Exam 2: Recognizing Arguments

Premises are statements that are claimed to provide evidence for another statement, the conclusion.

The heavily cratered lunar highlands speak to us of an early epoch in the history of the solar system when cratering was much more common than it is today; the present population of interplanetary debris fails by a large factor to account for the abundance of the highland craters. (Carl Sagan, Broca's Brain: Reflections on the Romance of Science)

This is for the lady who says she wants to vote for the opposite person who is not supported by pharmaceutical companies. Republicans support big business. Pharmaceutical companies are very, very big business. You want to vote against them? Vote Democratic. (From a newspaper call-in column)

"That is why," "which shows that," and "for this reason" are common conclusion indicators.

Without really knowing it, many students inwardly believe that it is possible to acquire knowledge without thought, that it is possible to read without exerting any intellectual energy, and that good writing is not a product of practice and hard work but of a talent one is born with. As a result, they are not inclined to take any responsibility for their own learning or to put any effort into learning new modes of thinking. (Foundation for Critical Thinking, Critical Thinking: Basic Theory and Instructional Structures)

We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing. We do not, most of us, choose to die, nor do we choose the time or conditions of our death. But within all this realm of choicelessness, we do choose how we shall live: courageously or in cowardice, honorably or dishonorably, with purpose or in drift. (Joseph Epstein, Ambition: The Secret Passion) Aargument; conclusion: Within all this realm of choicelessness, we do choose how we shall live: courageously or in cowardice, honorably or dishonorably, with purpose or in drift.

He that makes use of the light and faculties God has given him and seeks sincerely to discover truths by those helps and abilities he has, may have this satisfaction in doing his duty as a rational creature, that, though he should miss truth, he will not miss the reward of it. For he governs his assent right, and places it as he should, who, in any case or matter whatsoever, believes or disbelieves, according as his reason directs him. (John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding)

We can acquire a more profound understanding of events by recognizing their significance in Christ; thus the crossing of the Red Sea is a sign or type of Christ's victory and also of Christian baptism. (The Catechism of the Catholic Church)

In a thoroughly naturalistic universe, it would be hard to see how any of our gestures toward meaning could be efficacious in any way at all. For this reason, the debate about the existence of God is never just an intellectual controversy. (Tom Morris, Philosophy for Dummies)

It is very easy for Pope John Paul II to urge Catholics to attend Sunday mass, especially in Rome, where one can be surrounded by hundreds of priests. Out here in the real world there is a serious shortage of male priests; those who remain increasingly preside over lackluster liturgies. This situation could be alleviated by allowing married priests into active ministry and by the Catholic Church's recognition of female priests. (Mary Louise Hartman, Letter to the Editor, New York Times)

All organisms that have ever lived-every animal and plant, every bacteria and all fungi, every creeping thing, and all readers of this book-can look back at their ancestors and make the following proud claim: not a single one of our ancestors died in infancy. They all reached adulthood, and every single one was capable of finding at least one heterosexual partner and of successfully copulating. (Richard Dawkins, River Out of Eden)

Official world table tennis championships were first held in 1926 under the auspices of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF; founded in 1926). Women's doubles competition was added in 1929 and women's team competition in 1934. In 1980 the ITTF first sponsored a men's World Cup competition for the top 16 ranking players; it has been held annually since then. ("Sporting Record: Table Tennis," The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15^th ed.)

Although it is high time to deal with agriculture's contribution to water pollution, the damage is very uneven in scope and severity; it tends to occur where farming is extensive and fresh water resources are vulnerable. Thus, blanket regulations would be unwise. (David

If you have a well-established theory which says that change does not occur in the heavenly regions (regions of the sky more distant from the Earth than the moon), you will rightly discount reports of observers on a particular occasion who claim to have observed a new star to appear where there was no star before, or to have observed a comet pass through those regions (as opposed to being a mere sublunary phenomenon). (Richard Swinburne, Revelation: From Metaphor to Analogy)

I would like to voice my opinion on what pet shops should sell. Cats, dogs, birds, fish are OK, but rodents, reptiles should not be caged and should remain in their own environment. I think that they should do something to stop them from profiting on these creatures. (From a newspaper call-in column)