The purpose of engaging in #argument is not to #win, but rather to make others #wonder. #edchat #edu #QuoteADay #Day28 #SOTU
Today two things happened that made me consider the true purpose of argument.
First, I got caught up in a Twitter vortex on the Common Core. I responded to a tweet that, in essence, lumped all the Common Core issues together into a "Banish Common Core" type post. I attempted to explain that the issues were separate entities and poor implementation might not necessarily mean poor standards. Soon, I was blasted from many angles. I relish a good discussion, so I enjoyed the verbal sparring, though I certainly wasn't expecting some of the responses I received.
Second, I watched the first half of the State of the Union, paying particular attention to how the different political parties responded to elements of the speech. Truly fascinating stuff.
Both of these situations made me think about the purpose of argument, and how the goal for engaging in it should be about making people consider other viewpoints, rather than attempting to persuade others or somehow "win" something.
In truth, nobody truly "wins" in an argument. It's all about separating fact from opinion and seeing different sides of the same coin. Argumentation should be relished, and should be developed as a skill during our schooling. If we can't argue an idea, than we likely aren't capable of finding and utilizing evidence to support our claims.
And in a world inundated with information (some factual and some not so), if we don't seek the evidence behind claims, then we're preventing ourselves from becoming the learners we're truly capable of being.
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