Explanation vs. Refutation

By Deane Barker •

Explaining why something is the way it is does not refute the point that the thing is that way.

Examples

“John is a jerk because he had a tough childhood.” Okay, that may be true, but you have only provided an explanation, you haven’t refuted anything. In defending John this way, what you’re really saying is, “I know John is a jerk, but here’s why.” In fact, you see to have accepted that John is a jerk, rather than debunked it.

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