I’m on my way to school. 1 I left five minutes late. 2 Traffic is heavy. 3 Therefore, I’ll be late for class. 4 So I might as well stop and get breakfast. (5)
Argument? (yes or no) Yes, claims 1, 2, 3.
Conclusion: So I might as well stop and get breakfast.
Additional Premises Needed?
If someone is on his or her way to school and left five minutes late, and traffic is heavy, then he or she will be late for class. a
If someone will be late for class, he or she might as well stop and get breakfast. b
Identify any subargument: 1, 2, and 3 are independent and support 4. Then 4 supports the conclusion, 5.
Good argument? All the premises seem plausible. The premises seem more plausible than the conclusion. The argument is strong…when the premises could possibly be true, the conclusion of stopping and getting breakfast could be false (at the same time).
Wow, I didn’t know evaluating an argument could have so many steps to it. This exercise took me awhile, but it sure did help me out through organization. It opened my eyes and understanding of the different arguments out there that can seem good or bad in terms of it being valid, strong, or weak.
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