Reply equals rebuttal

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If a person makes a statement and another person makes a statement in opposition to it, then the first person's statement has been rebutted and is therefore invalid.

I almost don't dare pick up that gauntlet. But ,,,

Methinketh you give too much power to the rebutterer, who may be ignorant or flippant or plain wrong.

Rebutted, I can concede? But invalid?

I'm using it in a colloquial sense of "wrong" rather than properly meaning that the logic of the syllogism is improper in a manner that a false conclusion would be obtained if true premises were used.

Rebuttal requires evidence showing that the assertion objected to is either empirically false or contains a logical error (that includes implying a contradiction).

A: Says chocolate ice cream is good
B: Says: chocolate ice cream is bad

where both are asserting a preference. B has NOT rebutted A. B has simply expressed a contrary opinion.

Compare this with:

A: Says eating chocolate ice cream will given one zits.
B: Says this is generally not true, and presents statistical data to show it.

Then B has rebutted A's general assertion.


ruveyn

No, B has spoken nutritional fact where A had merely expressed the opinion of chocolate ice cream seeming tasty.

No, B has refuted A's general assertion.

Rebutting and merely responding are difficult to determine, but a rebuttal is a response that blunts the blow of a person's argument by undermining or providing counter-evidence to the evidence used by the first party.

For instance,
A: Says eating chocolate ice cream will give one zits and presents statistical data.
B: Says this is generally not true, and points out a flaw in the statistical data used relevant to the situation.