Lecture 3

Question 1

What are the types of argument structure?

Answer 1

Objective world: events, causes and effects

Social world: actions, meaning and motives

Question 2

What is a cause?

Answer 2

A cause is an antecedent that is effective through a general law.

Question 3

What is a motive?

Answer 3

A motive is an antecedent that is effective through a particular meaning.

Question 4

Argumentation

Answer 4

• An argument is a reasoning that supports a conclusion.
• A Master’s thesis should be strong in its argumentation.
• So we don’t want to see reasoning without a conclusion.
• And no conclusion without reasoning that supports it.

Question 5

Modus ponens

Answer 5

A –> B, A therefore B

Question 6

Criminals have things to hide. You are a criminal,

so you have things to hide.

Answer 6

CORRECT

Question 7

Criminals have things to hide, You have something to hide, So you are a criminal.

Answer 7

INCORRECT

because people may also want to hide things that are not criminal

Question 8

Conjunctive argumentation

Answer 8

Standpoint: She is suited for this job

Argument 1: She is representative
Argument 2: She has relevant work experience
Argument 3: She can lead a team

(Arguments are convincing only in conjunction)

Question 9

Multiple argumentation

Answer 9

Standpoint: Mrs. Li has right to a downstairs apartment

Argument 1: She is 65 years old
Argument 2: She is handicapped

(Each individual argument supports the standpoint on it’s own

Question 10

Subordinate argumentation

Answer 10

Standpoint: He is suited for this job

Argument 1: He has 5 years of relevant work experience

Argument 1.1: He has worked for KPMG in a comparable function