Argumentation.

The article presents views of the author on his favorite educational course which gives him the opportunity to teach critical thinking and collective persuasion at the University of Utah. At the University of Utah, the study of argumentation has been a core part of the curriculum for many decades, and other professors can tell that their high-school or college debate experiences have helped shape their characters and their teaching philosophies. Teaching argumentation involves the provision of a comfort zone where students can learn to defend their own values while simultaneously learning about the strengths and weaknesses of expert and lay knowledge. There are even times when the use of the Socratic method helps them reflect on their own about their own prejudices and biases.