Write about a controversy in the news
How does one demonstrate their belief in an opinion?
Why is a written argument a good way to defend an opinion?
What is worth arguing about?
Why and how is argument both a process and a product?
News controversy:
Nuclear power: should the U.S. build more reactors or not? Nuclear power costs 5.71 cents per kilowatt hour (Department of Energy), compared to gas which is priced at 3.9 to 4.4 cents per kW hour, and coal, which is priced at 4.8 to 5.5 cents per kW hour (Cold Energy LLC, 2008). Even compared to renewable power generation such as hydro, geothermal, wind, and solar, gas is still the cheapest form of power we have available to us at this time.
However, the oil that gas needs to act as a power source is non-renewable, and already running out. We cannot expect to keep burning so much gas and have it last for thousands of years into the future. Not only are oil and gas supplies running out, but the burning of gas is greatly contributing to the greenhouse gases, which contribute in some part to global warming.
Coal is only slightly more expensive than gas, approximately one cent more per kW hour, but won't burn clean. It is seen that coal provides the world with more pollution then all other power supplies combined; 30,000 people die annually due to coal pollution (Abt Associates, 2000). Because of environmental regulations, it is becoming difficult to build coal plants around the world.
Nuclear power has drawbacks as well. Plants are expensive to build, approximately $12 million to $18 million (Climate Progress, 2008), and even more expensive to de-commission, approximately $300 million per plant in the U.S (nuclearinfo.net, 2008). There is no 100% safe way to store nuclear waste, plants could be a target for terrorism, and radiation affects not only plant workers, but people in the area. Nuclear accidents such as that in Three Mile Island (in which thousands died) are catastrophic; I don't believe another power source should be worth that risk.
That's not to say I'm not a proponent of alternative energy; I don't think gas or coal are doing us any good right now, what with global warming and environmental concerns, and the decreasing supply of oil. Being less dependent on foreign oil sounds great right now, it's just a matter of finding an alternative source for energy. Nuclear energy could supply this need, if it is refined to the point where it is cost-effective, and safe.
How does one demonstrate their belief in an opinion?
A person can demonstrate belief in either their own opinions, or someone else's. People demonstrate belief in many, many different ways. Through their own speech, through words, or pictures, or actions. In a person's lifetime, it will be a combination of all these things.
From the Oxford English Dictionary, 'belief' is an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists. 'Opinion' is a view or judgment about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
This would mean that belief in an opinion is the acceptance that that opinion is true, even if the opinion is not based on fact. It could merely be an idea, a brief 'I think' statement, but people can still believe it. Some of the most influential opinions come from influences in a person's family or circle of friends, and also the opinions of idols, such as actors, musicians, religious symbols, and political symbols.
Political campaigns are one example of a statement of opinions. The candidate has opinions based on something, whether it is fact or the past or personal experiences, and they try to persuade people to believe in these opinions by advertisements, debates, and public speeches. In return, people demonstrate their belief (and trust) with a vote.
Why is a written argument a good way to defend an opinion?
Written arguments have several advantages to other options for arguments, such as speech, art, or actions. Written arguments are often more complete and thought-out than other arguments because the author has time to fully construct his or her stance on an issue, research all sides of it, and then present it in a complete format, unlike the other forms of arguments (speech, art, actions). After an initial argument is formed and written, it is changeable and not set in stone. The author can revise and edit, or simply begin again with more information and evidence, or a completely new take on the original opinion they were defending.
When writing in the defense of an opinion, it is possible to generally predict who the audience will be, or who will be reading your argument. For example, if an argument is written in support of nuclear power, the audience will be others in support of nuclear power, people who are not sure if they are supporting or rejecting nuclear power, and those who are simply doing research on nuclear power, whether for their own information and curiosity, or for their personal argument. Choosing material for your argument can be easier if you know your audience.
Using knowledge of the audience and 'conversation' being joined, it is easier to determine which writing form a personal argument should take. Business papers, letter to the editor or other newspaper editorials, research paper or other school-related argument, peer-reviewed journals, magazine articles, or blogs are only a few options available for written arguments. The ways to get other forms of argument publicized are much more limited than written arguments.
I will address the two remaining prompts in a later post (tomorrow, most likely).
-Ace
No comments:
Post a Comment