Recognizing Arguments In This Assignment You Will App 842205
Recognizing Argumentsin This Assignment You Will Apply Key Concepts C
Recognizing Arguments in this assignment, you will apply key concepts covered in the module readings. You will identify the component parts of arguments and differentiate between various types of arguments such as strict, loose, inductive, and deductive. You will then construct specific, original arguments. There are two parts to the assignment. Complete both parts.
Part 1
1a: Identify Components of Arguments
Identify the component parts of the argument, premises and conclusion, for the following passages. Where applicable, highlight key words or phrases that identify a claim as a premise or a conclusion. Refer to the following example: “All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.” All men are mortal.
- Premise: Socrates is a man.
- Premise: All men are mortal.
- Conclusion: Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
“Sue is pregnant and will give birth to one child. We know already this child has no genetic anomalies.
If Sue’s baby is a boy, he will be named Mark. If Sue’s baby is a girl, she will be named Margaret. Sue will have either a boy or a girl. So we know Sue’s baby will be named Mark or Margaret.
If the library has The Lord of the Rings, you won’t find it on the first floor. This is because all fantasy novels are fiction and all works of fiction are housed on the second floor of the library. Of course, I am assuming that all the books are properly shelved at this time.
“After a year, brain scans showed that among the walkers, the hippocampus had increased in volume by about 2 percent on average; in the others, it had declined by about 1.4 percent. Since such a decline is normal in older adults, a 2 percent increase is fairly significant,” said the lead author, Kirk Erickson, a psychologist at the University of Pittsburgh. Both groups also improved on a test of spatial memory, but the walkers improved more. While it is hard to generalize from this study to other populations, the researchers were delighted to learn that the hippocampus might expand with exercise (Span, 2011).
1b: Identify Arguments as Inductive or Deductive
Identify whether the following arguments are inductive or deductive:
- Because Una has circles under her eyes, is yawning, and looks tired, I’m certain she didn't get much sleep last night.
- Grace concluded that psychotherapists caused indigestion, because every time she had a session, she left with a horrible stomachache.
- If a bug is a spider, it must have eight legs. A daddy-long-legs has six legs, consequently, a daddy-long-legs is not a spider.
Part a: Argument Analysis and Diagram
Research the list and diagram structure using the readings for this module. Apply the method to (a) outline and (b) diagram the arguments in the following longer text passages. Model your answers on the examples of diagramed arguments in the module readings.
Refer to these components:
- The issue here is:
- The author concludes that:
- The reasons for making the argument are:
Example 1:
The issue here is: __________________________________________
The author concludes that: __________________________________
The reasons for making the argument are: _____________________
Example 2:
The issue here is: __________________________________________
The author concludes that: __________________________________
The reasons for making the argument are: _____________________
Example 3:
The issue here is: __________________________________________
The author concludes that: __________________________________
The reasons for making the argument are: _____________________
Conclusion:
Issue: “The attorney general does not merely head up the Justice Department. He is responsible for ensuring that America is a nation in which justice prevails. Mr. Gonzales's record makes him unqualified to take on this role or to represent the American justice system to the rest of the world. The Senate should reject his nomination” (The New York Times, Editorial, 2005). The issue here is: __________________________________________
The author concludes that: __________________________________
The reasons for making the argument are: _____________________
References
- Editorial: The wrong Attorney General [Editorial]. (2005, January 26). The New York Times.
- English, D. (2005, September 20). A revived debate: Babies, careers, 'Having it all.’ [Letter to the editor]. The New York Times. Retrieved from
Part 2c: Constructing Original Arguments
Construct one original inductive argument:
Identify the conclusion and supporting reasons. Explain why it is an inductive argument.
Construct one original deductive argument:
Identify the conclusion and supporting reasons. Explain why it is a deductive argument.
Part c: Finding Examples from Media
Find a contemporary media example of either an inductive or deductive argument:
- Identify the argument type (inductive or deductive).
- Include or reproduce the original passage and provide a full citation.
- Identify or paraphrase the conclusion.
- Explain why it is inductive or deductive.