Claim: The best test of an argument is its ability to convince someone with
an opposing viewpoint.
Reason: Only by being forced to defend an idea against the doubts and
contrasting views of others does one really discover the value of that idea.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or
disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based.
As an undergraduate college student, I have come to understand that many of
my peers are very emotionally attached to their opinions and political
viewpoints. While a gut reaction may tell you that what you believe is correct,
that initial instinct is not sufficient in backing up an opinion or idea. In a court
of law, or in a debate, one must use rational reasoning and clear, specific
examples when arguing a side. Oftentimes, one does not realize how well (or,
conversely, how little) one knows a subject until those ideas are challenged. It
is through debate, and through the process of being challenged by an opposing
viewpoint, that one really begins to understand why they believe what they
believe, and how intellectually sound those reasons are.
Many times, over the course of my education, I have come into contact with
those whose viewpoints differ from my own. I consider myself to be a person
with an open mind, and I enjoy debate with others who value different sides of
an argument than I do. In those conversations with others, it is easy to tell who
is educated on a topic, and who has had a gut, emotional reaction to the issue
being discussed. Those who know about the topic use specific examples to
explain why they feel the way they do. Those who don’t sometimes resort to
more emotional persuasive methods, and sometimes the discussion can become
heated.
It is through discussions such as these that I have been able to shape my own
opinions and viewpoints on current social issues. I appreciate being challenged
by my peers or someone who is “playing devil’s advocate” because, through
that process, I am able to really examine the motives behind my beliefs.
Sometimes, I have encountered discussions that have led me to realize that I
simply do not know enough about a topic to hold a valid discussion about it.
Other times, I have realized that I am well-versed on the subject, and my
opinion or viewpoint is logically sound.
While I agree that this process of challenge is valuable in the formation and
upholding of personal viewpoints and opinions, I do not believe that a person
should enter into a conversation with the specific purpose of persuading others
to change their opinions. Opinions are highly personal, and each person has a
reason to believe what they do. It is valuable to question beliefs and opinions,
but it is not constructive to feel that your opinion is best and others need to
believe what you believe or be considered wrong. I think that there must exist a
balance between questioning the beliefs of others and being able to understand
why other people believe what they believe. It is more important to be able to
understand another person’s perspective on a subject than it is to change their
mind. In other words, you may disagree with someone, but it is important to be
able to see why they believe what they believe. This promotes a wellroundedness
that is important in intellectual discussion, and, indeed, in many
areas of life.
Though the best test of an argument is challenge (and the subsequent ability
to meet the challenge of defense or question the validity of the original
opinion), I do not necessarily believe that the challenge must involve
convincing someone with an opposing viewpoint that you are correct. You may
challenge the idea of others—and be challenged—without feeling as though you
must change the minds of others. While discussion of this type may result in
changing someone’s mind, I don’t believe that that should be the goal. The goal
of such a discussion should be to share thoughts and ideas, to uphold your own
ideas, and to challenge ideas that may be based on emotion or instinct. In this
way, we may grow intellectually in an amiable way without stunting the growth
of those around us.
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 51, column 33, Rule ID: IN_A_X_MANNER[1]
Message: Consider replacing "in an amiable way" with adverb for "amiable"; eg, "in a hasty manner" with "hastily".
...n this way, we may grow intellectually in an amiable way without stunting the growth of those a...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
but, conversely, if, may, really, so, well, while, i think, such as, in other words
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 35.0 19.5258426966 179% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 15.0 12.4196629213 121% => OK
Conjunction : 29.0 14.8657303371 195% => OK
Relative clauses : 27.0 11.3162921348 239% => Less relative clauses wanted (maybe 'which' is over used).
Pronoun: 88.0 33.0505617978 266% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 88.0 58.6224719101 150% => OK
Nominalization: 11.0 12.9106741573 85% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 3261.0 2235.4752809 146% => OK
No of words: 652.0 442.535393258 147% => Less content wanted.
Chars per words: 5.00153374233 5.05705443957 99% => OK
Fourth root words length: 5.05314661074 4.55969084622 111% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.91846099204 2.79657885939 104% => OK
Unique words: 280.0 215.323595506 130% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.429447852761 0.4932671777 87% => More unique words wanted or less content wanted.
syllable_count: 1003.5 704.065955056 143% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.5 1.59117977528 94% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 28.0 6.24550561798 448% => Less pronouns wanted as sentence beginning.
Article: 2.0 4.99550561798 40% => OK
Subordination: 5.0 3.10617977528 161% => OK
Conjunction: 11.0 1.77640449438 619% => Less conjunction wanted as sentence beginning.
Preposition: 15.0 4.38483146067 342% => Less preposition wanted as sentence beginnings.
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 26.0 20.2370786517 128% => OK
Sentence length: 25.0 23.0359550562 109% => OK
Sentence length SD: 47.3048779651 60.3974514979 78% => OK
Chars per sentence: 125.423076923 118.986275619 105% => OK
Words per sentence: 25.0769230769 23.4991977007 107% => OK
Discourse Markers: 3.19230769231 5.21951772744 61% => OK
Paragraphs: 49.0 4.97078651685 986% => Less paragraphs wanted.
Language errors: 1.0 7.80617977528 13% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 14.0 10.2758426966 136% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 4.0 5.13820224719 78% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 8.0 4.83258426966 166% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.193045353209 0.243740707755 79% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0554784260017 0.0831039109588 67% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0485472639501 0.0758088955206 64% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.0447146469288 0.150359130593 30% => Maybe some paragraphs are off the topic.
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0484795076493 0.0667264976115 73% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 14.7 14.1392134831 104% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 54.56 48.8420337079 112% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 7.92365168539 111% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 11.9 12.1743820225 98% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 12.02 12.1639044944 99% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.12 8.38706741573 97% => OK
difficult_words: 134.0 100.480337079 133% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 11.0 11.8971910112 92% => OK
gunning_fog: 12.0 11.2143820225 107% => OK
text_standard: 12.0 11.7820224719 102% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Write the essay in 30 minutes.
Maximum six paragraphs wanted.
Rates: 66.67 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 4.0 Out of 6
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Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.