Practice Quiz for Recognizing Arguments: (2024)

If there is any implication that is clear from the U.S. Constitution it is that each of us has a right to control the processes that take place in our own bodies. This right to self-determination obviously covers everything that takes place in our bodies. A medical doctor can advise me on when to have an operation, but he or she cannot force me to have one. A woman has this same right to self-determination. Hence, abortion should be legal.

Conclusion: Abortion should be legal.
Premises: All the other sentences.

Should be an easy one. "Hence" shows the conclusion.

The government has a duty to protect the individual rights of all citizens. Because an unborn baby is as much a citizen as anyone else, the elimination of this citizen's life is tantamount to murder. Therefore abortion should be illegal.

Conclusion: Abortion should be illegal.
Premises: All the other sentences.

Also should be easy, "Therefore" indicates the conclusion.

Contrary to popular opinion, from a scientific point of view it is very unlikely that extraterrestrial intelligent life exists in our galaxy. This is so, for the following reasons: The Sun is a star that is about 4.6 billion years old. The Earth was formed with the Sun, and intelligent life took at least this long to evolve on Earth. In assessing another star's chances for having planets with intelligent life, the star must be at least as old as the Sun. However, roughly half the stars in our galaxy are younger than the Sun. If intelligence takes 4 to 5 billion years to develop, these young stars cannot have intelligent life around them yet. We should also keep in mind that at least half the stars in our galaxy are part of binary star systems, and lifebearing planets could not survive the monstrous gravitational forces of binary systems. Only a very small percentage of stars in our galaxy are suitable for planets with intelligent life.

Conclusion: Contrary to popular opinion, from a scientific point of view it is very unlikely that extraterrestrial intelligent life exists in our galaxy.
Premises: All the other sentences.

Key phrase in bold above. "This is so" tells us the first statement is the conclusion, and "the follow reasons" tells us the rest is supporting premises.

For more than forty years Congress has been controlled by the Democratic party, and look at the state of the country. It is time for a change. Vote Republican this November.

Conclusion: Vote Republican this November.
Premises: The other sentences.

No premise or conclusion indicator here. You just have to see the bottom line -- Vote Republican.

Argument against allowing women to be priests in the Catholic Church:

Women who are clamoring for the priesthood just are not too observant. The mission for women in the church has always been, and always will be, a different service. If they would only look at the history of the Roman Catholic Church, they would realize that they traditionally have the greatest power in the Church the formation of minds and hearts in education, a ministry to the sick, and the teaching of the Church to future generations.

Conclusion: (implied) Women should not be priests in the Catholic Church.

Premises: The mission for women in the church has always been, and always will be, a different service. If they would only look at the history of the Roman Catholic Church, they would realize that they traditionally have the greatest power in the Church the formation of minds and hearts in education, a ministry to the sick, and the teaching of the Church to future generations.

It is time to trash the Hawaii Superferry for the following very clear reasons. The majority of the people on Kauai and Maui don't want the Superferry. The majority of the local people in this State don't want the Superferry. The majority of the people of this State want to preserve what little we have left of our precious Aina and are against one more big business supported by powerful politicians ruining our local lifestyle.

Conclusion: It is time to trash the Hawaii Superferry.
Premises: The other sentences.

Premise indicator = "for the following very clear reasons."

If you are the chief of intelligence for a tyrant, then you will always be in trouble. This is so, because if you tell the tyrant the truth and it contradicts his sense of infallibility, you will be in trouble. If you tell the tyrant only what he wants to hear, time will inevitably expose your lies and you will be in trouble. A chief of intelligence either has to tell the truth or lie.

Conclusion: If you are the chief of intelligence for a tyrant, then you will always be in trouble.
Premises: The other sentences.

"This is so" indicates the first sentence is the conclusion, and "because" indicates the premises follow.

A necessary condition for universal moral judgment is the existence of universal moral principles. But the establishment of universal moral principles is possible if and only if there is an objective method for ethical judgment. If there is one clear anthropological fact it is that of cultural relativism -- there are vast differences amongst the world's cultures as to what is considered right and wrong. So, do we really have the right to judge those societies that still practice female circumcision?

Conclusion: We do not have a right to judge those societies that still practice female circumcision.
Premises: The other sentences.

Notice that "so" indicates the conclusion but conclusions are not questions; they are definitive statements. Here the last sentence is a rhetorical question. Covered in C2. Notice that this argument is urging us to agree with the position of relativism discussed in C2.

Justice is justice and fairness is fairness. It does not matter that judgments of right and wrong are culturally relative. Slavery is wrong, period. It does not matter that it was once popular. We have learned over the millennia that there is no inherent difference between the so-called races of people on this planet. We have also learned that there is no inherent intellectual difference and moral worth between the sexes. It should be obvious that we do have a right to judge any culture that still practices female circumcision.

Conclusion: We do have a right to judge any culture that still practices female circumcision.
Premises: The other sentences.

"It should be obvious" indicates the conclusion. This argument rejects relativism and is arguing for normative ethics, discussed in C2.

Support President Bush and don't listen to his critics. Those who criticize the president's foreign policy, his development of a new class of offensive-deterrent nuclear weapons, and his plans to drill for oil in Alaska are just the usual suspects of leftwing crybabies who don't realize what the real world is like. It is a violent world with very real evil people in it. We will some times need to kill people before they have a chance to kill us. We need also to be more self-sufficient in terms of energy production so that we don't have to rely on people (Arab countries) who don't like us because we support Israel. (Letter to the Editor, 6/03)

Conclusion: Support President Bush and don't listen to his critics.
Premises: The other sentences.

No premise or conclusion indicators. You just have to see the bottom line -- support Bush.

If the members of the Islamic charity knew or not that they were being wiretapped, the charity cannot sue the government. This is so, for the following reasons: The Islamic charity cannot sue the government unless members of the charity knew they were being wiretapped, but they could not know they were being wiretapped if and only if the wiretapping was legally secret. However, the government seems to be saying that even if the wiretapping was not legally secret, the charity could not know. If members of the charity knew (because they found out), the Islamic charity can sue the government only if the wiretapping was not legally secret.

Conclusion: If the members of the Islamic charity knew or not that they were being wiretapped, the charity cannot sue the government.
Premises: The other sentences.

"This is so" tells us the first sentence is the conclusion, and "for the following reasons" tells us the premises follow.

Argument aimed at getting African-American and minority support for electing Barack Obama president:

It is time for an historic change. Think of what black people have been through in this country and think of the opportunity we have now to elect the first African-American president. Imagine we have the chance to vote for a Hawaiian born, grandson-of-a-son from Middle America Kansas. People of color, people of Hawaii, this is our chance. Vote for Obama.

Conclusion: Vote for Obama.
Premises: The other sentences.

Argument supporting Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the next Supreme Court justice.It is time. It is time for some Latino justice in this county. It is time for some Latino representation on the Supreme Court. Almost 30 million Americans list their ancestry as Latino as of 2006. If confirmed Judge Sotomayor will be the first Latino American on the Supreme Court. Support the Latino American Sotomayor for Justice Project.

Conclusion: (implied) Support Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the next Supreme Court justice.Premises: It is time. It is time for some Latino justice in this county. It is time for some Latino representation on the Supreme Court. Almost 30 million Americans list their ancestry as Latino as of 2006. If confirmed Judge Sotomayor will be the first Latino American on the Supreme Court.

From a speech to a local women's organization by their president:

"Any modern woman ready to enter the twenty-first century knows that it is her right to have abortion on demand. The antiquated arguments of the antiabortionists are no longer worth considering. Arguments from natural law have been used for centuries to oppress women. It is our time now and time for a new philosophy of justice. Abortion is legal, should be legal, and will be legal in a new century of equality."

Conclusion: Abortion should be legal.

Premises: Any modern woman ready to enter the twenty-first century knows that it is her right to have abortion on demand. The antiquated arguments of the antiabortionists are no longer worth considering. Arguments from natural law have been used for centuries to oppress women. It is our time now and time for a new philosophy of justice.

On being smart about global warming?

If the science on human influenced global warming is right, then we should act as if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is right, and if we act as if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is right, then we will have greater energy security. This is so, because acting as if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is not right will cause us to produce concentrations of carbon dioxide carrying immense risk, if the science on human influenced global warming is right. Acting as if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is right will cause us to investment in developing low-carbon emission technologies, even if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is not right. Investment in developing low-carbon emission technologies will cause greater energy security and energy efficiencies. We don't want to produce concentrations of carbon dioxide carrying immense risk, even though we act as if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is not right.

Conclusion: If the science on human influenced global warming is right, then we should act as if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is right, and if we act as if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is right, then we will have greater energy security.

Premises: Acting as if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is not right will cause us to produce concentrations of carbon dioxide carrying immense risk, if the science on human influenced global warming is right. Acting as if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is right will cause us to investment in developing low-carbon emission technologies, even if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is not right. Investment in developing low-carbon emission technologies will cause greater energy security and energy efficiencies. We don't want to produce concentrations of carbon dioxide carrying immense risk, even though we act as if the scientific evidence on human influenced global warming is not right.

Key phrase = "This is so, because."

Mayoral campaign advertisem*nt:

"Who are you voting for?"

"Frank Fasi. Isn't everybody?!"

Conclusion: (implied) Vote for Frank Fasi for Mayor.
Premise: (implied) Everybody is.

Happy-birthdaycard logic: "WHY WORRY???"

There are only two things to worry about, either you're healthy or you're sick. If you're healthy, there's nothing to worry about, and if you're sick, there are two things to worry about, either you'll get well or you won't. If you get well there is nothing to worry about, but if you don't, you'll have two things to worry about, either you'll go to heaven or to hell. If you go to heaven you have nothing to worry about, and if you go to hell you'll be so busy shaking hands with all of us that you'll have no time to worry. So, either you have nothing to worry about or you'll have no time to worry.

Conclusion: Either you have nothing to worry about or you'll have no time to worry.
Premises: The other sentences.

Argument against President Obama's foreign policy:Obama's foreign policy that involves reaching out to moderate Muslims is a failure and has caused huge setbacks, such as our war in

Afghanistan

. Before Obama was president and announced his new approach to terrorism, we were winning the war in

Afghanistan

. Now, after just one year in office, we are losing the war in Afghanistan.

Conclusion: Obama's foreign policy that involves reaching out to moderate Muslims is a failure and has caused huge setbacks, such as our war in

Afghanistan

.
Premises: Before Obama was president and announced his new approach to terrorism, we were winning the war in

Afghanistan

. Now, after just one year in office, we are losing the war in

Afghanistan

According to President George W. Bush, the invasion of

Iraq

in the spring of 2003 was necessary, because Saddam Hussein's regime posed a threat to the American people and people around the world. In a speech to the 2004 Republican National Convention he said:

". . . I faced the kind of decision that comes only to the Oval Office -- a decision no president would ask for, but must be prepared to make. Do I forget the lessons of September 11th and take the word of a madman, or do I take action to defend our country? Faced with that choice, I will defend

America every time.

Conclusion: (implied) Invading Iraq was the right thing to do.

Premises: We should not forget the lessons of September 11th. Either we take the word of a madman and not invade Iraq or take action to defend our country. We should defend our country every time. (Flexible wording is possible here for the premise. But should have an "or" statement somewhere.)

Argument for the existence of God

If God exists, then He is all-powerful. If He exists and is all powerful, then the universe is elegantly ordered. Because the universe is elegantly ordered, this shows that God exists.

Conclusion: God exists.

Premises: If God exists, then He is all-powerful. If He exists and is all powerful, then the universe is elegantly ordered. The universe is elegantly ordered.

"This shows that" points to the conclusion.