Question

Examine the following passages to determine whether they contain arguments. For those passages that do contain arguments, rewrite them in standardized form, numbering premises and conclusion(s). Note any subarguments and indicate the main argument and the main conclusion. Note: Some of the following passages do not contain arguments and therefore do not contain premises or conclusions. If you think that a passage does not contain an argument, explain briefly why it does not.

Answer 1

Answer:

1) This passage does not contain an argument. It begins with a comment that everyone knows the U.S. is having an election (in 2008); the author proceeds to state three things that he thinks Europe should focus on.  He does not offer reasons for his statement that these three things are jobs, Muslims, and neighbors.

2) This passage contains both an argument and a sub-argument. 1.The butler was passionately in love with the victim. Thus, 2. It was not the butler who committed the murder. 3. Either the butler committed the murder or the judge committed the murder. Therefore, 4. The judge committed the murder.  The sub-argument goes from (1) to (2), and the main argument goes from (2) and (3) to (4). Note again:  identifying the structure does not imply saying that this is a good argument.

3) This passage contains an argument. Standardization: (1) No one who uses a relatively unreliable procedure in order to decide whether to punish can know whether that other person deserves punishment.  (2) No one who cannot know whether another person deserves punishment has a right to punish that person.  Therefore,  (3) No one who uses a relatively unreliable procedure in order to decide whether to punish another person has a right to punish that person.