Better

Arguments
Making the best out of each round.
 Welcome to
today's training
session!
What are we going to cover?

1. How to come up with arguments "good" arguments?

2. The anatomy of an argument.
3. Making a principle Argument.
How to generate
arguments?
 1) Is there a principle
argument why we should or
should not support the
motion?

The basic 3 2) Is there a benefit in what

we support?

3) Is there a harm associated

with the motion?
 THW BAN RACE BASED SCHOOLS

GOV OPP
1) Is there a principle reason to ban race 1) Is there a principle reason to allow race
based schools? based schools?

In principle, schools should not be a tool In principle, racial communities should be

of racial segregation, and race based allowed aspects of their race preserved,
schools increase segregation and schools are the primary driver of
racial preservation.
 THW BAN RACE BASED SCHOOLS
GOV
2) Is there a benefit to the ban?
schools?
If race based schools are banned, the
education system would be converted
into a multiracial and nationalised
school system, which would promote
racial unity and prevent resentment
overtime.
OPP
2) Is there a benefit to allowing race based
If race based schools are allowed, racial
communities would have an avenue to
preserve their culture, and ensure the
longevity of practices such as cultural
practice in schools and even language.
 THW BAN RACE BASED SCHOOLS
GOV
3) Is there a harm if we do not ban?
If we do not ban, school children would
not grow up in an environment which
familiarises them with other races, and
in the long term, may segregate society
even more.
OPP
3) Is there a harm if we do ban?
If we ban race based schools, this would
breed resentment against other races as
the ban would be seen as a threat and
disruption to the preservation of culture.
 1) What is your goal
2) What is your proposal
3) How is the goal
achieved?
4) Why is the goal
important
5) Why is there no other
Goal based way to achieve your goal
argumentation
Blue means in setup
 THBT prisoners should be allowed
to vote in general elections (GOV)
GOAL: HOW IS THE GOAL ACHIEVED?
Improve democratic process by When prisoners are allowed to vote, this increases the
allowing the participation of number of overall voters that politicians need to cater
everyone who is effected by in manifestos and campaigning. This increase in number
government policies, which incentivises more politicians to double their efforts in
includes prisoners. persuading the population.

PROPOSAL : WHY IS THIS GOAL IMPORTANT?

Allow prisoners to vote for Prison reforms and improvement of human practices in
politicians, done in prison. prison has been almost impossible due to prisoners not
having a voice and often neglected in the policymaking
All prisoners should be allowed. process.
 1) What is the problem with
status quo?
2) What is your proposal
3) How does you solution
solve the problem?
4) Why is there no other way
to solve the problem?

Problem solving
argumentation
Blue means in setup
 THW BAN SMOKING
PROBLEM :
In status quo, smoking related
deaths are on the rise, and
made worst by the inability of
people to actually quit due to
the strong effects of addiction.
SOLUTION:
There is no other better
solution than to ban smoking
entirely.
(GOV)
HOW IS THE PROBLEM SOLVED:
(1) Remove all supply of cigarettes
(2) Smokers are forced to replace their habits with a
better one.
(3) Even if they consume illicit cigarettes, it is significantly
harder to smoke, hence quitting is the easier of the 2
options.
WHY WONT OTHER WAYS WORK?
Other solutions such as addiction therapy does not
work because
(a) Cigarettes are still available and accessible.
(b) Social pressure
(c) Quitting depends on the will of the person.
THE ANATOMY OF
AN ARGUMENT
 1. THE TITLE/CLAIM
THE 4 COMPONENTS 2. WHY IS THE CLAIM TRUE
OF AN ARGUMENT 3. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT
4. WHAT IS THE
COMPARATIVE
ARGUMENT TITLE

The title of an argument

determines what type of
argument can you make,
what can be argued, and
how it evolves later on in
the debate.
 TYPES OF TITLES/CLAIM
TYPE OF CLAIM/ARGUMENT
EXAMPLE OF TITLE
TITLE

Principle claim In principle, (x) is immoral.

Outcome claim If you do (x), (y) will happen

Characterisation claim (x) is like this

Comparative claim (x) will benefit/harm more than (y)

Comparative principle claim (x) principle is more important than (y) principle
WHY YOUR ARGUMENT IS
TRUE THIS IS A CRUCIAL STEP IN
ANY DEBATE. YOUR
ARGUMENT IS ONLY AS
GOOD AS HOW TRUE IT IS. A
SMART OPPONENT WILL
ATTEMPT TO PROVE THAT
YOUR ARGUMENT IS
COMPLETELY UNTRUE
 HOW TO PROVE AN ARGUMENT?

Incentives THBT worker unions should use violence against employers

An incentive is a Title: Why true:
The use of violence will (1) Violence is a threat to their business, which they
positive or
force employers to do not destroyed (Negative)
negative reason, provide better working (2) The employers want to rebuild back their
motive or want. conditions reputation. (Positive)

Process
Processes
Title:
(1) First, the use of violence will be negatively
The use of violence will
portrayed by the media.
lead to reduce rights to
From step A - Z (2) Secondly, this will reduce overall support by the
employees
public towards the unions
(3) Thirdly, the unions will be labelled as terrorist
(4) In the end, whenever they want to fight for rights,
there will be no support whatsoever.
 Just because something will
happen, does not mean that
it matters?

WHY IS YOUR ARGUMENT

IMPORTANT?
HOW TO MAKE AN ARGUMENT IMPORTANT?

Framing technique Explaination

The benefit or harm that your team argues will happen will affect the most vulnerable
Most vulnerable stakeholder
stakeholder in the debate. Usually the biggest and most affected victim.

The benefit will generate the most positive change to status quo. This could be based on
Greatest amount of benefit
pure outcome or accessibility.

Irrevocable harm The harm that will occur can never be corrected.

Mutually exclusive benefit Only your solution or proposal will get this specific benefit. There is no other way.

Catalyst for greater outcome One leads to another. When you get (x), you would get (y) and (z) in the short or long run.

The harm would not have happened "but for" the existence of something. This is usually
"But for"
to frame a harm in your opponents case.
 Everyone has a point, yet
which one matters more?

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS A

COMPARATIVE?
 TYPES OF COMPARATIVE

Comparative 1 - With your Comparative 2 - With the

argument opponents arguments

Gov : Ban on smoking makes Gov : Ban on smoking makes

society healthier. society healthier.

Comparative : In Opposition, Comparative : A healthier

without the ban, the overall health society is more important than
of society is worst. the right of choice of a few
PRINCIPLES...
WHAT IS A PRINCIPLE?

A principle argument is an
argument about the
morally preferred state of
the world that is affected
by the subject matter of
the debate.
 SO HOW TO MAKE A PRINCIPLE ARGUMENT?

STEP 1 : WHAT IS THE PREFERRED MORAL STATE OF

THE WORLD
STEP 2 : HOW IS THIS EFFECTED IN THE DEBATE
STEP 3 : WHY DOES THE PRINCIPLE MATTER
STEP 4 : THE COMPARATIVE

Step 1:
Preferably, human beings
should be able to have their
own freedom of choice. It is
inherent in the state of
existence that human beings
are free. However, it is also the
case that if this right harms
another persons right, that
right should be limited to
restore the right that was taken
away.
THW BAN SMOKING
Step 2: Step 3:
The thing about smokers, is This principle is extremely
that their habit will affect crucial as the right to health
the health of those who are that was taken away will
non-smokers. This is known adversely affect the quality
as second hand smoking. In of life of individuals.
order to restore the rights
of the person whose right to
health is taken away, the
government must ban
smoking.