LOGIC ASSIGNMENT #3
For each of the following arguments, underline any premises and circle the conclusion. If there are any implied premises/assumptions that are needed to make the argument work, write tem below the argument.
1. Abortion is wrong because it’s the killing of an innocent person.
2. Smoking is bad for your health, makes you and your home smell like a used ashtray, and disturbs everyone around you. It’s really a nasty habit, and you ought to quit. Plus, think of all the money you could save if you quit smoking.
3. It would be a lot of fun to have superpowers. You could do stuff like turn invisible and play pranks on people or read peoples’ minds. Plus, no one would want to mess with you, and you could get anything you wanted.
4. We need to reinstate capital punishment. People need to know that if they commit murder, then they will be put to death.
5. There must be intelligent life out there somewhere. It’s a big universe, and it’s hard to think that it’s all for just little old us.

6. Batman would kick Superman’s butt. In a fair fight, Superman would win. But
Batman doesn’t fight fair. He would do anything to win, while Superman would hold back so he doesn’t hurt Batman.
7. Watching too much television is bad for your brain. It overloads you with constant stimulation. The inane chatter that is routine on television does nothing to develop your intellect; in fact, you get a lot of misinformation from sound bite reporting and biased news programming. Besides, there’s never anything good on, anyway.
8. If Bob comes to the party, it will be a lot of fun. He’s really funny, and has great ideas for party games.
9. Torture has been shown to be ineffective at obtaining accurate information; rather, we have found that people will simply offer whatever information they think will make the torturer stop. In addition, it is a violation of basic rights; and it both traumatizes the victim and bestializes the torturer. In light of this, I feel that we need to bring the practice of torture to an immediate end.
10. I think we should go to the movies instead of the amusement park. There’s a movie playing that we all want to see; and if we go to the movies we’ll have enough money left to go out to dinner afterward.