Rebuttal

• Sometimes, arguers attempt to preempt objections to their arguments by naming the conditions or exceptions under which the warrant might not authorize the move from grounds to claim.

• The rebuttal tries to answer a "But what if..."? question from the audience.

• Here is a simple example:

• Claim: This yogurt is probably unsafe to eat. Grounds: It's past its "sell by" date. Warrant: The "sell by" date is a reliable indicator of food safety. Backing: Food‑safety studies show that, once dairy products pass their sell-by date, harmful bacterial counts can rise to levels that pose a health risk. Qualifier: ("probably" is in the claim). Rebuttal: Unless it has been stored frozen this whole time.

In this example, the rebuttal names a special circumstance that would breaks the warrant’s general rule.