Rebuttal and concession
Concede gracefully and rebut forcefully: steelmanning, partial concession, turning an objection, and precise rebuttal language.
In this lesson you will
- Steelman an opposing argument
- Concede partially without losing your position
- Rebut with evidence and reasoning
Learn
Steelmanning (the opposite of a straw man) = present the opposing view at its strongest. It builds credibility: The most compelling case against my position is…
Partial concession: It is true that… ; I grant that… ; There is some force in the argument that… — then pivot: …but this overlooks… ; …yet it does not follow that…
Rebuttal strategies: challenge the evidence (The data cover only…), the warrant (Even if that were true, it doesn’t follow that…), the scope (This may apply to X, but not to Y), or the consequences (The alternative would be worse because…).
Turning an objection: Far from undermining my case, this actually supports it, because…
Examples
- I grant that the scheme is expensive; however, the cost of inaction is far greater.
- Even if the survey were accurate, it would not follow that the policy caused the change.
- Far from weakening the argument, the exception proves how narrow the risk is.
- The most compelling case against a sugar tax is that it is regressive.
Vocabulary
steelman
present an opposing argument in its strongest form
concede
admit
regressive
affecting poorer people more
pivot
turn to a different point
it does not follow that
the conclusion is not logically implied
Practice
Steelmanning means…
Speaking
Choose a position. Steelman the opposing view for 45 seconds, then rebut it for 60 seconds using two different strategies.
Writing
Write a paragraph (180–220 words) that steelmans an opposing view, concedes partially and rebuts it convincingly.
Lesson quiz
The opposite of a straw man is a…
Review
Key points
- Steelman opposing views.
- Partial concession + pivot.
- Rebut evidence, warrant, scope or consequences.
- Turn objections.
What you learned
- ✓ I concede gracefully.
- ✓ I rebut precisely.
- ✓ I strengthen arguments by engaging opposition.