CATA 335                                                                                                                                      McGaan

Practice Exercises 8 - Answers

 

The following arguments contain claims and grounds.  You must infer and write out the warrant.  Then create an appropriate qualifier, reservation, and backing for this argument.

 

1.  [gr.] The patient's test results show her illness is caused by a staph infection.  [cl.]Her doctor should prescribe penicillin for her.

 

w.  Penicillin is the recommended treatment for staph infections.  (policy)

 

b.  according to THE PHYSICIAN'S DESK REFERENCE, the authoritative source.

 

q.  probably

 

r.  unless she is allergic to penicillin.

 

2.  [gr.] A substantial majority of Americans favor banning expression that is offensive to one or another religious group..  Therefore, [cl.] we should enact such a ban without delay.

 

w.  The U.S. laws should reflect the views of the (substantial) majority of citizens.   (definition)

 

b.  according to my Government Professor, an expert on democratic principles

 

q. most likely

 

r.  unless it violates the constitution

 

3.  [gr.]Since Lawrence University, one of our ACM sister schools, offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Music, [cl.]Monmouth should too.

 

w.  Monmouth and Lawrence are both liberal arts colleges, similar in all important respects.    (analogy)

 

b.  The ACM charter indicates that the association is composed of a group of similar, selective liberal arts colleges sharing a common view of higher education.

 

q.  perhaps

 

r.  unless there is insufficient student interest to support such a program at Monmouth

 

  1.  [gr.] George W. Bush tends to stumble over his words a lot.  I think [cl.] he has a speech impediment.  Q. perhaps

w.    Stumbling over words is a sign of a speech impediment.  (sign)

b.     According to the Standard Manual of Speech Pathology, a well respected text in the field.

r.  Unless the stumbles are caused by nervousness.

 

 5. [gr.]The government=s drug czar has pledged to use military forces inside the United States to police cities after natural disasters, in spite of the warnings that such action might be unconstitutional.   [cl.] I think we should not do it.

w. we should obey the constitution - def./authority)
b.  according to the Supreme Court
r.  unless anarchy has made constitutional government impossible.

last updated 9/15/2005