From the Reading

We need to make arguments because first of all, arguments are a form of conversation or debate where two or more people are fighting over why their point of view is correct. Second of all, everyone is an individual being that has different ideas or points of view, therefore through arguments, we can learn about each other’s thoughts. Third, we need to learn how to listen to other people’s arguments and express our arguments in order for society to improve as a whole. 

Between pages 1 through 15, Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz explain what arguments are and how they appear in everything that we do. The authors highlight that arguments present “who you are and what you value”. (Page 5) Even though they explain that we should “clearly and cogently” (page 9) argue for what we believe in, but it is also important to listen to others because we need to “[understand] where other people are coming from”. (Page 8) By listening to other people’s arguments, we are able to “[acknowledge] our own stances are deeply influenced by forces [that] we may not even be aware of.” When we accomplish how to successfully and skillfully make an argument, we are not only able to persuade others but able to protect ourselves from being manipulated and have a self-defense mechanism against fraud.