Argument Structure

“It is a mistake to think that medical problems can be treated solely by medication. Medication does not address psychological and lifestyle issues. Medical problems are not purely biochemical. They involve issues of attitude and way of life.”

P1) Medication does not address psychological and lifestyle issues

P2) Medical problems are not purely biochemical

P3) Medical problems involve issues of attitude and way of life

C) Therefore, medical problems cannot be treated solely by medication

Sub-arguments

“A computer cannot cheat in a game, because cheating requires deliberately breaking rules in order to win. A computer cannot deliberately break rules because it has no freedom of action.”

P1) A computer cannot act freely

H) Only entities that can act freely are capable of deliberately breaking rules

L) Therefore, a computer cannot deliberately break rules

P2) Cheating requires deliberately breaking rules

C) Therefore, a computer cannot cheat in a game

Other Arguments

“Labor is the basis of all property. From this it follows that a man owns what he makes by his own hands and the man who does not labor has no rightful property.”

P1) Labor is the basis of all property

C) Therefore, a man owns what he makes by his own hands

P1) Labor is the basis of all property

C) Therefore, a man who does not labor has no rightful property

Missing Conclusion

“Could evolution ever account for the depth of intellect that Carl Sagan possesses? Not in a billion years.”

P1) Evolution could never account for the depth of intellect that Carl Sagan possesses.

C) Therefore, evolutionary theory is incorrect.

Standardizing Arguments

Extraction

1. Read the passage so that you understand it.

2. Make sure the passage contains an argument.

3. Locate the conclusion. If necessary, restate the conclusion in clear, simple language.

4. Locate the premises. If necessary, restate the premises in clear, simple language.

5. Re-read the passage to make sure that you have not misrepresented the author’s reasoning.

Mistakes Students Often Make

· Failure to find the right conclusion. Not just any point in a paper is a conclusion; the conclusion is the main point of the passage.

· Failure to deflate. The lines must be stated in clear, simple language.

· Insertion of sleeping partners (extra lines that play no role in the derivation of the conclusion).

Scope

· All MSU students are smart and beautiful

· Most MSU students are smart and beautiful

· Many MSU students are smart and beautiful

· Some MSU students are smart and beautiful

First is universal, sweeping and categorical

Last is tentative, qualified and modest