A Short Word on Good Arguments

What is a “strong argument”? This is a question that every apologist should consider. You should start with premises that are true or plausibly true. Next, a conclusion that follows from the premises. That makes it a *valid* argument.

But there’s more. After all, a valid argument with premises which cannot be understood by the target audience isn’t much good. I mean, what good is an argument if nobody understands it? By analogy, what good is a Ferrari consigned to a museum so that nobody can drive it? Ferraris were made to be driven and arguments were made to be understood.

So, we have plausibility, validity, and accessibility. Let’s add one more desideratum: weightiness. It’s not trivial; it has emotional bite; it keeps you up at night, thinking. Now that’s a good argument.

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