Refutation is a variant of reasoning aimed at challenging the thesis, proving its groundlessness. In order to achieve such a result, it is necessary to find true reasons.
Process Features
What is rebuttal? Nicolaus Copernicus tried to explain the meaning of the word. He built a complete system of evidence, with the help of which he was able to refute the geocentric system invented by Ptolemy. In biology, Darwin developed the doctrine of evolution, thanks to which he managed to refute the Linnaean statement about the constancy of plant and animal species.
Varieties of refutation
There are several different forms of this concept. For example, there are types of refutation that can sometimes have different meanings. This is a criticism of arguments, a thesis, an explanation of the connection between them.
There are various ways of refutation. In any case, they are comprehensive. For the court, only evidence of the innocence of a suspected (accused) person is considered as an example.
The presumption of innocence is the recognition of the fact of legal certainty. Tillno clear evidence of guilt is found, the person cannot be charged with a crime.
Building a rebuttal
What are the rules for retraction? It includes thesis, argument, demonstration. Its purpose is always opposite to the purpose of the proof. If the truth of the thesis is substantiated in it, then its falsity must be confirmed. Refutation is the search for reasonable and true judgments that help to identify the logical connection between the arguments and the thesis, to establish the lack of evidence and falsity of the chosen thesis. To demonstrate, you need to establish a logical connection between the arguments and the thesis, explain the lack of evidence. If it is possible to reveal the falsity of at least one logical consequence, it can be argued that all information is unreliable.
Refutation techniques
Another technique by which one can establish the falsity of a certain thesis is the confirmation of the truth of its negation. When establishing the fidelity of the thesis, the question of its truth disappears.
Any refutation is a necessary condition for finding the truth. For example, it is enough to find one polar bear among many brown bears to refute the assertion that all individuals are only brown. To deny the statement that all planets have satellites, one can cite the example of the planet Venus, which does not have them.
Two of these techniques can be used to refute any thesis, regardless ofwhat arguments it is supported by. If you deduce a false consequence from a thesis or find confirmation of the truth of the antithesis, you can find evidence of the falsity of the thesis itself. In this case, no matter what is used as an argument, they will not become evidence for the thesis itself. Only a true statement can be confirmed; there is no evidence for false hypotheses.
When putting forward a thesis with justifications, you can direct the refutation operation against the justification. Any refutation is a serious operation, which is aimed at finding reliable arguments. The fallacy of the arguments is revealed, similarly to the theses, based on the inconsistency, inconsistency of the revealed facts.
The refutation may also be directed at the very relationship between the thesis and the argument. In such situations, it is necessary to show that the thesis will not follow from the arguments that are given in support of it. In the absence of a logical connection between the thesis and the argument, there will be no question of the evidence of the thesis with the help of the arguments used.
Example
Let's consider a specific example concerning the refutation of the thesis. Citizen Ivanov B. is suspected of committing a burglary. Taking this phrase as a thesis, we will try to verify its truth, to deduce the consequences that follow from it. As a first consequence, consider the fingerprints that were left on objects and belong to Ivanov B.
The second consequence will be footprints found on the floor onscene. They were left with shoes that belonged to Ivanov B. Residents of the house (witnesses) described the appearance of an unfamiliar man, which fully corresponds to the appearance of citizen Ivanov B.
In the course of laboratory studies, it was not possible to find confirmation of the first two consequences. In addition, no 100% match was found between the portrait of a man drawn up according to the description of witnesses and the real appearance of citizen Ivanov B. As a result, it was possible to confirm the falsity of the arguments, the unreliability of the thesis, its complete refutation, and the removal of charges against the suspect Ivanov B.
Conclusion
Refutation of the thesis can be used against arguments, the thesis itself, its demonstration. Currently, a direct or indirect refutation of any thesis is used. Unlike the indirect one, with the direct one the thesis is substantiated without recourse to other statements. This technique allows you to establish the absurdity of the thesis by using circumstantial evidence. Often a refutation is built by looking for circumstantial evidence to the contrary. For example, Democritus refuted the thesis that "everything is true." With such an approach, it is possible to establish the falsity of antitheses by selecting the evidence base. This technique is currently used by criminologists and investigators involved in solving complex crimes.
Depending on the complexity of the analyzed theses, different approaches are used to refute or confirm them. Investigators use in their activities all methods,described above (each as needed). Such a tactic gives a positive result. It allows you to prove the guilt of a real criminal, to refute the accusations made against an innocent person.
