Deck 2: Recognizing Arguments

Question 1

Write a Formal Analysis for each of the following arguments.

-Using your cell phone while driving is against the law, and I know you don't want to be slapped with a fine.

Answer 1

P1: Using your cell phone while driving is against the law.
P2: You don't want to be fined for using your cell phone while driving.
$\therefore$ You should not use your cell phone while driving.
Issue: Whether you should use your cell phone while driving

Question 2

"You should vote for Maxine Miller for county commissioner. Don't you want someone with integrity and experience?" Which of the following represents the implied claim in this argument?

A) You should vote for Maxine Miller for county commissioner.
B) Maxine Miller is running for county commissioner.
C) Maxine Miller has integrity and experience.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Write a Formal Analysis for each of the following arguments.

-Rhinoceros herds must be protected, so you ought to support the Save African Rhinos campaign.

Answer 3

P: Rhinoceros herds must be protected.
$\therefore$ You ought to support the Save African Rhinos campaign.
Issue: Whether you ought to support the Save African Rhinos campaign

Question 4

"Many members of Congress oppose elements of the legislation, so the president's health care reform bill will not pass. Accordingly, the president will soon be revising his plan for health care reform." Which of the following issues represents the issue(s) of this argument?

A) Whether many members of Congress oppose elements of the president's health care reform bill.
B) Whether the president's health care reform bill will pass.
C) Whether the president will soon be revising his plan for health care reform.
D) Both B and C.

Question 5

"You should place your child with Super Nanny Babysitting Service. Our child care workers all have degrees in early childhood development from the best universities, and each has a minimum of five years experience caring for young children." Which of the following claims represents the conclusion of this argument?

A) You should place your child with Super Nanny Babysitting Service.
B) Super Nanny Babysitting Service's child care workers all have degrees in early childhood development from the best universities.
C) Each of Super Nanny Babysitting Service's child care workers has a minimum of five years experience caring for young children.

Question 6

"Many sports commentators think that boxing is safe. It's not. Boxers suffer more brain damage than any other athletes." Which of the following issues represents the issue(s) of this argument?

A) Whether many sports commentators think that boxing is safe.
B) Whether boxing is safe.
C) Whether boxers suffer more brain damage than any other athletes.
D) Both A and B.

Question 7

"Healthy. Delicious. Drink Ovaltine!" Which of the following claims represents the implied conclusion of this argument?

A) Ovaltine is healthy.
B) Ovaltine is delicious.
C) You should drink Ovaltine.
D) None; this is not an argument.

Question 8

Write a Formal Analysis for each of the following arguments.

-Space exploration ought to be a priority in this century. This is because the earth is likely to become overcrowded due to the fact that the birth rate continues to increase in the undeveloped world.

Question 9

Write a Formal Analysis for each of the following arguments.

-It would be wise to sell your house and also wise to sell your rental house, because real estate prices are as high as they will ever be.

Question 10

Write a Formal Analysis for each of the following arguments.

-Families should not be allowed to have more than two children. The food supply cannot accommodate more population growth.

Question 11

"There was a time when milk consumption was considered healthy. But, this is not true since the consumption of dairy products contributes to a surprising number of health problems." Which of the following claims represents the conclusion of this argument?

A) There was a time when milk consumption was considered healthy.
B) Milk consumption is not healthy.
C) The consumption of dairy products contributes to a surprising number of health problems.
D) The consumption of dairy products does not contribute to a surprising number of health problems.

Question 12

"The defendant should be acquitted insofar as the evidence is weak and the witnesses are unreliable." Which of the following claims represents the conclusion of this argument?

A) The defendant should be acquitted.
B) The evidence is weak.
C) The witnesses are unrealiable.

Question 13

Write a Formal Analysis for each of the following arguments.

-Boxing is not the most dangerous sport. It's not nearly as dangerous as football.

Question 14

"Driving over the speed limit is against the law, and I know you don't want a ticket." Which of the following claims represents the conclusion of this argument?

A) If you drive over the speed limit, you may get a ticket.
B) You don't want to get a ticket for speeding.
C) You should not drive over the speed limit.

Question 15

"According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, drivers who text are more than 20 times more likely to get into an accident than nondistracted drivers. As a result, we should prohibit texting while driving, and anyone caught texting while driving should have his or her license suspended." Which of the following issues represents the issue(s) of this argument?

A) Whether drivers who text are more than 20 times more likely to get into an accident than nondistracted drivers.
B) Whether we should prohibit texting while driving.
C) Whether anyone caught texting while driving should have his or her license suspended.
D) Both B and C.

Question 16

Write a Formal Analysis for each of the following arguments.

-Either Jefferson is the most conservative President or Reagan is. Well, Jefferson can't be the most conservative, inasmuch as he was willing to wage war against the British. So, the conclusion is obvious, isn't it?

Question 17

Write a Formal Analysis for each of the following arguments.

-All the judo instructors work out with weights. So begin working out with weights right away, since you want to be a judo instructor.

Question 18

Write a Formal Analysis for each of the following arguments.

-Many people advocate cutting free school lunch programs to save money, but that would be a terrible idea. Students cannot learn if they are hungry, and without these programs, many students would not have anything to eat prior to school.

Question 19

"Since we have missed it for the past two years, we should go to the county fair this weekend. The gates open at 10:00am." Which of the following claims represents the conclusion of this argument?

A) We have missed the county fair for the past two years.
B) We should go to the county fair this weekend.
C) The gates to the county fair open at 10:00am.

Question 20

Write a Formal Analysis for each of the following arguments.

-Why should you pursue a career in data analysis? Because demand for data analysts is expected to increase by 50% over the next few years. Besides, data analysts average salaries of $60,000 annually.

Question 21

There are several reasons why you should become a vegetarian. First, world hunger could end through the elimination of meat-eating. Second, meat-eating contributes to environmental problems such as global warming and loss of rainforests. And third, a meat-free diet is healthier.

Question 22

If you are looking for a candidate who will be governor for the future and who will listen to the voices of all the people who vote in this country, then you ought to vote for the candidate supported by the "America First" party.

Question 23

Fisher Price has initiated a recall of nearly one million character toys manufactured in 2007, including Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer, because the surface paint on the toys may contain excessive amounts of lead.

Question 24

The governor has decided to cut funding to the state universities because he is much more concerned about locking up drug offenders than he is about educating the younger generation.

Question 25

It is clear that the defendant, Matt Smith, is not guilty of grand theft auto. This is because a defendant is guilty of grand theft auto only if he intended to take a car that did not belong to him, and Mr. Smith had no such intention since he thought the car he took was his.