The college texts I’ve reviewed are filled with logical syllogisms and examples of rhetorical manipulation techniques- but mostly about what NOT to do or what to look out for.  Nothing on how to think better to understand the world and how to gain understanding to find root causes and make better decisions.  They offer a deep education in labels but do not offer a useful process to guide thinking.

The evaluation of argument content is not about creating valid understanding or a good argument.  It’s focus is on how to criticize other people’s arguments.  So, students would become great at criticism of others but weak in creation themselves.  It is really difficult to be creative if you are worried about what not to do.  Like Bob Dylan wrote in one of his songs/poems,  “Some people don’t have much food on their table.  But they got a lotta knives and forks and – they gotta cut something.”

RCW