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VIDEODROME
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08 Jul 2012, 6:11 pm

I'm spending a lot of time in front of the computer on this and it's really slow going. I think on some level I despise rhetorical arguing.

I'm also told we're supposed to have a Position but not an Opinion. That seems a little weird. Surely we have the opinion that something we're arguing against is bad.

Aside from that it's the work itself. I don't like working from an outline and the preselected thesis is awkward.

I guess I really just feel like complaining about my homework.


Oh well the concept has been tossed out that this is like arguing a case in court so I'm trying to imagine doing that. Even though in the court I'd rather be the impartial judge.



Ann2011
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08 Jul 2012, 7:12 pm

VIDEODROME wrote:
I'm also told we're supposed to have a Position but not an Opinion. That seems a little weird. Surely we have the opinion that something we're arguing against is bad.


Not necessarily - you can come up with arguments in support of or against something regardless of your own opinion. You don't have to agree that what you are arguing is correct, rather you want to present arguments in support of the thesis.

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Aside from that it's the work itself. I don't like working from an outline and the preselected thesis is awkward.


If the thesis has been predetermined it matters even less what your own opinion is because the decision has already been made. Take the position stated and think of at least three arguments in support of it.



abstract
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14 Jul 2012, 9:59 am

I believe that people hold be able to do whatever they please so long as they provide a very valid reasoning with unbiased facts and professional opinions to support it. That being said, I'm not sure if that applies to your case.



thewhitrbbit
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14 Jul 2012, 10:54 am

I think the key difference between an opinion and a position is a position is supported by facts.

I can say "in my opinion, the sky is blue"

or I can say "The sky is blue based on the scientific principals of the reflraction of light"



VIDEODROME
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14 Jul 2012, 11:00 am

Thanks for the replies. I did get it done and turned in. Now I'm working on the next one.

It helped to think of how Prosecutor trying to sway a Jury by calling up expert witness testimony.