ACADEMIC ENGLISH IIIClass 12

April 17, 2013

Today

Continue argumentative writing

Argument

An argument consists of:

- Claim (i.e., thesis statement)

- Support (i.e., evidence and reasoning throughout an essay)

Example: Drinking water daily is good for your health as it cleans out your liver and reduces the level of toxins in your

Blood.

Using logic to argue

Example 1

Premise 1: Non-renewable resources do not exist in infinite supply.

Premise 2: Coal is a non-renewable resource.

Conclusion:

- Coal does not exist in infinite supply.

Using logic to argue

Example 2: It can often take several premises to reach a conclusion.

Premise 1: All monkeys are primates.

Premise 2: All primates are mammals.

Premise 3: All mammals are vertebrate animals.

Conclusion: Monkeys are vertebrate animals.

Logical fallacies

If we ban SUVs because they are bad for the environment, eventually the government will ban all cars; therefore, we should not ban SUVs.

Even though this is only the first episode, this TV show is clearly going to be terrible.

I ate some pizza and got sick. Thus, the pizza must have made me sick.

Slippery Slope

Hasty Generalization

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

Logical fallacies

Volkswagen cars are evil because they were used by Hitler’s army.

Filthy and polluting oil should be banned.

Barack Obama is a great communicator because he speaks effectively.

Genetic fallacy

Begging the claim

Circular argument

Logical fallacies

We can either stop using cars or destroy the earth.

Green Peace’s strategies are not effective because they are all dirty, lazy hippies.

The parking attendant who gave me a ticket is as bad as Hitler.

Either/or

ad hominem

Moral equivalance

Logical Fallacies

Red Herring

Problem: A diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often avoiding opposing arguments instead of addressing them.

The level of mercury in seafood may be dangerous, but what will fishermen do to support their families.

Spot the fallacy

Physical education classes are regularly opposed by policy makers who want to promote more traditional academic class in school. These policy makers are not the most qualified people to promote these changes. The issue with policy makers opposing physical education classes is that most policy makers tend to be promotion-seeking workers whose primary interest is moving ahead of everyone else. They will often resort to using unethical methods to attain advancement.

ad hominem

Spot the fallacy

Schools must ensure that enjoyable and health-promoting physical education class is part of the curriculum. Since students, even young students spend most of their time in the classroom, they may become bored or distracted by the lack of physical activity. Many students, as a result, look forward to physical education (gym) class as something fun to break the tedium of the classroom. While having fun, the students are also becoming more health conscious through knowledge provided by gym teachers and activities in gym class.

begging the claim

Spot the fallacy

Parties insisting on a decrease in physical education classes support their views with research data that indicate students’ math and language skills have dropped drastically since more physical education classes were added to the curriculum. While this may have some value, the parties calling for less physical education classes ignore the fact that gym teachers have studied just as hard as other teachers and are a valuable component of the education system. What they teach has significant value.

red herring

Spot the fallacy

Many people argue that sports should not be part of the school curriculum. However, removing sports from the curriculum will have dangerous consequences. Sports are one of the best ways to encourage children to be physically active. Removing sports from the curriculum will decrease children’s interest in exercising and will lead to more obese children.

slippery slope

Spot the fallacy

While eager parents often assert that more academic classes, like math and science, should take precedence over physical education class because those classes have more value, they ignore the fact that physical education class has real-world value for students by teaching team work. Team work is a skill required in most jobs because it is a necessary skill at work. Students learn this skill through playing team sports like basketball and soccer in gym class.

circular argument

Using logic in writing

Simply creating a syllogism

Premise 1

Premise 2

Conclusion

is not enough to convince all readers.

1. Not all readers will automatically follow your line of reasoning.

2. The elements of the argument needs to be expanded.

Using logic in writing

To convert a logical syllogism into a written argument:

- Present each premise clearly

- Provide evidence to support each premise

- draw a clear connection to the conclusion

Using logic in writing – Example 1

Context:

The government in Moronville wants to use taxpayer money to construct a new stadium.

The author of the following argument is opposed to this.

Using logic in writing – Example 1

Author’s logic:

Premise 1: Projects funded by taxpayer dollars should benefit a majority of the public.

Premise 2: The proposed stadium constructions benefits very few members of the public.

Conclusion: Therefore, the stadium construction should not be funded by taxpayer dollars.

Using logic in writing – Example 1Author’s logic:

Premise 1: Projects funded by taxpayer dollars should benefit a majority of the public.

Premise 2: The proposed stadium constructions benefits very few members of the public.

Conclusion: Therefore, the stadium construction should not be funded by taxpayer dollars.

This conclusion is logical. However, if there is no elaboration, it may not be persuasive to the audience.

Using logic in writing – Example 1

The author elaborates on the premises (explains them adequately) and provides evidence to support each premise.

Using logic in writing – Example 2

Context:

The author is arguing for minimum wage to be increased.

Using logic in writing – Example 2

Compare Example 2 with Example 1

What do you notice?

Using logic in writing – Example 1 vs. Example 2

What do you notice?

- Example 2 does not have a logical argument:

1. It assumes anyone thinking logically will already agree with the author (not true).

2. The argument does not follow a logical structure.

3. There is no evidence to support the argument.

Using logic in writing – Example 2: improved

To improve Example 2, the author must fix the issues with his/her argument.

First, the author needs to take a logical approach to defend the point.

i.e.,

Premise 1: Minimum wage should match the cost of living in society.

Premise 2: The current minimum wage does not match the cost of

living in society.

Conclusion: Therefore, minimum wage should be increased.

Using logic in writing – Example 2: improved

To improve Example 2, the author must fix the issues with his/her argument.

Next, the author must elaborate the premises in the actual writing AND provide evidence to support them.

Rhetorical Strategies

What we have examined until now is the logical aspect of an argument:

Logos (appeal to reason).

There are two other aspects of this:

- Ethos

- Pathos

Ethos

“Ethical appeal”. Ethos is based on the character, credibility, or reliability of the writer.

EthosTo establish ethos:

- Use credible, reliable sources in your argument.

- Cite these sources properly.

- Acknowledge both sides of the argument (counter-arguments).

- Make sure your argument is logically organized and easy to follow (i.e., follow an essay pattern).

- Make sure to revise and edit (too many mistakes will make your audience question your character as a writer).

Pathos

Emotional appeal: appealing to the audience’s needs, values, and emotional sensibilities.

- We will examine this later (if there is time).

Practice

Create a true line of reasoning (syllogism) to make an argument for:

Conclusion: Therefore smart phones should be banned from the classroom.

Practice

P1: distraction to classmates should be banned in class

P2: Using smart phones can distract others

Conclusion: Therefore smart phones should be banned from the classroom.

P1: Distracted students will fail

P2: Smart phones distract students

P3: Students cannot control themselves

Choose one of the following

and start conducting some research.

1. Government welfare is an excuse for laziness

2. Technology is a major problem in society

3. The death penalty violates human rights

4. Mass media has changed the world for the better

5. South Korea must be more open to immigration

Before next class

Check (and read) the reading on the website (Files section).