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Chapter 11: Refutation
ACTIVITY #11.1: GENERATE REFUTATION (To help the students know how to use the menu of refutation
strategies to generate arguments.)
PREPARATION: Choose a brief argument from Infotrac or a portion of Secretary of State Powell’s speech
from the Appendix of the text, and have the students read it before class. Also ask them to bring it
with them to class.
STEP 1: Have the class form nine groups.
STEP 2: Remind everyone of the argument they were supposed to read. (You might read it to them again, or
project an outline of it.) Identify what the proposition is, so everyone understands it the same.
STEP 3: Assign each group one of the following types of refutation, and have each group prepare refutation
to the argument. If any group finishes before others, have them generate other arguments using one
or more different types of refutation.
Counter propositional arguments
Not proven
Not prima facie
Non-propositional arguments
Not relevant arguments
Not true argument
Point out contradictions
Question Underlying assumptions
Turn Arguments
STEP 4: Reconvene as a whole, and have a member of each group present their refutation. Discuss it with
the class, noting the following:
Is it really an example of the type of refutation it is said to be?
Is it direct or indirect refutation?
Is it relevant to the proposition of the original argument?
Are there other lines of reasoning that could be presented that do the same kind of
refutation?
How much does the refutation weaken the argument in favor of the proposition?
