Question

Go over the three arguments below. (Don't read your classmates' posts until you are done with your own work.)

Then, choose TWO (2) of them.

In each case, identify the argument’s two parts: what is the conclusion? (There may be more than one conclusion in the passage; this means that you could identify more than one argument per passage.) What is or are the premises? (Each premise and each conclusion should be formulated in your own words; each of them must be a simple and complete declarative sentence.)

After you identify the argument, answer the following questions:

Is this a good argument? What’s misleading about it? Where is the reasoning mistake?

EXAMPLE 1

The following appeared in a local newspaper:

In the last school where Principal McArthur worked, he was known as very tough. The teachers resented him. Nobody liked him. He’d often call the teachers into his office and scold them for lateness, lazy work habits, and sloppy record-keeping. When Dr. McArthur arrives at his new position at the Willows High School next August, he will again create a hostile work environment.

EXAMPLE 2:

The following appeared in promotional literature for a billboard company:

Bye Bye Baby Store installed a large billboard on the side of the 95 highway exit. Sales of baby items in the store increased 13% in the next fiscal quarter. Dr. Mark Baldwin, a local dentist, would like to increase the profits of his dental practice. All that needs to be done is installing an advertising billboard next to a highway exist and his patient load will increase tremendously.

EXAMPLE 3

The following appeared in a local newspaper:

Two weeks ago, 12 female college soccer players went to the Governor’s office. They wanted to protest budget cuts for intercollegiate women’s sports. In the state, there are about 30,000 female college athletes. Because only 12 women went to the protest, obviously most female athletes don’t care at all about the Governor’s funds for athletics. Therefore, there is no need for the governor to make any changes to his budget allocations.

Answer 1

Example 1

Premise: Principle McArthur is very tough

Premise: Nobody like Principle McArthur

Conclusion: Everywhere he goes he would create a hostile work environment.

No the argument is not good, as it potrays Principle McArthur in only one light which is not very positive. It is misleading as it depicts his as ruining any work environment that he gets into with his attitude. The argument does not consider the fault of the teachers in this circumstance or the previous running of the school where they were not expected tasks like they way Principle McArthur does.

Example 2

Premise: Bye Bye Baby store installed a billboard near the highwaywhich increased their profits.

Premise: Dr. Baldwin who is a dentist wants to increase profits

Conclusion: Anyone that installs a billboard near the highway 19 can increase their profits.

The argument does not have a logical conclusion. It is suggesting that only because Bye bye baby store installed a billboard near highway 19 did they get to increase their profits. The mistake is that the argument focuses on the installing the billboard which increases the profits and does not take into consideration the kind of business that it would require. Being a dentist and having a billboard doesnt increase sales. There more to it like customer satisfaction and references which are not really required in a baby store.