ARGUMENT OR NOT 1 Read the following passages

ARGUMENT OR NOT? 1. Read the following passages and decide if they are arguments. 2. If they are: Number the premises, and 2. Identify the conclusion. 3. If needed, supply the missing part. 1.

ARGUMENT? Research has shown that people who do at least 30 minutes a day of vigorous exercise reduce their risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer. It would be wise for you to begin a daily program of exercise.

PREMISE 1: Research has shown that people who do at least 30 minutes a day of vigorous exercise reduce their risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer. CONCLUSION: It would be wise for you to begin a daily program of exercise.

In 2014, we introduced a new textbook in the Logic course taught at SFC, and we negotiated with the publishers to have a discount for the students. It was agreed with the publisher that the textbook would cost $95, but the book was listed at $130. When students complained about the price, we called the publisher. Eventually, we understood what happened: the textbook was more expensive because the person with whom we had made an agreement on a reduced price had left the company, and the new employee wasn’t aware of the agreement. Therefore, at some point, the agreement was lost, and that’s why we didn’t get the discount.

NO T AN ARG UM ENT !

Paying chief executives hundreds of times more than ordinary employees creates economic inequality, which contributes to political instability, violent crime, and reduced life expectancy. Whatever contributes to political instability, violent crime, and reduced life expectancy is not morally justified. So, there is no moral justification for chief executives being paid hundreds of times more than ordinary employees.

! S E Y U G AR ! T N E M

PREMISE 1: Paying chief executives hundreds of times more than ordinary employees creates economic inequality, PREMISE 2: it contributes to political instability, violent crime, and reduced life expectancy. PREMISE 3: Whatever contributes to political instability, violent crime, and reduced life expectancy is not morally justified. CONCLUSION: So, there is no moral justification for chief executives being paid hundreds of times more than ordinary employees.

Dude, Wendy’s is the best restaurant on the planet! They have the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger there, and it tastes like a fried slice of Megan Fox’s ass.

YES, IT’S AN ARGUMENT! HOWEVER, DO YOU THINK SOMETHING IS MISSING?

PREMISE 1: At Wendy’s they have the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger. PREMISE 2: the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger tastes like a fried slice of Megan Fox’s ass. PREMISE 3: A restaurant that serves a burger that tastes like a fried slice of Megan Fox’s ass must be the best restaurant in the world. CONCLUSION: So, Wendy’s is the best restaurant on the planet!

By the time Marx published the first volume of Capital in 1867, economic and social realities had changed profoundly: the question was no longer whether farmers could feed a growing population or land prices would rise sky high but rather how to understand the dynamics of industrial capitalism, now in full blossom.

NO T AN ARG UM ENT !

We must resist all effort to allow the government to censor entertainment. Freedom of speech and expressions are essential to a democratic form of government. As soon as we allow some censorship, it won't be long before censorship will be used to silence the opinions critical of the government. The next thing we know, we will have no more freedom than the Germans did under Hitler.

YES! ARGUMENT.

PREMISE 1: Freedom of speech and expressions are essential to a democratic form of government. PREMISE 2: As soon as we allow some censorship, it won't be long before censorship will be used to silence the opinions critical of the government. PREMISE 3: The next thing we know, we will have no more freedom than the Germans did under Hitler. CONCLUSION: We must resist all effort to allow the government to censor entertainment.

To install the program, you must first put the CD in the player. Open up the File Manager, click on "Run" and type in "D: Install. " After the program is loaded, you will need to restart the computer to use the program.

NO T AN ARG UM ENT !

Roger Maris' record of 61 homeruns in a single season stood from 1961 until 1998! He should be admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

YES, ARGUMENT! HOWEVER, SOMETHING’S MISSING.

PREMISE 1: Roger Maris' record of 61 homeruns in a single season stood from 1961 until 1998! PREMISE 2: Anyone with that record should be admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. CONCLUSION: He should be admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

All of this talk about banning guns makes me sick! Isn't it obvious that if we ban guns, law-abiding citizens will not own them, while only the criminals will have them?

NO T AN ARG UM ENT !

Two teenagers saw the movie, Natural Born Killers and went out on a killing spree. A number of teenagers who have committed violence have spent many hours playing video games filled with murder and violence. We must have some stricter controls on the content of entertainment that is viewed by teenagers.

YES, BUT SOMETHING IS MISSING.

PREMISE 1: Two teenagers saw the movie, Natural Born Killers and went out on a killing spree. PREMISE 2: A number of teenagers who have committed violence have spent many hours playing video games or watching movies filled with murder and violence. PREMISE 3: Playing video games or watching movies filled with violence causes teenagers to commit violence. CONCLUSION: We must have some stricter controls on the content of entertainment that is viewed by teenagers.

Diagramming Arguments 1. Read the following arguments. 2. Number the premises in chronological order. 3. Identify the conclusion. 4. Determine how the conclusion follows from the premises.

All Humans are mortal. Socrates is a human. Therefore, Socrates is mortal. Step 1: Number the premises in chronological order: 1 All humans are mortal. 2 Socrates is a human. 3 Therefore, Socrates is mortal. Step 2: Identify the conclusion. Step 3: Determine how the premises lead to the conclusion. Then draw an arrow from the premises to the conclusion: In this case we need both premises To support the conclusion. Either premise is insufficient to support it. So, we need 1 + 2 Joint Support 3

2 1 House builders work awfully hard. The workday is often more than 8 hours; there’s heavy lifting to do, the possibility of 4 3 5 injury, and cranky supervisors; and the weather doesn’t always 6 cooperate. 2 In this case, the 5 premises do not need one another to support the conclusion. In fact, they support it independently. 3 4 5 6 1 In en p e d t n e d Su ort p p

3 1 SFC is the best college in Brooklyn. Tuition is reasonable, 2 the number of students per classrooms are small compared to other colleges; and Prof. Alvaro teachers there! So, if you live in 4 5 Brooklyn and are looking for a great college you should apply to SFC. 2 This is an extended argument because it contains an argument within an argument. Premises 2, 3, & 4 support conclusion 1; and in its turn, 1 supports 5. 3 1 5 4 nt Exten ume g r A ded

THIS IS THE END QUESTIONS?