Lion was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising up in anger, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: “If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness.” The Lion laughed and let him go.
It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by strong ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar,came up, and gnawed the rope with his teeth, and setting him free.
exclaimed: “You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, not expecting to receive from me any.
repayment of your favour; but now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion.”
单向思维、单层论证、感情用事,这样的描述从字面上就可以看出带有批评的色彩,但有意思的是,当教师将这样的陈述说与学生时,学生即使会接受,对其议论文的写作也不会有质的改变。一个重要的原因,就是学生不知道自己如此作文背后的原因是什么。笔者以为,从时序的角度来看,这其中有两个原因:
一是历史原因。学生在进入高中之前,已经有过议论文的学习经历,虽然真正动笔写议论文的情形不多,但自媒体时代的网络写作(腾讯空间的“说说”或者“微博”)中,已经含有大量的议论文性质的只言片语,凡与学生为网络好友者,应当皆知此事。这样的前置性阅读与写作经验,使得学生在进入高中之后的议论文写作中,充满着叶文所批评的三点表现。
二是学生原因。这里所说的学生原因主要是指学生的判断力与逻辑思维的能力。议论文是为“说理”而来,而“分析”实际上是逻辑思维能力的表现,因此学生的“分析说理能力不足”,实际上就是不会分析,不会说理。根据笔者的观察,即使高中学生在面对一个观点时,常常表现为盲从的状态,即丧失自我判断的状态。尤其是对网络上的一些让人“眼前一亮”的观点,这种情形之下更多的是附和,这就是叶文所说的“单向思维”;而对于不同观点,又容易极端反击。这就是叶文所说的“感情用事”;而无论是在课堂上的议论文写作中,还是在网络写作中,为了说明自己的某个观点,自然会引用对自己有利的证据来论述,这就是“单层论证”。
当我们将历史原因与学生角度的判断与逻辑思维原因结合起来时,就发现学生出现“分析说理能力不足”及其三个表现是有因可循的了。
The Father and His Son
Father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarrelling among themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, he determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils of disunion; and for this purpose he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. They each tried with all their strength, and were not able to do it.
回到作文本身上来,简单点说,作文就是用文字表达自己的观点。因此,议论文应当就是通过文字来分析与说理,分析为了说理,说理基于分析,这就是论点与论据的关系。这里需要关注叶文所提出的,“有关议论文写作的指导,大多都围绕例证法开发相应的策略……对于分析什么,如何分析,缺乏整体性的思考”。
叶文给出的解决之道是“概念分析”,笔者对此的观点表示赞同,但觉得跟学生更应该强调的是“分析”与“说理”这两个概念,因这两个概念学生更容易听得懂,尤其是笔者通过自身的实践,发现高中学生一方面喜欢写议论文,因为他们有说理的劲头,但有时又怕写议论文,因为他们怕分析。这就说明议论文的教学重心之一,还是应当培养学生的说理能力。而理如何说,自然是基于上面提到的方法论基础,基于学生的逻辑思维能力。
其实,理不辩不明,逻辑思维能力的培养关键在于学生有没有一个逻辑思维的机会,议论文的学习与讲评,都是这样的好机会,教师多存一个心即可。
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