Recommended Practice- Recognizing Arguments Handout - Week #03
When doing Handout examples, I recommend you type the answer on a separate page. When you are done with five or ten of them, review your answers (i.e., The Answer Key is the next item on this week's module) and then return to this handout and continue. If you're feeling confident, type the answers to all of the following examples and then review the Answer Key.
A warning! To increase the challenge, some of the examples in this handout are not arguments. If you think an example is not an argument, simply write "Not an argument." However, the answer key will tell you what type of language it is. You won't see examples like these on our graded quizzes or exams, but being able to recognize them can improve one's ability to recognize arguments. So I include them in this handout.
Indicate each of the following italicized and red argument's conclusion and premise(s).
1) I think Arthur Lee Allen was the Zodiac Killer; for, a year before the first killing, he told a friend he was going to kill some people, write letters to newspapers, and call himself Zodiac.
2) Aaron Kosminski's DNA was found on some clothing of one of Jack the Ripper's victims; so I'm confident he's Jack the Ripper.
3) Luis Garavito killed at least 147 young boys. Hence, he should have been sentenced to more than 22 years.
4) John Wayne Gacy shouldn't have been allowed to sell his paintings; for he admitted to killing 33 people.
5) It's time to abolish capital punishment, because it's inevitable that innocent people will be executed.
6) I think it's safe to say capital punishment deters some violent crime. So we should keep it.
7) We've been raising, killing and eating animals for thousands of years. Therefore, if you ask me, there's nothing wrong with it.
8) If you ask me, intentionally harming a cow or a pig is just as immoral as intentionally harming a human, since all three species can feel pain.
9) Think about it. The nature of terrorism is that one intentionally harms noncombatants. So, we shouldn't act like collateral damage is as bad as terrorism.
10) Terrorism should be treated like a crime; for, if you treat it like an act of war, eventually countries will attempt to adopt terrorism as a legitimate military tactic.
11) Martin Luther King Jr. would have been a great President; for he knew how to leverage unwilling politicians to achieve justice; and Congress was full of politicians who needed to be leveraged to achieve justice.
12) A lot of congressional representatives owed Vice President Garret Hobart political favors; so I think he would have got a lot done if he hadn't died shortly before President McKinley was assassinated.
13) If Vice President Henry Wallace hadn't publicly disagreed with President Roosevelt so much, he would have got re-elected with Roosevelt in 1944; and, hence, he would have become President in 1945.
14) Senator Huey Long never could have been elected President, because he openly advocated a cap on personal wealth. That's right, every dollar one earned above that cap would be collected as a tax.
15) William Jennings Bryant repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to promote laws based on white protestants' bigotry toward others; therefore, it's good he never became President.
16) If Jessie Jackson had become President in 1988, he never would have defended Kuwait after the Iraq invasion.
17) Samuel Tilden should have become President in 1876. After all, he got more votes than Rutherford Hayes.
18) Al Gore didn't become President in 2000 because Florida state leaders intentionally and systematically disenfranchised thousands of Florida voters.
19) Technically, Bill Clinton can become President again; for the Constitution allows him to be elected Vice President; and he could become President if his President dies while in office.
20) After being elected President of the United States, you are sworn into office, saying "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
21) You should transfer to UC Davis; for they have a good Biology program; and it's the most bike-friendly college in the state.
22) Well, San Francisco State has a good Economics program; and it's in a big city; so I think you'd enjoy being a student there.
23) UC Merced has a good Agriculture program; therefore you should apply there, since you want to study Agriculture.
24) UC Santa Cruz has a great Marine Biology program, and good housing on campus. Hence you should go there.
25) First, Cal State Humboldt is close close enough to home to visit on the weekends. Second, they have a high percentage of graduating students getting accepted at California graduate schools. Third, you can afford to go there without any loans. Therefore, you should go to Humboldt.
26) Margo: Have you ever heard about Deep Springs?
Lester: No.
Margo: You should go there.
Lester: Really? Why?
Margo: Every student receives a scholarship for free tuition, room, and board; the students learn practical skills by running a ranch on campus; and you're required to study Philosophy every term.
27) Margo: Have you ever heard about Deep Springs?
Lester: No.
Margo: You should go there.
Lester: Really? Why?
Margo: Every student receives a scholarship for free tuition, room, and board; the students learn practical skills by running a ranch on campus; and you're required to study Philosophy every term.
28) Matt: I think you should consider going to Reed College.
Cynthia: Well, I think I should go to St. John's in New Mexico.
Matt: But Reed requires students to study Liberal Arts classes and science classes; and it's the only college with a student-run nuclear reactor.
Cynthia: And St. John's requires every student to major in Liberal Arts; and it doesn't have a nuclear reactor on campus.
29) Matt: I think you should consider going to Reed College.
Cynthia: Well, I think I should go to St. John's in New Mexico.
Matt: But Reed requires students to study Liberal Arts classes and science classes; and it's the only college with a student-run nuclear reactor.
Cynthia: And St. John's requires every student to major in Liberal Arts; and it doesn't have a nuclear reactor on campus.
30) You should research at least a dozen colleges before deciding where to transfer.
31) We should try Acre Cafe in Montgomery Village.
32) We should go to Peets in Montgomery Village; for, you usually want to stay at cafes longer than me; and I can go to Copperfields Books while you're at Peets.
33) Coffee Catz is on our way to Jessie's house; and we need to see her today; so we should go to Coffee Catz.
34) Welcome to A' Roma Roasters!
35) Hank: I'm glad we went to The Flying Goat.
Barbara: Why is that?
Hank: Because it has a cool name.
36) Hank: I'm glad we went to The Flying Goat.
Barbara: Why is that?
Hank: Because it has a cool name..
37) Hank: I'm glad we went to The Flying Goat.
Barbara: Why is that?
Hank: Because it has a cool name.
38) Bobby: You should work with me at Cotati Cafe.
Claire: You should work with me at Aqus.
Bobby: No, really, because you live in Cotati.
Claire: I still think you should come to Aqus, since they have wonderful community events.
39) Bobby: You should work with me at Cotati Cafe.
Claire: You should work with me at Aqus.
Bobby: No, really, because you live in Cotati.
Claire: I still think you should come to Aqus, since they have wonderful community events.
40) I just think Starbucks' coffee doesn't taste good; and they use unhealthy ingredients in their baked goods; and they exploit their employees; and I care about these things; so I don't think I should go to Starbucks.
41) I don't care what you say, Star Trek: The Original Series was the best science fiction TV show ever; for it had the most memorable characters, and spawned more spin offs than any show.
42) But Star Trek: Next Generation has better plots; and it has more diverse themes. I think it follows that we should watch it next.
43) You like science fiction that seems realistic and low key; so I recommend you watch Star Trek: Enterprise next; for I think it's the most realistic and low key Star Trek series.
44) We should watch the movie Alien Nation instead of the TV show, because it was a more thoughtful allegorical study on prejudice and stereotyping.
45) Lost in Space is a great science fiction show for kids; So let's watch it, since you have kids.
46) If you're going to watch Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, I recommend you start with Season #3; for, starting with Season #3, it became the most thoughtful and captivating science fiction ever; and I know you need you're science fiction to be both.
47) I'm sorry. I just think Lost was the most overrated science fiction TV show ever.
48) You have to watch The Prisoner. After all, it's entertaining, suspenseful, sometimes funny, and always thoughtful.
49) The best science fiction TV show ever has to be Doctor Who. It's managed to stay entertaining for over a generation. It stayed interesting by reinventing its characters. Everyone likes Doctor Who; and, if you don't, you're probably just prejudiced against British TV.
50) Let's just watch an old Thunderbird episode on Youtube again.