Thursday, September 16, 2010

Complex Arguments for Analysis

For this exercise, I chose to do example #1.

My neighbor should be forced to get rid of all the cars in his yard (1). People do not like living next door to such a mess (2). He never drives any of them (3). They all look old and beat up and leak oil all over the place (4). It is bad for neighborhood, and it will decrease property values (5).


Argument: Yes


Conclusion: My neighbor must be forced to get rid of his old and beat up cars since he does not use them, and they negatively affect the rest of the neighborhood.


Additional premises needed?
If the neighbors don't like living next to his mess, and if he never drives any of those cars, and if they look old and beat up, and if it will lower property values, then the cars are a problem to the neighborhood.


Identify any subargument:
Premises 2 and 4 support 5, while 3 is independent.
If people do not like living next to that mess, and if they look old and beat up and leak oil all over the place, then it is bad for the neighborhood and will decrease property values.
All of the premises support the conclusion, 1.


Good argument?
All of the premises seem plausible. The argument is valid if all of the premises are true. Though the neighbor may not like it, it is best for the neighborhood for the cars to be removed from the area.


I found this exercise useful and helpful because it helped me understand how to analyze complex arguments.  I was able to break down the argument of each section.  Simple examples such as this is helpful to me because I am a visual learner, so I need visual examples like this.  I have a better understanding of how to write and understand complex arguments.

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