PHIL
1500 - Critical Thinking
Unit 1: Diagraming Arguments
Dr. Donald Nute
Exercises
Diagram this argument. Does it comply with the Rule of Grouping and the Rule of Direction?
Well, Garfield, someone has eaten another fern! You and Odie were the only ones here, and Odie doesn't eat ferns. Odie is a dog and dogs are carnivores. Ferns are plants and carnivores don't eat plants.
The structure of the argument above is clearer if we add some intermediate conclusions. Reformulate the argument, including some intermediate conclusions, and diagram it again. Does your reformulated argument comply with the Rule of Grouping and the Rule of Direction?
A tax cut is a necessary condition for rapid economic growth in the next four years. There won't be a tax cut if Kerry is elected. Either Kerry, Bush, or Nader will win. But Nader is hopelessly behind in the polls, and Bush's support is slipping as the war in Iraq grinds on. So there will not be rapid economic growth soon.
The structure of the argument above is clearer if we add some intermediate conclusions. Reformulate the argument, including some intermediate conclusions, and diagram it again. Does your reformulated argument comply with the Rule of Grouping and the Rule of Direction?
Last modified 8/16/2005