Understand and identify the different types of statements:
- Normative statements
- Descriptive general statements
- Descriptive particular statements
Normative Statements
-
claim we should/must/ought to do something or
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that something is ‘good’ or ‘bad’
-
E.g. We should make English a non-required course in primary, secondary, and university education in China.
Emphasize what we should do, emphasize what people should do
There should be keywords
Descriptive Statements
- are anything that is not a normative statement!
- of ‘fact’ or ‘opinion’ claiming that something is ‘true’.
Factual, declarative
Descriptive General Statements (extensive)
- Eg
- Schools are placing too much emphasis on English.
A class of things without modifiers
Descriptive Particular Statements (specific, special cases)
- Eg
- Public primary school number 1 is placing too much emphasis on English.
With attributive clauses, with modifiers to modify a certain type of things
Why
Inside arguendo
he did
Why do you believe this? ----> How do you know this?
Why should we do this? -----> For what purpose?
Which questions should i ask
Descriptive Particular Statements
How do you know this?
Why do you believe this thing is true? Where did you see it
How do you know this fact?
So what? What is the relevance of this?
Why do you think your statement is related to your opinion or dialogue
Why do you say this here and now?
Why do you say this statement in this place?
These questions should not be used with the root statement. They are not appropriate because root statements are the basis of the argument, and therefore relevant.
Descriptive General Statements
All three
What is an example of this?
What examples support your argument
What is a counter-example of this?
Is there a counterexample to your argument
How? By what mechanism does this happen?
The question asks for the mechanism or principle that explains why the statement is true
What is the mechanism of this occurrence and why is it so established
Normative Statements
All three
For what purpose?
why should we do this?
Under what conditions is this true/false?
Under what conditions is it possible to be established
The question asks for the conditions under which the statement is true or valid,
i.e. the assumptions that need to be true for the statement to be true.
Reply
Good answers are:
- Responsive: they answer the question asked.
- Relevant: they apply to the topic or point being discussed.
- Informative: they give us some useful information on which to
continue the discussion.
manthos
Joanna
