Rule 37: Detail objections and meet them 209
undermines the original argument. You can either fall back on other argu-
ments for the same conclusion or give up that conclusion altogether.
When detailing an objection to your argument, it’s important to dif-
ferentiate the objection from your own views. You don’t want your reader
to think that you are endorsing the objection. Phrases like “It might be
objected that . . .” can help you do this.
Sample
Electric cars will never be more than a niche product. They may become popular
in dense urban areas, but never outside of big cities. The biggest reason for this is
“range anxiety,” the fear of not being able to go far enough before you run out of
electricity. Green-technology enthusiasts dismiss range anxiety as a temporary
problem, but it will be a long time before you can recharge your all-electric car
on the side of the highway.
Adapted from: Peter M. DeLorenzo, “Electrics as Part of the Mix,” New York Times, Oct 7, 2010,
[Link]
electrics-as-part-of-the-mix
Green-technology enthusiasts dismiss “range anxiety” as only a temporary problem.
As more people buy electric cars, they claim, entrepreneurs will build recharging
stations that allow owners to recharge their cars, just as gas stations allow drivers
of gasoline-powered cars to refuel along the way. Over time, running out of battery
power in your car will be no bigger a fear than running out of gas. Once this happens,
the objection goes, there will be no major obstacles to using electric cars outside of big
cities.
This argument, however, faces a chicken-and-egg problem. Until there are enough
recharging stations outside of big cities, people who live outside of big cities won’t buy
electric cars, and people with electric cars won’t travel outside big cities. But until
people are buying or driving electric cars outside of big cities, people won’t build
recharging stations. Thus, range anxiety is likely to remain a problem for the fore
seeable future.
This response does not restate the main argument. It jumps right in with a detailed version of
the objection. There are two things to notice about this response’s discussion of the objection.
First and most importantly, the response treats the objection as a full-fledged argument.
The response clearly states the conclusion of the objection, which is that range anxiety is a
temporary problem. (Note that the conclusion of the objection is, in effect, that the main
premise of the original argument is false. That is, the conclusion of the objection is that range
anxiety is not just a temporary problem.) The response then gives premises for that
210 Rule 37: Detail objections and meet them
conclusion: More people buying electric cars will lead to people building recharging stations.
Recharging stations will make range anxiety a thing of the past, just as gas stations ease
anxiety about running out of gas.
Second, the response makes it clear which views are the author’s and which are some-
one else’s. It even attributes the objection to a specific kind of critic—“green-technology en-
thusiasts.” The response uses the phrases “they claim” and “the objection goes” to remind the
reader that it is considering an objection.
After stating the objection in detail, the response gives a clear rebuttal that explains why
the objection fails. This, too, is an argument—an objection to the objection—and the response
treats it as one, clearly presenting premises and a conclusion.
1. The world has no shortage of urgent problems, including dis-
ease, war, and poverty, to name a few. It is unconscionable for
people like Elon Musk to spend millions of dollars on frivolous
projects like launching his car into space to show off his com-
pany’s latest rocket. Even his broader aim of exploring Mars
pales in comparison to the importance of tackling problems
here on Earth. Musk and his supporters will surely object that
we need to do fun and exciting things, too, but we can worry
about fun when children aren’t dying of malaria, famine, and
errant bombs.
Adapted from: Nathan Robinson, “Why Elon Musk’s SpaceX Launch Is Utterly Depress-
ing,” The Guardian, Feb 7, 2018, [Link]
feb/07/elon-musk-spacex-launch-utterly-depressing
2. From a career perspective, the smartest choice is to major in phi-
losophy or liberal arts. That’s because artificial intelligence is
going to replace most technical jobs, including things like ac-
counting and programming, whereas the critical thinking skills
you learn as a philosophy or liberal arts major are going to be
much harder to automate. The parents of would-be philosophy
majors might object that philosophy majors face terrible job pros-
pects, but a philosophy major will pay off in the long run.
Adapted from: Marguerite Ward, “Google Exec, Mark Cuban Agree That These College
Majors Are the Most Robot-Resistant,” CNBC, Apr 21, 2017, [Link]
com/2017/04/21/[Link]
Rule 37: Detail objections and meet them 211
3. People have speculated for decades about the fate of Amelia Ear-
hart, who disappeared over the South Pacific in 1937 while trying
to become the first woman to fly around the world. A recently
discovered photograph from the Marshall Islands may help solve
the mystery. The photograph shows several people standing and
sitting on a dock, including a white woman with short hair and a
seemingly white man with a receding hairline that matches the
hairline of Earhart’s navigator, John Noonan. The photograph’s
label indicates that it was taken at Jaluit Harbor, where some peo-
ple believe Earhart ended up after crash-landing and being picked
up by a Japanese ship. Earhart expert Richard Gillespie, however,
disputes the claim that the woman in the photo is Earhart: the
hair is too long, he says, compared to a photograph taken of Ear-
hart just before she left.
Adapted from: Laurel Wamsley, “Does a Newly Discovered Photo Show Amelia Earhart
Survived a Crash Landing?” NPR, Jul 6, 2017, [Link]
thetwo-way/2017/07/06/535861448/
4. Classes in music and arts keep young students engaged and inter-
ested. It also offers them a creative outlet. Therefore, elementary
schools should provide music and arts classes for all students. Some
people might object that music and arts classes should be cut be-
cause of tight budgets and the need to focus on testing, but we
need to keep our priorities straight.
Adapted from: Kathy Bushouse, “Broward Schools to Consider Cuts
to Physical Education, Arts and Music Classes,” Sun Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL),
Mar 8, 2010, [Link]
[Link]
5. The world owes it to the people of North Korea to overthrow its
oppressive government. Life in North Korea is a tragedy of al-
most unimaginable proportions. Its impoverished residents, who
know virtually nothing of the outside world, live in constant
fear—and rightly so. Even a trivial misstep that offends the gov-
ernment can land a person’s entire family in a prison camp that
can only be described as a living hell. Many people will balk at the
idea of overthrowing the North Korean regime because other re-
cent efforts at replacing dictators have not turned out well, but the