Worksheet 4 Identify the unstated premises then put the argument in standard form. 1. Abuse and neglect in various forms will continue until we as a society value parenthood; until we regard parenting as a privilege, rather than as a byproduct of sexual intercourse, a route to adult identity, or a route to social assistance. (Katherine Covell and R. Brian Howe, “A Policy of Parent Licensing,” Policy Options, September 1998) Unstated Premise: Parenting is a privilege 1. Parenting is a privilege 2. Abuse and neglect occur when parenting is viewed as a byproduct of sexual intercourse, a route to adulthood, or a route to social assistance 3. Society doesn’t value parenthood Therefore, abuse and neglect will continue until we as a society value parenthood 2. “Standard of living” is measured by the amount of annual consumption—the country that consumes the most has the highest standard of living. What an assumption is in there! (E.F. Schumacher, Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered, 1999 [1973]) Unstated Premise: Some countries consume more than others 1. Standard of living is measured by annual consumption 2. Some countries consume more than others Therefore, the country who consumes the most has the highest standard of living 3. No, we absolutely cannot raise wages! If we do that, we’ll go out of business! Unstated Premise: We do not wan to go out of business 1. If we raise wages, we will go out of business 2. We do not want to go out of business Therefore, we should not raise wages 4. Prohibiting drugs will lead to an increase in crime, not a decrease, because first, when the price of illegal drugs is very high, poor addicts rob and burglarize. And second, the police will be so occupied with drug arrests, more crime will occur. Unstated Premise: police will be occupied with drug arrests and more crime will occur 1. The price of illegal drugs is very high 2. Poor addicts rob and burglarize to buy drugs 3. Police will be occupied with more drug arrests and more crime will occur Therefore, prohibiting drugs will increase crime does not decrease it 5. Obviously, however, the client cannot be expected to reveal to the lawyer all information that is potentially relevant, including that which may well be incriminating, unless the client can be assured that the lawyer will maintain all such information in the strictest confidence. (Monroe Freedman, “Where the Bodies are Buried,” in Lawyer’s Ethics in an Adversary System, 1977) Unstated Premise: Lawyers can assure their clients safety 1. Lawyers must assure their client they will keep all information confidential 2. Lawyers can assure their clients safety Therefore, clients should be assured safety before they tell their lawyers anything 6. When the time comes, of course I’m going to have to pay for my parents’ long-term care. They paid for my food and shelter for, what, eighteen years? Unstated Premise: Your parents will eventually not be able to care for themselves 1. Your parents took care of you for eighteen years 2. Your parents will eventually not be able to care for themselves Therefore, you should take care of your parents when they cannot take care of themselves 7. “It’s a cultural taboo in this country,” said Jeffery M. Leving, a lawyer and fathers’ rights advocate in Chicago. “It’s very unmanly to request a DNA test to determine that your child is your biological child. It’s emasculating and many men would not do it.” (Mireya Navarro, “Painless Paternity Test, but the Truth May Hurt,” New York Times, October 2, 2005) Unstated Premise: Women feel disrespected if a man does not trust her 1. It is seen as unmanly to request a DNA test to see if your child is yours 2. Women feel disrespected if a man does not trust her Therefore, men are not treated fairly when it comes to DNA testing 8. Refusing blood transfusions protects us from AIDS; that shows that we are right. Unstated Premise: People who get blood transfusions get AIDS 1. Refusing blood transfusions protects from AIDS 2. People who get blood transfusions get AIDS Therefore, we are right to refuse trans fusions 9. If the marriage is going to work out, the woman shouldn’t be older than her husband, or more educated, or more highly paid. Unstated Premise: More marriages work if the woman is less educated than the man 1. If marriage is going to work out the woman shouldn’t be older then the man 2. More marriages work if the woman is less educated than the man Therefore, for marriage to work the woman should be seen as less than the man 10. After September 11, 2001, some Americans began asking: “Why would anyone in the Middle East hate America?” The fact that such a question had to be asked reflects a profound ignorance of the U.S. government’s role in that region. (Richard Sanders) Unstated Premise: The US Government was fighting in the Middle East long before September 11, 2001 1. Americans were asking why the Middle East hates America 2. The US Government was fighting in the Middle East long before September 11, 2001 Therefore, Americans don’t know what the government is doing in the Middle East
