Evaluation of an Argument
Order Instructions:
Prior to answering this week’s discussion, make sure you have completed the readings and can spend time fully examining the “Buying a Car” scenario.
In the car buying scenario, just like in real life, you were presented with an argument for making a different purchase than what you had originally intended. Think of a time recently where you were presented with an argument that was intended to change your opinion on something. Using that event, complete the following:
a. Present the argument in premise-conclusion form.
b. Identify whether or not it was inductive or deductive and evaluate it for quality. Be sure to speak in terms of valid/sound for deductive arguments and strong/weak for inductive arguments. Note that last week you were merely asked to present whether or not you found the argument convincing. This week you are being asked to use your new knowledge to evaluate the arguments based on validity, soundness, and strength.
c. Explain whether or not you were convinced by the argument.
d. Explain whether you were correct in your judgment of the argument.
Use the “Steps for Evaluating an Argument” template to help you structure your response. After you have completed the argument template, you will then be able to use that template to write out a response in which you cover all the elements that were included in the argument template.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Evaluation of an Argument
In this discussion, the presented argument intended to convince me to change my opinion concerning whether to go for my weekly outdoor physical exercises first or go to the shopping mall solely based on the prevailing weather conditions. It was on Saturday, and my schedule on this day usually involves doing two key activities such as going for my weekly outdoor physical exercises first followed by going to the shopping mall later. At the time of the argument none of the two activities had been executed, and outside weather was undoutedly not conducive for outdoor physical exercises since it was highly imminent that it was about to rain within minutes or an hour.
Usually, I have always been going for the outdoor physical exercises subsequent to going to the shopping mall, but based on the prevailing weather condition I opted to interchange the two activities by executing the one which is always done later first. However, my friend who had paid me a visit tried to convince me to stick to my usual schedule so that we can do the physical exercises together. I declined to that suggestion and went for shopping first because rainy weather conditions do not favor outdoor physical exercises, and for sure it rained within less than an one hour meaning that, if I had agreed to my friend’s suggestion I could not have had completed my outdoor physical exercises effectively which normally take a whole hour.
It is undoutedly evident that my argument was based on deductive reasoning since it began with a general statement/premise to arrive at a specific conclusion (Tripod, 2000). Based on the reasons I provided to my friend supporting my decision, it is evidently clear that the validity or soundness of my deductive argument is undisputable. Also I can succintly state that I was not convinced by my friend’s argument since by insisting that, I stick to my usuall schedule so that we can both take part in my weekly outdoor physical exercises in the presence of an imminent threat from unconducive weather was not logical (Tripod, 2000). This is because my friend was trying fit in my schedule irrespective of the prevailing unconducive weather conditions, while I had the ultimate right of deciding what to do. It is also obvious that I was correct in my judgement of the argument since the decision/conclusion I had made based on my premises eventually turned out to be correct.
Reference
Tripod (2000). Chapter 10: Putting it all Together-Six Steps to Understanding and Evaluating Arguments. Retrieved from http://fasnafan.tripod.com/evaluatingarguments.pdf
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