q uite unlike the ordinary meaning of the word, argument as a term in rhetoric refers to the process of reasoning by advancing proof. Indeed, academic argument can seem dispassionate if one expects that all argument is done with raised voices and heated tempers. Though academic argument often does grow very acrimonious, it is more often the product of careful research and thoughtful consideration of all the facts that one can acquire about the issue. For centuries therefore rhetoricians advocated the writing of an argumentative essay as a means of learning how to think. Argument demands that the writer examine a belief by testing the strength of the reasons for holding such a belief. Argument of this kind forms a dialectical structure, a dialog, within the essay itself.

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In this dialog, the writer explores several sides of the issue under consideration with the readers in an attempt to demonstrate why one perspective is the most enlightened. The writer's analysis of the issues his/her evaluations of the claims, evidence, assumptions, hidden arguments, and inherent contradictions leads the writer to champion one perspective of the subject at hand, even though reasonable, thoughtful, intelligent people advocate different perspectives. I n short, the writer of an argument essay has several goals: the primary goals is to persuade and move the audience to accept his/her position on an issue, but that is often a very difficult challenge. A secondary, and more modest goal, is for the writer to articulate why s/he chooses the stance that s/he does on an issue. The secondary goal recognizes the fact that to persuade is a difficult objective but that at least the writer can explain his/her reasoning behind his/her position.

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f or those reasons, many rhetoricians describe the argument as a dialog, set in writing, between the writer and the readers. In this dialog, the writer introduces his/her subject, makes his/her claim, discusses any necessary background information, and then presents the evidence for the position and in rebuttal to other positions.

W riters use different patterns to organize their thoughts as they compose the argument. Essentially, the two most common patters of development are the clustering and the alternating patterns of presenting evidence. In the clustering pattern, the writer collects the evidence in one place, the objections in another section, and the rebuttal in a third section.

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In the alternating pattern, the writer shifts between evidence, objection, and rebuttal for each separate piece of evidence before moving to the next piece of evidence. clustering pattern critiquing an argumentative essay this essay explicitly asks the student to use sociological arguments to support or refute a proposition a classic argumentative essay. task: apply the writing principles you have learned so far to this student essay. for comments about the paragraphs as numbered , press the symbol after each paragraph. title: the rise in the divorce rate in modern societies indicates that people are becoming selfish and irresponsible in marriage. What sociological arguments would you use to support or refute this statement? 1 divorce is a kind of marital break down. Despite minor fluctuations, there has been a rise in divorce rate in modern, industrialised societies e.g.

Asian and europe in 1991, 859 petition for divorce were filed in england and wales of which some three quarters were granted a decree absolute. But, can we regard this phenomenon as an indication that people are becoming selfish and irresponsible? in fact, what are the meaning of selfish and irresponsible? 2 before we have the answers, let us examine the reasons leading to divorce first. 3 in when marriage ends, nicky hart argues that three factors must be considered for any explanation of marital break, they are those affect: the value attached to marriage conflict between the spouses and the opportunities for individual to escape from a marriage.

4 according to the value attached to marriage, functionalists such as talcott parsons and ronald fletcher point out that marriage is increasingly valued. A higher value placed on marriage may result in increased divorce as people are more likely to end a relationship which may be acceptable in the past. But after industrial revolution, since they now become economically independent, their values towards marriage change. They now expect their spouses to have more affection to them, otherwise divorce will be inevitable.

6 secondly, those affected the degree of conflict between the spouses should be regarded. Functionalists argue that economic system has placed a high strain on families adaptation. After industrialization, nuclear family, instead of the extended one, can be found. Good argues that such family carries a heavier emotional burden when it exist independently than when it is a small unit within a larger kin fabric. For instance, the educational function will be performed by schools while production is done in a factories.

Only the emotional attachment can hold the couple together without it, divorce will be resulted. However, can we regard the divorce as selfish and irresponsible? from a functionalist perspective, it can be argued that what is functional for one part of the social system can be dysfunctional for another part. 8 referring to the opportunities for individuals to escape from a marriage, we can see that the stigma attached to divorce has been considerably reduced. Goode argues that the change in attitudes towards divorce is part of the more general process of secularization in western societies.

Secularization refers to the declining influence of the church and of religious belief in general. People now ask themselves whether divorce is a procedure to fulfil their needs, instead of as a moral one. 9 the changing attitude towards divorce have been institutionalized by various changes in law. For instance, the legal aid and advice act of 1949, which provided free legal advice, had widened the ground for divorce.

It defined the grounds for divorce as 145 irretrievable breakdown of the marriage 146 and abandoned the idea of 145 matrimonial offence 146. But in philippines, as the roman catholic philippines has consistently uphold the church's anti divorce stance, separation is common and increasing. 11 after seeing the functionalist perspective, we now have another point of view marxian. 12 nicky hart argues that the increasing divorce rate can be seen as a product of conflict between the changing economic system and its social and ideological superstructure notably the family. Due to the material aspiration the demand for goods that families desire, raised by the capitalists, both men and women become the wage earners.

However, 145 working wives 146 are still expected to be responsible for housework and play a subservient role to the husband. These expectations contradict the wife's role as a wage earner as she is sharing the economic burden now. Besides, jobs require separation between spouses, or different marital expectation stem from the sub culture of the particular social group of the spouses or young marriage but lack of working experience may also lead to divorce. 13 from the different aspects mentioned before, we know that divorce may occur much easier in this modern society. Besides, people who are unhappily married may choose to stay together because they believe in the sanctity of marriage, or worry about the financial or emotional consequences of a break up, or wish to remain with one another to give their children a 145 family 146 home. 14 on the other hand, what is the meaning of selfish and irresponsible? in fact, it is quite a subjective concept as it involves value judgement and cannot be measured so accurately.

To me, irresponsible in marriage means that one is not properly care about the marriage, while selfish means one is chiefly thinking of one's own needs and welfare. According to definition, the rise in divorce rate cannot sufficiently indicate the selfishness and irresponsibility of people. 15 in the past, divorce was absolutely disapproved and only granted in case of non consummation of marriage. But, does the existence of the marriage mean that both spouses are satisfied? maybe, they have constant fighting or one of them is physically and sexually abused by their partners, or they just concern their own benefits though they are living under a same roof. People in hong kong would like to pay money to foreigner for a mock marriage cause they want to migrate to that country. In this case, we cannot say that both people are irresponsible and selfish in marriage since they need not to care the other's feeling.