Critical Reading/Thinking: Argument

3/20/2014

Argument A good argument is not an emotional experience where people s !eelings get out o! control" lea#ing them read$ to start throwing things% &nstead" it is a rational discussion where each person ad#ances and supports a point o! #iew% Argumentation is" then" a part o! our e#er$da$ dealings with other people% &t is also central to man$ o! the papers that we write" and it is a 'asic structure in much o! the material that we need% (er$ o!ten the two most important things we must do as writers are to: 1% )ake a point 2% *upport the point &n the second part" $ou will learn to recogni+e common errors in reasoning that pre#ent clear and logical thinking% POINTS AND SUPPORT Read the short piece below. Does it give you factual support? What tells you that the point is valid? ,eople should ne#er start smoking% &t has 'een shown that smoking is #er$ di!!icult to stop 'ecause o! the addicti#e nature o! nicotine% -ou all pro'a'l$ know people who ha#e had trou'le tr$ing to stop smoking% *olid support con#inces us that a logical point has 'een made% .ot all arguments are so clearl$ supported" though% *ometimes writers" in order to con#ince $ou to support their idea use !ault$ reasoning% )an$ times these arguments sound reasona'le i! looked at !or their !ace #alue and not against what the surrounding !acts that $ou know a'out the su'/ect and what other authorities in this area sa$% *ometimes we can make giant leaps and assume things that aren0t necessaril$ true% 1e can 'ase assumptions on connotations o! how we percei#e the meaning o! the point made or how we !eel a'out it% *ometimes our culture or the things we were taught can a!!ect our /udgement o! the 2trueness3 o! something%3 &t0s more important to get an A in this class than to concentrate on learning essential skills and concepts that & need%3 4r we go '$ heres$ and what someone important to us has gi#en us examples o!% )$ granddad said he saw this t$pe o! person doing this" so all o! these people must 'e this wa$% There are some things $ou can think a'out when looking at issues that are 'rought !orth% 5irst" &s the issue sel!6e#ident7 Can the support lend itsel! easil$ to the point 'eing made or is it contro#ersial and hard to support7 .ext" 1hat must $ou assume in each supporting reason !or the point7 8oing along with this" is there enough e#idence gi#en to #alidate the statement7 This e#idence should include good reasons" accurate data" and other in!ormation that not onl$ makes sense 'ut also is accepta'le to $ou and an$ experts in this topic% &! $ou took some kind o! action that this idea suggests" would it 'e accepta'le and appropriate7

Change the Subject

Reading 09:

Critical Reading/Thinking: Argument

3/20/2014

There are other common errors in thinking or !ault$ arguments that $ou can encounter% *ome o! these ideas relate to !ault$ reasoning% 4ne t$pe o! error is to change the su'/ect 'eing discussed% ;$ changing the issue" so that the su'/ect is skirted or ignored completel$" a skill!ul writer/ speaker can sneak around the su'/ect #er$ su'tl$ and $ou go awa$ !eeling as though $ou were 2ro''ed3 o! the explanation $ou expected% ,oliticians use this de#ice to a#oid making people mad at them" so the$ can get $our #ote% Now read the following paragraph and try to find the sentence that does not support the point. *igmund 5reud was one o! the most important scientists o! the twentieth centur$% <e was among the !irst to stud$ mental disorders" such as h$steria and neurosis" in a s$stematic wa$% <e de#eloped the theor$ o! the unconscious and showed how people s 'eha#ior is greatl$ a!!ected '$ !orgotten childhood e#ents% <is disco#eries are the 'asis o! ps$choanal$sis" a method o! treating mental illness that is still important toda$% ,s$choanal$sis is used widel$ '$ ps$chiatrists toda$ to treat long6standing neurosis in patients% &t has pro#en help!ul in man$ #aried mental pro'lem states% <e was highl$ regarded '$ the scientists o! his time The point o! this argument is that 5reud =was one o! the most important scientists o! the twentieth centur$%3 An$ statement that doesn t help pro#e this is irrele#ant% Read the paragraph, and then decide which sentence is not relevant to the argument. "Does this have anything to do with the point that is being proved?" 1% *oon" the personal computer will 'e as necessar$ to e#er$ American home as the telephone is toda$% >#er$ !amil$ mem'er will 'e a'le to use the computer in some wa$% ,arents will !ind a computer o! #alue !or keeping the !amil$ in!ormation such as tax records and recipe collections% *o!tware programs now exist e#en !or such anno$ing chores as 'alancing the !amil$0s check'ook% 4! course" 'anks are alread$ 'eginning to o!!er a computer ser#ice that 'alances customer s check'ooks !or them% &n addition" children s grades will impro#e when the$ use a computer to master a su'/ect or write an >nglish paper" and e#er$one will en/o$ a 'reak with one o! the popular computer games% 2% 1? )an$ logging and tim'er companies are tr$ing to !ix some pre#ious mistakes the$ ha#e made en#ironmentall$%2? The$ are tr$ing to !ix logging roads" close or re'uild cul#erts and drainage s$stems and pre#ent !orest !ires in their !orests" which helps pre#ent run o!! and drainage pro'lems in spawning creeks% 3? Also" the$ de#elop campsites !or tourism and onl$ clear6cut where necessar$ to make a pro!it%4? The$ also are tr$ing to help the econom$ '$ keeping local /o's and 'eing in#enti#e with new t$pes o! /o's to make li!e 'etter in the great ,aci!ic .orthwest en#irons where we li#e% ;ecause o! all these reasons" !orest companies help the en#ironment% Which of the following is not a sound argument in support of the author's conclusion that logging companies are trying to help clean up the environment? Sentence Reason! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Reading 09: 2

Critical Reading/Thinking: Argument

3/20/2014

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! Circular Reasoning An$ !orm o! argument in which the conclusion occurs as one o! the premises" or a chain o! arguments in which the !inal conclusion is a premise o! one o! the earlier arguments in the chain% -ou can0t use the point $ou are tr$ing to make as a reason $ou are making it% That t$pe o! argument is called circular reasoning% =)r% @ones is a great teacher 'ecause he is so wonder!ul at teaching%= The supporting reason gi#en in this point itsel! is reall$ the same as the statement% .o real reason has 'een gi#en% "an you spot the circular reasoning in the following arguments? 1% (itamins are health$" !or the$ impro#e $our well 'eing% 2% *ince people under 21 are too $oung to #ote" the #oting age shouldn t 'e lowered 'elow age 21% 3% A'ortion is an e#il practice 'ecause it is so wrong% Aet s look more closel$ now at these arguments% 1% The word healthy" which is used in the conclusion" con#e$s the same idea as well being. 2% The author uses the idea that people under 21 are too $oung to #ote as 'oth the conclusion and the reason o! the argument% .o real reason is gi#en !or wh$ people under 21 are too $oung to #ote% 3% The claim that a'ortion is wrong is simpl$ a restatement o! the idea that it is an evil practice%

Personal Attack This !allac$ o!ten occurs in political de'ate% -ou commit this !allac$ i! $ou make an irrele#ant attack on the arguer and suggest that this attack undermines the argument itsel!% &t is a !orm o! the 8enetic 5allac$% >xample: Reading 09: 3

Critical Reading/Thinking: Argument

3/20/2014

1hat she sa$s a'out @ohannes Bepler s astronom$ o! the 1C00 s must 'e /ust so much gar'age% Do $ou reali+e she s onl$ !ourteen $ears old7 This attack ma$ undermine the arguer s credi'ilit$ as a scienti!ic authorit$" 'ut it does not undermine her reasoning% That reasoning should stand or !all on the scienti!ic e#idence" not on the arguer s age or an$thing else a'out her personall$% &! the !allacious reasoner points out irrele#ant circumstances that the reasoner is in" the !allac$ is a circumstantial ad hominem% Tu EuoFue and Two 1rongs )ake a Right are other t$pes o! the ad hominem !allac$% The ma/or di!!icult$ with la'eling a piece o! reasoning as an ad hominem !allac$ is deciding whether the personal attack is rele#ant% 5or example" attacks on a person !or their actuall$ immoral sexual conduct are irrele#ant to the Fualit$ o! their mathematical reasoning" 'ut the$ are rele#ant to arguments promoting the person !or a leadership position in the church% Gn!ortunatel$" man$ attacks are not so eas$ to classi!$" such as an attack pointing out that the candidate !or church leadership" while in the tenth grade" intentionall$ tripped a !ellow student and 'roke his collar 'one% There are two t$pes o! personal attack: abusive" attacking the person0s character" and circumstance" some irrele#ant circumstance surrounding the opponent is o!!ered as e#idence against the opponent0s position%

*enator *mith s opinion on pu'lic housing is worthless% <e can t e#en manage to hold his own household together" ha#ing married and di#orced three times alread$% *enator *nerd s !amil$ li!e ma$ or ma$ not re!lect a weakness in his character" 'ut it has nothing to do with the #alue o! his opinion on pu'lic housing% The ke$ to recogni+ing personal attack is that it alwa$s in#ol#es an opponent0s personal li!e or character" rather than simpl$ his or her pu'lic ideas% # $oo% in the paper for e&amples of personal attac%s.'

Straw Man An opponent made o! straw can 'e de!eated #er$ easil$% *ometimes" i! one s real opponent is putting up too good a !ight" it can 'e tempting to 'uild a scarecrow and 'attle it instead o! attacking someone who will !ight 'ack% )s% Collins opposes capital punishment" 'ut letting murderers out on the street to kill again is a cra+$ idea% &! we did that" no one would 'e sa!e% Circle the num'er o! the one item that contains an example o! straw man%

Reading 09:

Critical Reading/Thinking: Argument

3/20/2014

1% The go#ernment should lower our taxes 'ecause taxes are entirel$ too high% 2% The people who are in !a#or o! gun control are o'#iousl$ not concerned a'out criminals taking control o! this !ine countr$% (pponent: ;ecause o! the killing and su!!ering o! &ndians that !ollowed Colum'us s disco#er$ o! America" the Cit$ o! ;erkele$ should declare that Colum'us Da$ will no longer 'e o'ser#ed in our cit$% )pea%er: This is ridiculous" !ellow mem'ers o! the cit$ council% &t s not true that e#er$'od$ who e#er came to America !rom another countr$ somehow oppressed the &ndians% & sa$ we should continue to o'ser#e Colum'us Da$" and #ote down this resolution that will make the Cit$ o! ;erkele$ the laughing stock o! the nation% The speaker has twisted what his opponent saidH the opponent ne#er said" nor e#en indirectl$ suggested" that e#er$'od$ who e#er came to America !rom another countr$ somehow oppressed the &ndians%

ast! "enerali#ation To 'e #alid" a point must 'e 'ased on an adeFuate amount o! e#idence% This e#idence should 'e !air to 'e #alid% A one6sided case presents onl$ e#idence !a#oring its conclusion and ignores or downpla$s the e#idence against it% *omeone who draws a point or conclusion on the 'asis o! insu!!icient e#idence is making a hasty generali*ation. 2)an$ &talians are Catholic% )an$ )a!ia people are &talians% &talians and Catholics are in the )a!ia" so 'e care!ul what $ou sa$ at mass%3 What is wrong with the conclusion + drew from my statement? Discuss this with a partner. Now come up with your own false or hasty generali*ation.

Reading 09:

Critical Reading/Thinking: Argument

3/20/2014

"hec% the sentence that states a valid point based on the supporting evidence in each group below. J )$ grandmother s cottage is in the countr$% J The onl$ sounds we hear are 'ird calls and the wind rustling in the pine trees% J 4n 8randmother s !ront porch" we o!ten en/o$ watching the sunset o#er the lake% Check the one #alid conclusion that can 'e drawn !rom the e#idence a'o#e: 66666666a% The speaker would rather 'e at his grandmother s cottage than an$where else% 66666666'% <is grandmother o!ten in#ites him to her cottage% 66666666c% <is grandmother s cottage is the most peace!ul place he s e#er 'een% 66666666d% <is grandmother s cottage at the lake is #er$ peace!ul% $alse Cause -ou ha#e pro'a'l$ heard someone sa$ as /oke" =& know it s going to rain toda$ 'ecause & /ust washed the car%= <owe#er" with more complicated issues" it is eas$ to make the mistake known as false cause. The mistake is to assume that 'ecause >#ent ; !ollows >#ent A" >#ent A has caused >#ent ;% Cause6and6e!!ect situations can 'e di!!icult to anal$+e" and people are o!ten tempted to o#ersimpli!$ them '$ ignoring other possi'le causes%

,ractice: .on

*eFuitur

does not !ollow

1hen a conclusion is supported onl$ '$ extremel$ weak reasons or '$ irrele#ant reasons" the argument is !allacious and is said to 'e a non seFuitur% <owe#er" we usuall$ appl$ the term onl$ when we cannot think o! how to la'el the argument with a more speci!ic !allac$ name% An$ deducti#el$ in#alid in!erence is a non seFuitur% >xample: .uclear disarmament is a risk" 'ut e#er$thing in li!e in#ol#es a risk% >#er$ time $ou dri#e in a car $ou are taking a risk% &! $ou re willing to dri#e in a car" $ou should 'e willing to ha#e disarmament%

Reading 09:

Critical Reading/Thinking: Argument

3/20/2014

$alse Com%arison Comparisons are o!ten a good wa$ to clari!$ a point% ;ut 'ecause two things are not alike in all aspects" comparisons Ksometimes called analogies? o!ten make poor e#idence !or arguments% &n the false comparison" the assumption is that two things are more alike than the$ reall$ are% & didn t hurt $our grand!ather in the old countr$ to get to work without a car" and it won t hurt $ou either% ,ractice: Re& erring This !allac$ attempts to /usti!$ a wrong action '$ pointing to another wrong action% An old trick to keep con#icts !rom 'eing !ound '$ dogs was to drag a smell$ !ish across the path the$ smelled to get them con!used and headed in the wrong direction% *ome examples: Two wrongs &on't make a right Gsuall$ used to de!end wrongdoing and make it appear legitimate 'ecause others do it% ,&ample( A dri#er /ust recei#ed a speeding ticket) ,oliceman to dri#er: 2 *ir did $ou
know $ou were going :I mph in a CI +one73 Driver- 2& don0t see wh$ $ou pulled me o#er% Didn0t $ou see that gu$ in the red Accura7 <e must ha#e 'een doing 9IL3 ,&ample( &t doesn0t make sense !or people to get so upset a'out the #iolence on tele#ision% &! the$ looked around at the larger societ$" the$0ll see that #iolence is all around them% 1h$ don0t these critics worr$ a'out that issue7 K the real issue is #iolence on t# not in the larger societ$% -ou can0t do as much a'out the larger issue% Also the causal !actors can 'e di!!erent% ,&ample( 2The operation cost /ust under MI00" and no one was killed or e#en hurt%

&n that same time the ,entagon spent tens o! millions o! dollars dropping tens o! thousands o! pounds o! explosi#es on (iet .am" killing or wounding thousands o! human 'eings" causing hundreds o! millions o! dollars in damage% ;ecause nothing /usti!ied their actions in our calculus" nothing could contradict the merit o! ours%3 1eather Gnderground terrorist ;ill A$ers" !rom his memoir .ugitive Days" de!ending the 'om' attack o! the ,entagon% Euoted in 2Radical Chic Resurgent3% ;$ Timoth$ .oah" *late" 9/22/2001% 1ill the new tax in *enate ;ill 4: un!airl$ hurt 'usiness7 4ne o! the pro#isions o! the 'ill is that the tax is higher !or large emplo$ers K!i!t$ or more emplo$ees? as opposed to small emplo$ers Ksix to !ort$6nine emplo$ees?% To decide on the !airness o! the 'ill" we must !irst determine whether emplo$ees who work !or large emplo$ers ha#e 'etter working conditions than emplo$ees who work !or small emplo$ers%

Reading 09:

Critical Reading/Thinking: Argument ;ringing up the issue o! working conditions is the red herring%

3/20/2014

*el!65ul!illing ,rophec$
The !allac$ occurs when the act o! prophes$ing will itsel! produce the e!!ect that is prophesied 'ut the person reasoning underestimates this tri#iali+ing !actor and 'elie#es that the prophes$ is a signi!icant insight% >xample: A group o! students are selected to 'e inter#iewed indi#iduall$ '$ the teacher% >ach selected student is told that the teacher has predicted the$ will do signi!icantl$ 'etter in their !uture school work% Actuall$" though" the teacher has no special in!ormation a'out the students and has picked the group at random% &! the students 'elie#e this prediction a'out themsel#es" then" gi#en human ps$cholog$" it is likel$ that the$ will do 'etter merel$ 'ecause o! the teacher s making the prediction% The prediction will !ul!ill itsel!" so to speak" and the students commit the !allac$% The teacher ma$ or ma$ not commit the !allac$ depending on whether the teacher recogni+es that the prophec$ is sel!6!ul!illing% This !allac$ can 'e dangerous in an atmosphere o! potential war 'etween nations when the leader o! a nation predicts that their nation will go to war against their enem$% This prediction could #er$ well precipitate an enem$ attack 'ecause the enem$ calculates that i! war is ine#ita'le then it is to their militar$ ad#antage not to get caught '$ surprise%

*ither+Or &t is o!ten wrong to assume that there are onl$ two sides to a Fuestion% 4!!ering onl$ the choices when more actuall$ exist is an either/or fallacy. =-ou are either with us or against us= assumes that there is no middle ground% >xamples: ,eople opposed to unrestricted !ree speech are reall$ in !a#or o! censorship% 28erda Reith is con#inced that superstition can 'e a positi#e !orce% 2 &t gi#e $ou a sense o! control '$ making $ou think $ou can work out what0s going to happen next%3 *he sa$s% 2And it also makes $ou !eel luck$% And to take a risk or enter into a chanc$ situation " $ou reall$ ha#e to 'elie#e in $our own luck% &n that sense" it0s a #er$ use!ul wa$ o! thinking" 'ecause the alternati#e is !atalism" which is to sa$" 24h" theirs nothing $ou can do % 2 At least superstition makes people do things3 source : Da#id .ewman% 2<ostages to 5ortune3

Reading 09:

Critical Reading/Thinking: Argument

3/20/2014

O,ersim%li-ication K this is similar to either/or arguments? -ou o#ersimpli!$ when $ou co#er up rele#ant complexities or make a complicated pro'lem appear to 'e too much simpler than it reall$ is% 4#ersimpli!ication can in#ol#e reducing a complicated issue to o#erl$ simple terms or suppressing in!ormation that would strengthen an argument%
,&ample( <umans ha#e 23 pairs o! chromosomes and dogs ha#e 3N% There!ore dogs are more complex than humans% The argument rests on the simplistic meaning o! the word complex and o#ersimpli!ies the di!!erences 'etween dogs and humans% ,&ample( ,resident ;ush wants our countr$ to trade with 5idel Castro s

Communist Cu'a% & sa$ there should 'e a trade em'argo against Cu'a% The issue in our election is Cu'an trade" and i! $ou are against it" then $ou should #ote !or me !or president% 1ho to #ote !or should 'e decided '$ considering Fuite a num'er o! issues in addition to Cu'an trade% 1hen an o#ersimpli!ication results in !alsel$ impl$ing that a minor causal !actor is the ma/or one" then the reasoning also commits the !alse cause !allac$

Sli%%er! Slo%e This metaphor sa$s that once $ou take one step in the wrong direction $ou will slide 'ackwards into o'li#ion or increasingl$ dire conseFuences" like tr$ing
to halt a slide down an ic$ slope% ,&ample( &0m opposed to censorship in an$ !orm% &! we 'an so6 called hate speech or sexuall$ explicit language" prett$ soon the go#ernment will 'e telling us which 'ooks we can read and mo#ies we can watch and our hard6 won !reedoms will go down the drain% ,&ample( The .ew -ork law prohi'iting dri#ers !rom talking on cell phones while dri#ing pro#oked a t$pical response: Den$ing dri#ers in .ew -ork the right to talk on cell phones is a 'ad idea% The next thing $ou know" the .ew -ork legislature will 'e passing laws !or'idding dri#ers to listen to their radio" change the radio station" eat a ;ig )ac" or talk to their passengers while dri#ing%

*uppose someone claims that a !irst step Kin a chain o! causes and e!!ects" or a chain o! reasoning? will pro'a'l$ lead to a second step that in turn will pro'a'l$ lead to another step and so on until a !inal step ends in trou'le% &! the likelihood o! the trou'le occurring is exaggerated" the slipper$ slope !allac$ is committed% <ere0s a !amous example o! this misused argument:

Reading 09:

Critical Reading/Thinking: Argument

3/20/2014

2&! $ou can take a thing like e#olution and make it a crime to teach it in the pu'lic school" tomorrow $ou can make it a crime to teach it in the pri#ate schools" and next $ear $ou can make it a crime to teach it in the hustings or in the church% At the next session $ou ma$ 'an 'ooks and the newspapers% *oon $ou ma$ set Catholic against ,rotestant" and tr$ to !oist $our own religion upon the minds o! men% &! $ou can do one" $ou can do the other% &gnorance and !anaticism is e#er 'us$ and needs !eeding% Alwa$s its !eeding and gloating !or more% Toda$ it0s the pu'lic school teachers" tomorrow the pri#ate% The next da$ the preachers and the lectures" the maga+ines" the 'ooks" the newspapers% A!ter a while" $our honor" &t0s the setting o! man against man and creed against creed until with !l$ing 'anners 'eating drums we are marching 'ackwards to the glorious ages o! the 1Cth centur$ when 'igots lighted !agots to 'urn the men who dared to 'ring an$ intelligence and enlightenment and culture to the human kind%3 *ource: Clarence Darrow " the *copes Trial " Da$ 2

-our assignment is to:

Argument ,ractice exercises : label these faulty arguments below as o,ersim%li-ication. -alse analog!. non se/uitor. rationali#ation re& herring. sli%%er! slo%e. two wrongs &on't make a right and discuss why in your group. 1%;umper sticker spotted in 4regon" in response to the 5orest *er#ice0s decision to stop logging in so6called old growth !orests to protect the spotted owl: 2<ungr$ and out o! work7 >at an en#ironmentalist%3 5allac$:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 2%&! doctors were allowed to consult re!erence 'ooks" medical /ournals" and 1orld 1ide 1e' sites" wh$ can0t we medical students use our medical text'ooks or we'sites during tests7 5allac$:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 3%Aetter to the editor K paraphrased?: 5or all the 'leeding6 heart li'erals who gripe a'out the death o! the to'acco 'ill" ma$ & sa$ that the idea that a tax increase will stop people !rom smoking is wa$ out in le!t !ield% &! the administration reall$ wanted to protect kids" it would do something a'out the illegal drugs a#aila'le to our $oung people% Children don0t die !rom smoking cigarettes" 'ut plent$ die !rom taking drugs% 5allac$:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 4%The wa$ to stop drug a'use in this countr$ is to increase dramaticall$ the num'er o! drug en!orcement agents and punish se#erel$ an$one caught possessing illegal drugs% 5allac$:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I%The contro#ers$ o#er cloning human 'eings and using stem cell research

Reading 09:

10

Critical Reading/Thinking: Argument

3/20/2014

is misguided% ,eople ought to reall$ 'e concerned a'out the disregard !or human li!e that pro6a'ortion t$pes represent% 5allac$:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO C%&0m opposed to those supermarket discount clu' cards% & don0t trust the supermarket chains to keep m$ purchases pri#ate% 1hat i! health insurance companies got data on shoppers0 'u$ing ha'its7 The next thing $ou know we0d ha#e the 2!ood police 2 poking through our gar'age cans looking !or sour cream containers" cand$ 'ar and Twinkie wrappers and empt$ liFuor 'ottles% Then the insurance companies might den$ us health 'ene!its /ust 'ecause we ha#e unhealth$ diets% 5allac$:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :%.o wonder those gu$s at Colum'ine <igh *chool killed all their classmates% The$ were known to pla$ computer games like doom and Euake% (iolent #ideo games are the leading cause o! #iolence in our societ$% 5allac$:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 9%A single woman decided to ha#e her 'a'$ without marr$ing the !ather K who wanted nothing to do with the child? % <er parents o'/ected to her decision" arguing that the child would 'e damaged '$ not 'eing raised '$ a !ather% &n response" the $oung woman argued that lots o! children are a'andoned '$ their !athers% 5allac$:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO N%5rench scientists inserted /ell$!ish genes into a ra''it em'r$o to create a 'unn$ that emitted a green glow in the dark% *upporters o! this sort o! tinkering with nature '$ manipulating the organisms genes de!end it sa$ing that dog 'reeders manipulate mating all the time to produce desira'le Fualities" so wh$ can0t 'iotech 'reeders create glowing 'unnies7 5allac$:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

.ind 0 articles on the internet" in the newspaper and1or in a maga*ine #infotrac' that give different e&amples of faulty arguments% Write which type of faulty argument it is. ,&plain why you thin% so. 2ring them to class to e&change with a partner to discuss your reasons.

Reading 09:

11