Topic Essay: Number Of Sources, Writing Style, Empathy

75487 Topic Essay 2number Of Sources 1writing Style Apaty

In this essay, I will analyze two passages to determine whether they are arguments or explanations, identify their main issues, premises, and conclusions, and assess whether they are inductive or deductive. I will also evaluate their validity by diagramming the arguments, discussing their logical structure, and identifying any fallacies or validity proofs.

Paper For Above instruction

The first passage states: "If Taliban fighters really shot down two American jets, then American technology is not as good as we thought it was. Therefore, the Taliban couldn't really have shot down the American jets, given that American technology is as good as we thought it was." This passage functions as an argument. Its main issue concerns whether the Taliban shot down the jets and what that implies about American technology. The premises are: (1) If Taliban fighters shot down two jets, then American technology isn't as good as believed; (2) American technology is as good as previously thought. The conclusion is: The Taliban couldn't have shot down the jets because American technology is good. The argument is deductive because it presents a conditional statement and attempts to derive a conclusion necessarily from the premises.

Diagrammatically, the argument can be represented as follows:

• Premise 1: If Taliban shot down jets, then American technology is poor.
• Premise 2: American technology is good.
• Conclusion: Taliban did not shoot down the jets.

This structure resembles a modus tollens form: If P then Q; not Q; therefore, not P.

Assessing validity, this argument is valid because it follows the logical form of modus tollens. If the premises are true—if the assumption that Taliban shot down the jets implies poor technology, and the technology is in fact good—then the conclusion that the Taliban did not shoot down the jets logically follows. The reasoning correctly applies deductive logic, preserving truth from premises to conclusion.

The second passage asserts: "It is obvious that Proactiv Solution acne treatment system is the best product on the market for achieving clear, blemish-free skin. After all, Kelly Clarkson, famous singer-songwriter and winner of the 2002 American Idol, says so." This passage functions more as an explanation or assertion rather than an argument because it claims a product's superiority based solely on celebrity endorsement. Its main issue revolves around whether celebrity endorsement effectively establishes product superiority. The premise is that Kelly Clarkson endorses Proactiv Solution; the conclusion is that Proactiv is the best product for clear skin.

This is an inductive argument as it relies on a particular example—Kelly Clarkson's endorsement—to support a general claim about the product's superiority. However, the strength of this argument is weak because celebrity endorsement alone does not constitute substantive evidence of product efficacy. The logical structure is based on appeal to authority, which is a common fallacy if not supplemented by empirical evidence.

In terms of validity, this argument is invalid. The fallacy it commits is the appeal to authority, especially celebrity endorsement, which is not a rigorous basis for establishing product superiority. The reasoning violates the rule of sound inference because celebrity endorsement, while potentially persuasive, does not guarantee product quality or effectiveness. To improve its validity, the argument would need to include empirical data demonstrating the product's effectiveness rather than relying solely on Kelly Clarkson's opinion.

In conclusion, the first passage is a valid deductive argument based on modus tollens, logically structured to demonstrate that the Taliban did not shoot down the jets given the credibility of American technology. The second passage is an inductive, but invalid, appeal to authority, failing to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate the claim of the product’s superiority. Understanding these distinctions underscores the importance of evaluating both logical form and evidence when analyzing arguments.

References

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