Detecting Arguments

Assignment 1 Detecting Arguments

Post your responses to the Discussion Area. Your readings for this module covered argument structures, no statements, premises, and conclusions. For each of the sentences below, determine if it is an argument. For those that are arguments, identify the premises and the conclusion.

With regard to argumentation, define what a premise and conclusion are.

A premise within a statement is the assumption that something is true. A conclusion is fact drawn based on this assumption.

She is from Minnesota, so we know that she is nice.

Yes, this is an argument. “She is from Minnesota” is the premise and “so we know that she is nice” because the assumption is that people from Minnesota are nice.

How can the paper be due today? Today is Tuesday!

It is an argument. The premise is that the paper cannot be due today being a Tuesday. Papers are not due on Tuesdays is the conclusion.

I won’t eat broccoli. Broccoli is yucky.

It is an argument. “I won’t eat broccoli” is the premise and “Broccoli is yucky” is the conclusion.

The park was beautiful, with trees, flowers, and buzzing bees. The bright flashes of the wings of dragonflies were everywhere.

Not an argument

Get your work done now!

Not an argument.

We studied hard, did all the exercises, and practiced all the proficiencies. Thus, there is no way that we will fail this course.

It’s an argument. “We studied hard, did all the exercises, and practiced all the proficiencies.” Is the premise and “Thus, there is no way that we will fail this course” is the conclusion.

She was laughing and thus having fun.

It is an argument. “She was laughing” is the premise and “thus having fun” is the conclusion

Why are we looking for premises and conclusions?

Not an argument; a question.

9. Many teachers do not know whether students have too much homework, too little, or just enough.

Not an argument; a statement.