evaluate.html

How Do You Tell a Good Argument from a Bad Argument?
OR
How Do You Evaluate An Argument?

In order to evaluate an argument, you have to analyze it first--that is, break it down into its component parts and label the parts.

To analyze an argument:

Find the conclusion (if it helps, make a claims chart to find the conclusion)
Determine what premises support the conclusion
Create enthymemes out of the conclusion and premises (start with the main premise(s))
Find the missing implied premise
Create an syllogism out of the implied premise, the stated premise, and the conclusion

Example:
I need to start paying attention to 49'ers games again, since whenever I watch the full game, from beginning to end, they win. It's a perfect correlation. If anything at all distracts me, they lose. So I know that my attention has some paranormal influence on the outcome of the games. Another reason I need to start watching is that I can't keep up with conversations about football anymore. And also, if I spend my Sunday afternoons watching football, I don't have to go to my church's afternoon social.

Conclusion: I need to start paying attention to 49'ers games again
Premises: Whenever I watch the full game, from beginning to end, they win.
I can't keep up with conversations about football anymore
If I spend my Sunday afternoons watching football, I don't have to go to my church's afternoon social.

Enthymeme: I need to start paying attention to 49'ers games again because whenever I watch the full game, from beginning to end, they win.

Rephrased to make the "A" terms match: [ I ] need [ to start paying attention to 49'ers games again ] because [ I ] can make [ them win by watching the full game, from beginning to end. ]
Missing implied premise: Anybody who can make the 49'ers win by watching the full game beginning to end needs to start paying attention to 49'ers games.

Syllogism:

Anybody who can make the 49'ers win by watching the full game beginning to end needs to start paying attention to 49'ers games.
I can make them win by watching the full game, from beginning to end.
I need to start paying attention to 49'ers games again.

Now that you have analyzed the argument, you are ready to start evaluating it.

To evaluate an argument, ask the following questions:

Are the premises reliable?
Are the premises relevant?
Are the premises adequate?
Is the reasoning valid?

We will start by asking the first 3 questions and then move on to the concept of validity.