CATA 335 - McGaan

Practice Exercises 2

Label or create the grounds, claim and warrant for each of the following arguments. You may have to infer some parts of the argument. (Make your choice of warrant as general as you can for the example given.) Identify each argument as concerning fact, value or policy.

1. [gr.] The opposition of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior military officials showed that [cl.] the plan to admit gays to the armed forces was a bad idea.  POLICY

[w.] The Joint Chiefs know how to judge military policy

2. Since [ gr.} President Bush made a clear promise during the campaign to establish a prescription drug plan for medicare, [cl.] it is only right he be held to that promise that now he's in office.

[w.] People should be expected to keep promises.  VALUE

3. [gr.]Dick Channey is too old  [cl.] [he should not be] Vice President.  FACT

[w.] A Vice President needs youthful energy. 

4. [cl.] Jack Nicholson will probably win the Oscar for Best Actor [gr.] since he won best Actor at the Golden Globe awards.

[w.] Winning a Golden Globe Award is a sign that the Oscars will likely pick the same winner. FACT

5. [cl.] George Bush is  tough on terrorists. FACT

[gr.] He favors indefinite detention for those accused of terrorism.

[w.] A reasonable measure of toughness on terrorism is how long you think terrorists should be detained

6. [cl.] Democrats should vote against Bush's nominee for Chief Justice of the United States.   POLICY

[gr.] His nominee opposes constitutional protection for rights to privacy

[w.] Democrats form the party that opposes efforts that may erode privacy rights.  

Last updated 9/7/20005