformofrebuttal.In
counterarguments,awriteracknowledgesthestrengthsorvalidityofsomeone
else’sargument,butthenmakesacaseforwhytheirapproachisstillthebest/most
effective/mostviable
Incorporatingcounterargumentshelpsyoubuildyourcredibilityasawriter.
Onceyoulearnhowtoseekoutpossibleobjectionsorcounterstoyourownargumentsand
incorporatethemfairly,youincreaseyourpowertobuildcredibilitywithyourreaders.
Refutationscanfeelsatisfying(“No,you’rejustwrong!”),andtherearecertainlysituationsin
whichtheyarethebestoronlyethicalapproach.However,mostofthetimecounterarguments
bringyourreaderstoyoursidemoreeffectively.Thisisbecausetheyareempatheticand
invitationalbynature(“IcanseewhereinsituationXYZ,whatyousuggestwouldmakethemost
sense;however,inthissituation,myapproachworksbestbecauseABC…”)
In Practice
Rebuttals:Notjustforthepenultimateparagraphanymore!
Structurally,incorporatingrebuttalscanbedoneinafewways:
1. Thetriedandtrueparagraphorsectionbeforetheconclusionthatexplicitlyaddresses
possibleobjectionsbyacknowledgingandthendispatchingwiththem;
2. Apossibleobjectionandresponsewithforeachclaimintheessay;or
3. Anentireargumentcanevenbestructuredasarebuttaltosomeoneelse’sargument.
Exercise
Seekoutopposingviews
1. Whatreasonableclaimshaveothersmadethatcontradictyourargument?Ifyoudon’t
knowany,FINDSOME.(Wepromise:theyexist.)Writethemdownincomplete
sentences.
a. Trywritingarefutationtotheclaims.Isthereanywayinwhichtheclaims
themselvesareweak?Articulatethem.Arethereunderlyingassumptions
behindtheclaimsthatmightbefaulty?Articulatethem.
b. Trywritingacounterargumenttotheclaims.Inwhatconditionsmightthe
claimsothersmakebejustified?Howso?Howisthisinstancedifferentfrom
thoseconditions?Whydoesyourclaimmakemoresensehereandnow?Is
thereanythingyoucanincorporatefromthoseclaimstostrengthenyourown?
2. Ifyouweretolaunchyourownrebuttaltoyourargument,whatwouldthatlooklike?
Howwouldyouthenovercomethatrebuttal?