Ballenger and Argument

Merely an hour before doing this reading response I was engaged in a discussion with my wife over the point and necessity of general education requirements. I argued that they were mainly a waste of my time as most of them have very little to do with my chosen course of study. I told her I was never going to use what I learned in those classes; so what was the point in taking them in the first place? My wife argued that they were necessary in molding students and making them more well rounded and better educated. A few minutes after as my wife looked over the requirements she would need for her History degree she realized she would have to take three science classes. Suddenly, she no longer argued for the general education requirements but rather started expounding over the uselessness of needing science to teach history.

Ballenger uses this very example in his chapter to convey that there are usually more than two sides to every argument. He states: "...it would be misleading to think that these are the only two possible positions on general education requirements in American universities." My wife found herself torn between these positions and thinking about it more deeply rather than accepting one over the other. Ballenger discusses method of discovery and evaluation which are invaluable tools in argument. Using my wife as an example again: Jessica realized after further thought that although science is often viewed as being on the opposite side of the spectrum from the study of history; in actuality there are certain science courses that strengthen the study of history. Learning the scientific method of inquiry, hypotheses and investigation can aid the history student as they research and delve into complex concepts. Ballenger's model follows a similar guide: investigate, explore, explain, reflect.


If one uses serious inquiry and a deeper thought process we can expand our knowledge by looking at an argument from more than the standard two sided view. Introspection into arguments and ideas allows us to gain a deeper understanding for the topic at hand. This corresponds with Ballenger's following point: " To argue well is an act of imagination, not a picking of sides."

I hope that as I continue to work on my paper I can keep this model and basis in my mind as I delve into the different sides and arguments that are pertinent to my subject matter.