Chapter 2: Recognizing Arguments
Recognizing Statements
What is an argument?
(What is a statement?)
Statement: a sentence/utterance that can be viewed as
either true or false.
Argument: group of statements, one or more of which
is/are intended to prove or support another statement.
Premises: statements in an argument offered as evidence
or reasons why one should accept another statement.
The Conclusion: the statement that the premises
support/prove.
Tricky statements
Rhetorical question: a sentence that has the grammatical
form of a question but is meant to be understood as a
statement.
Don’t you know smoking will kill you?
(means: Smoking will kill you.)
How am I supposed to do that?
(means: I can’t do that.)
Ought imperative: a sentence that has the form of a
command but is a statement about what ought to be
done.
“Do X!” really means “You should do X.”
“Don’t blow dry your hair in the tub!” really means “You should not
blow dry your hair in the tub.”
Determine whether, in typical contexts, the
following sentences are statements or
nonstatements. (Note: Some of these are tough.)
1. What time is the concert tonight?
2. My feet are sore.
3. Cowabunga, dude!
4. Why is man less durable than the works of his
hand, but because this is not the place of his
rest? (William Penn)
5. Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania.
6. Give me a call if you have trouble downloading
the file.
7. You'd better quit while you're ahead.
1. What time is the concert tonight? Nonstatement (question)
2. My feet are sore. Statement
3. Cowabunga, dude! Nonstatement (exclamation)
4. Why is man less durable than the works of his hand, but because
this is not the place of his rest? (William Penn) Statement
(rhetorical question)
5. Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. Statement
6. Give me a call if you have trouble downloading the file.
Nonstatement (suggestion or request)
7. You'd better quit while you're ahead. Statement (ought imperative)
Indicate in the space provided whether the
following statements are true (T) or false
(F).
_____ 1. All statements are sentences and
all sentences are statements.
_____ 2. Rhetorical questions are
statements.
_____ 3. A single grammatical sentence
may be used to express more than one
statement.
____F_ 1. All statements are sentences and
all sentences are statements.
____T_ 2. Rhetorical questions are
statements.
____T_ 3. A single grammatical sentence
may be used to express more than one
statement.
Identifying Premises and Conclusions
Identify the premises and conclusions in the
following arguments.
1. Writing is revision because excellence
emerges only through many cycles of
writing and reading, performance and
feedback.
2. No scientific hypothesis can be
conclusively confirmed because the
possibility of someday finding evidence
to the contrary can't be ruled out.
1. Writing is revision because excellence
emerges only through many cycles of writing
and reading, performance and feedback.
2. No scientific hypothesis can be conclusively
confirmed because the possibility of someday
finding evidence to the contrary can't be ruled
out.
1. Premise:
Excellence emerges only through
many cycles of writing and
reading, performance and feedback.
Conclusion: Writing is revision.
2. Premise:
The possibility of someday finding
evidence against a scientific
hypothesis can never be ruled out.
Conclusion: No scientific hypothesis can be
conclusively confirmed.
Distinguishing Arguments from
Explanations.
Determine whether the following arguments
are best understood as arguments or
explanations.
1. My computer crashed because I spilled
coffee on it.
2. My wife's towel is wet. Therefore, she
must have already taken her shower this
morning.
1. My computer crashed because I spilled
coffee on it.
2. My wife's towel is wet. Therefore, she
must have already taken her shower this
morning.
1. Explanation
2. Argument
Distinguishing Arguments from Nonarguments
For each of the following, indicate whether the
passage is best interpreted as an argument (A),
an explanation (E), or neither an argument nor
an explanation (N).
1. I’m calling about all these protestors against the
[second Gulf] war. Why can’t people rally
around our president and support our men? My
God, Saddam Hussein kills his own people, he
has no mercy, he cares nothing about anybody
but himself. Don’t people realize that if you don’t
stop a madman we might not have the freedom
to protest or the freedom to come and go as we
please in this country?
1. I’m calling about all these protestors
against the [second Gulf] war. Why can’t
people rally around our president and
support our men? My God, Saddam
Hussein kills his own people, he has no
mercy, he cares nothing about anybody
but himself. Don’t people realize that if
you don’t stop a madman we might not
have the freedom to protest or the
freedom to come and go as we please in
this country?
argument
Multiple Choice
Select the best answer to the following multiplechoice questions by circling the appropriate
letter.
1. Never try to discourage thinking for you are
sure to succeed. (Bertrand Russell,
Autobiography, 1969)
a. nonargument; explanation
b. nonargument; unsupported assertion
c. argument; conclusion: Never try to discourage
thinking.
d. argument; conclusion: You are sure to succeed.
Never try to discourage thinking for you are
sure to succeed.
a. nonargument; explanation
b. nonargument; unsupported assertion
c. argument; conclusion: Never try to
discourage thinking.
d. argument; conclusion: You are sure to
succeed.
1. c