Classical Argument Outline Example

Please tag or label this post as "classical argument outline".

This is the outline for your 1st draft of your persuasive essay. This is in the classical argument format. If you need more information on the classical argument, check out the sample classical argument or the classical argument PDF. 

1. The introduction, which warms up the audience, establishes goodwill and rapport with the readers, and announces the general theme or thesis of the argument.

I will start by describing the situation everyone is already familiar with: Computers are powerful and are becoming more and more powerful. Then I will shift attention to how these current computing powers are not as powerful as the pile of gray matter in each of our heads. I will end with my thesis, "The human brain is the most powerful computation tool in the Universe." 

2. The narration, which summarizes relevant background material, provides any information the audience needs to know about the environment and circumstances that produce the argument, and set up the stakes-what’s at risk in this question. In academic writing, this often takes the form of a literature review.

I will summarize the research I've done and provide an explanation for how I will quantify or measure the power of the brain in comparison to other computational tools. I will give a brief history of the evolution of computational tools, from the abacus to Big Blue, the famous chess playing computer. 

3. The confirmation,which lays out in a logical order (usually strongest to weakest or most obvious to most subtle) the claims that support the thesis, providing evidence for each claim.

I will start by examining how computers lack autonomy and therefore any achievement of a computer is really a human achievement. I will examine the ironic list of accomplishments of humans compared to that of computers. I will describe a set of problems that computers can't solve that humans can. I will examine the mathematical comparison between the computational power of the most powerful computers versus the human brain.

4. The refutation and concession, which looks at opposing viewpoints to the writer’s claims, anticipating objections from the audience, and allowing as much of the opposing viewpoints as possible without weakening the thesis.

I will concede that certain tasks computers obviously excel at, but in such a limited set of conditions that it doesn't matter. I will use the metaphor of a professional swimmer that can only excel on sunny days with 78% humidity and 22.3 degree water temperature in a room with no windows and a coach that has to micromanage every decision of the swimmer. 

5. The summation, which provides a strong conclusion, amplifying the force of the argument,  and showing the readers that this solution is the best at meeting the circumstances.

I will close with a summary of my previous points, then a brief consideration of the unquantifiable abilities of the human brain, like emotions and creativity that demonstrate a nuanced level of intelligence that computers have not even started to approach. I will end with a reaffirmation of my original thesis.