Public Speaking

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1

Make a Claim (^237)


Claims of Value


When you evaluate something using terms such as right or wrong, good or better or best,
beautiful or ugly, worthwhile or not worthwhile, you’re making a value claim. Here are
some value claims (with the evaluative term in italics):
It’s unfair for giant corporations to avoid paying taxes.
Boxing is inhumane.
National security is more important than personal privacy during airport screenings.
Note that the third claim agrees that national security and personal privacy are both
important, but the argument is over which value should take priority in the specific
context. Similarly, in the abortion debate, pro-choice people are not anti-life, nor are
pro-lifers anti-choice. However, the two sides disagree over which value should have
precedence when a woman faces an unwanted pregnancy.
Resolving value conflicts requires agreement on the criteria or standards for decid-
ing what is moral or immoral, fair or unfair, humane or inhumane. That’s why it’s vital
to state the criteria you’re using to judge. If you can convince listeners to accept your
standards, they’ll more readily accept your judgment; even if you fail to convince them,
they can at least understand the reasoning behind your argument.

Claims of Policy


Policy claims are disputable statements we make about courses of action, whether per-
sonal or on a broader basis. To identify them, look for the terms should or would. There
are basically three types of policy claims: policies should change, behaviors should
change, and policies (or actions) should remain the same.

value claim argument about
right or wrong, moral or
immoral, beautiful or ugly

criteria the standards used
for making evaluations or
judgments

policy claims disputed
claim about the need to act
or the plan for taking action

© kwest/Shutterstock.com

Within a single topic such
as climate change, people
often disagree on existence
or extent, on causes, and
on predictions regarding the
future.

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