Two Part Arguments

Two Part Arguments – Reasons can be made clearer and more convincing by breaking them up into 2 or more parts, each of which sounds, and ideally is, reasonable. Be careful to make each part provable (e.g. try to avoid saying all or none) and not have so many parts that it is tricky to follow. Three ways are:

1) GPS – establish a principle/goal/standard and show that it is good/desirable, and then show that the reason helps to achieve that principle/goal/standard or is required by it

2) Syllogisms – Use any type of syllogisms. The two premises are your two parts.

3) Other Types – show your reasoning step by step, using at least two steps. One approach is to show that this is a policy that we normally follow, that we should be consistent, and that the reason falls into that pattern.

Sometimes the key to attacking an argument is to realize that it is in two parts and to attack the right part. This can be made more complicated because sometimes the crucial part is implied rather than stated, so you may need to point out that second part.

Exercise:  For each of the following, come up with a two-part reason in favour of and one against the resolution using principle, desirable goal, consistency or some other approach. Assume a straightforward definition.

a.     We should elect judges

b.     We should censor the internet

c.     Canada should live up to its Paris Accord commitments

d.     We should increase our use of nuclear power

e.     We should work harder

f.      School uniforms should be abolished

g.     This House believes that Holocaust denial should be a crime

h.     We would rather be a follower than a leader

i.      We should abolish the death penalty

j.      We should impose a carbon tax

k.     Bullies win

l.      We should have a curfew for teenagers.

m.   We should be vegetarians

n.     Canada should reduce taxes

o.     We should abolish affirmative action