Refuting Arguments Directly and Indirectly

In Chapter 7, we learned that there are two separate ways to refute an argument – either directly, or indirectly. Refuting an argument directly involves one of three criteria: a) you must demonstrate that at least one of the premises is doubtful, b) you must show that the argument is invalid or weak, or c) you must prove that the conclusion is not true. For example, if one were to claim “two kids is the maximum a family like us can handle,” another person could refute the argument directly by pointing out someone else in a similar situation (same sized house, combined salary, etc.) that has five kids and is raising all five with no problems. When an argument is refuted indirectly, one must demonstrate that at least one of the several claims is false. Going back to the argument listed above, one could refute the claim indirectly if the following premise is known: the couple has raised two daughters and they desperately want a son. In this case, one would point out the fact that since it is a must that the family brings a son into the family, they are going to have to try to have more than two children.