CHAPTER 5 Argument Diagrams – Good Reasoning Matters A Constructive Approach to Critical Thinking test bank

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CHAPTER 5
Argument Diagrams

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In argument analysis, the remarks and comments that accompany but are not integral to an argument is known as ________.
a) noise
b) buzz
c) music
d) accompaniment
e) drone

2. Which of the following is an example of noise, when talking about arguments?
a) Statements that provide support for the conclusion
b) Statements that have no direct bearing on the argu¬ment but may add a flourish or a dash of humour
c) Statements that are not very melodic
d) Statements that provide support for sub-conclusions and are themselves sub-conclusions
e) All of the above

3. ________ work as a unit—they support a conclu¬sion only when they are conjoined.
a) Convergent premises
b) Linked premises
c) United premises
d) Conjoined premises
e) Independent premises

4. ________ are separate and distinct and offer independent evidence for a conclusion.
a) Convergent premises
b) Linked premises
c) United premises
d) Conjoined premises
e) Independent premises

5. When diagramming arguments, ________ should be left out of the diagram.
a) indicator words
b) sentences that repeat ideas
c) argument noise
d) all of the above
e) none of the above

6. A fully supplemented diagram contains information on ________.
a) the arguer
b) the audience
c) the opponents
d) all of the above
e) none of the above

7. ________ includes information about the arguer, the audience, or the opponents.
a) An enhanced diagram
b) A fully enhanced diagram
c) A supplemented diagram
d) A fully supplemented diagram
e) A complete diagram

8. Based on the legend below, which of the following is true?

P1: If something could be its own cause, it would have to exist prior to itself.
P2: This is impossible.
C: Nothing can be the cause of itself.

a) P1 and P2 link to support C.
b) P2 and C link to support P1.
c) P1 and C converge to support P2.
d) P1 and P2 converge to support C.
e) None of the above

9. Based on the legend below, which of the following is true?

P1: The proposed missile defense system would be the first step towards weapons in space.
P2: So far, space has been preserved as a military-free zone.
P3: It is important for the safety of us all that we keep it that way.
C: We should reject the proposed missile shield.

a) P1 , P2, and P3 link to support C.
b) P1, P2, and P3 converge to support C.
c) P1 and P2 link to support P3, and P3 supports C.
d) P1 supports P3, and P2 and P3 converge to support C.
e) None of the above

10. Based on the legend below, which of the following is true?

P1: Any person who can do logic is sane.
P2: Your sons are not sane.
SC: Your sons can’t do logic.
P3: Anyone fit to serve on a jury must be able to do logic.
C: Your sons are not fit to serve on a jury.

a) P1 and P2 link to support SC, and SC and P3 converge to support C.
b) P1 and P2 converge to support SC, and SC and P3 link to support C.
c) P1 and P2 link to support SC, and SC and P3 link to support C.
d) P1, P2, and P3 converge to support SC, which supports C.
e) None of the above

11. Based on the legend below, which of the following is true?

P1: Either George or Janice is guilty of the crime.
P2: It is clear that the crime was committed by someone who is very strong.
P3: George is singularly weak.
SC: He cannot be the culprit.
C: That leaves only Janice.

a) P1 and P2 converge to support P3; P3 and SC converge to support C.
b) P1, P2, and P3 link to support SC, which alone supports C.
c) P2 and P3 link to support SC; SC and P1 link to support C.
d) P1, P2, and P3 converge to support SC, which supports C.
e) None of the above

12. Based on the following passage, identify the error(s) in the diagram below.

If a right to euthanasia is grounded in self-determination, it cannot reasonably be limited to the terminally ill. If people have a right to die, why must they wait until they are actually dying before they are permitted to exercise that right?

Diagram:
P1: The right to euthanasia is grounded in self-determination.
SC: If people have a right to die, why must they wait until they are actually dying before they are permitted to exercise that right?
C: The right to euthanasia cannot reasonably be limited to the terminally ill.

P1

SC

C

What is wrong with the diagram?
a) Nothing—The diagram is correct.
b) The sub-conclusion—It is not a statement.
c) P1 should be the main conclusion.
d) SC should be the main conclusion.
e) both B and C

13. Based on the following passage, identify the error(s) in the diagram below.

The ruins of ancient Aztec pyramids are very similar to those found in Egypt. Also animals and vegetation found on the eastern coasts of South America bear a striking resemblance to those of West Africa. From all appearances there was once a large landmass connecting these continents, which implies that the true ancestors of the indigenous peoples of South America are African.

Diagram:
P1: The ruins of ancient Aztec pyramids are very similar to those found in Egypt.
P2: Animals and vegetation found on the eastern coasts of South America bear a striking resemblance to those of West Africa.
P3: There was once a large landmass connecting these continents.
C: The true ancestors of the indigenous peoples of South America are African.

P1 + P2 + P3

C

What is wrong with the diagram?
a) Nothing—The diagram is correct.
b) P2 should be a sub-conclusion.
c) P2 should be the main conclusion.
d) P1, P2, and P3 should converge, rather than link, to support C.
e) P3 should be a sub-conclusion.

14. Based on the following passage, identify the error(s) in the diagram below.

Robert Fulford advocates that the sculptures should be kept at the British Museum. He’s wrong. I can think of three reasons why the marbles should be returned to Greece. They are part of the cultural heritage of Greece, not Britain. They were taken from Greece with the consent of the Ottoman Empire, which had no claim on the antiquities. And there is no evidence that the marbles were in danger of “destruction or dispersal,” as he puts it, when Lord Elgin shipped them off to Britain. Mr. Fulford should think again.

Diagram:
P1: Robert Fulford advocates that the sculptures should be kept at the British Museum
P2: The marbles should be returned to Greece.
P3: They are part of the cultural heritage of Greece, not Britain.
P4: They were taken from Greece with the consent of the Ottoman Empire, which had no claim on the antiquities.
P5: There is no evidence that the marbles were in danger of “destruction or dispersal,” as he puts it, when Lord Elgin shipped them off to Britain.
C: Robert Fulford is wrong—the sculptures should not be kept at the British Museum.

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5

C

What is wrong with the diagram?
a) Nothing—The diagram is correct.
b) P2 should be a sub-conclusion from P3, P4, and P5, and linked with P1 (leading to C).
c) P3, P4, and P5 should be linked.
d) P5 should be a sub-conclusion from P2 and P4 (linked).
e) P2 should be the main conclusion and C a sub-conclusion (leading to P2).

15. Based on the following passage, identify the error(s) in the diagram below.

Affirmative action in higher education is morally justifiable because it compensates for past discrimination, provides valuable role models for women and minorities, and promotes multicultural understanding.

Diagram:
P1: Affirmative action compensates for past discrimination.
P2: Affirmative action provides valuable role models for women and minorities.
P3: Affirmative action promotes multicultural understanding.
C: Affirmative action in higher education is morally justifiable.

P1 + P2 + P3

C

a) Nothing—The diagram is correct.
b) P2 should be a sub-conclusion.
c) The premises should be convergent, not linked.
d) P1 should be a sub-conclusion from P2 and P3.
e) P1 and P2 should be linked, but P3 should converge to the conclusion.

True or False Questions

1. One of the most effective ways to represent arguments is by constructing diagrams that identify their premises and conclusions, and illustrate the relations between them.

2. Your first step in dressing an argument is identifying sub-arguments.

3. When diagramming arguments you should keep the original wording of the argument, no matter how unclear it might be.

4. In drawing diagrams, it is important to make sure that you distinguish between linked and convergent premises, for this distinction will determine how you assess par¬ticular premises.

5. A diagram’s fable presents the premises and conclusion(s).

6. A diagram provides a visual representation of the relationships that exist between the premises and conclusion(s).

7. When we want to assess an argument, constructing a diagram is a good way to begin our assessment of the reasoning it contains.

8. Diagrams provide all the information we need to assess any argument.

9. The context of communication in which arguments are situated includes arguers, audi¬ences, juries, and opponents.

10. A careful analysis of an argument must frequently discuss the involved parties (arguers, audience, opponents).

11. To construct a fully supplemented diagram for an argument, we proceed by preparing a standard diagram, combining it with an account of the arguer, the audience, and the opponents.

12. Once you sketch a diagram, turning it into a written or a spoken argument is a very complicated task.

13. A long extended argument should appeal to the beliefs, convictions, and concerns of the audience but should not address counter-arguments that opponents to your position are likely to raise.

14. The ability to prepare supplemented diagrams will be important to your development as a reasoner.

15. In diagramming and in constructing arguments, arguers should aim for complexity.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why is it important to diagram arguments?

2. How does one diagram an argument? What are the seven steps to completing an argument diagram?

3. Describe the shortcut method of diagramming.

4. How can you distinguish between linked and convergent premises?

5. What is the difference between a supplemented diagram and a fully supplemented diagram?

6. How can diagramming also be used to analyze and construct arguments of our own?

7. What are the five steps you should take to prepare your own arguments?

Short Answer Questions

1. We can discard the noise that accompanies an argument by drawing an argument “diagram” that maps and clarifies its structure. Diagramming is an especially import¬ant tool when you are first learning how to understand an argument (your own or someone else’s), for it shows you how to isolate the essential components and plot their relationship to each other. Even when you have developed your logical skills, diagram¬ming will be an invaluable aid when dealing with complex arguments or with argu¬ments presented in confusing ways, something that is common in ordinary discourse. (p. 108)

2. The seven steps in diagramming an argument are as follows:
1. Determine the main conclusion of the argument: the major point the arguer is trying to establish.
2. Mark the text into blocks that have a unified logical purpose, such as stating a premise or drawing a conclusion.
3. Cross out digressions and noise.
4. Express the content of each block in statement form. In doing so, try to capture the author’s intended meaning.
5. Create a legend listing the premises as P1, P2, etc., the subsidiary conclusions as C1, C2, C3, etc., and the main conclusion as MC.
6. Join each independent premise to the conclusion it supports with an arrow.
7. Conjoin linked premises with a plus sign (+) and an underline, and connect them to the appropriate conclusion with an arrow. (p. 119)

3. In dealing with arguments on a more casual basis, we can use a quicker method for diagramming. Instead of writing out each premise and conclusion, we circle the relevant statements in a passage and number them consecutively. We can then sketch a diagram that shows the relationships between the numbered state¬ments. Those sentences or words that can be considered “noise” can be crossed out or left unnumbered. (p. 113)

4. If you have difficulty deciding whether some premise (P) is linked to other premises, ask yourself whether P provides any support for the conclusion when it is considered independently of the other premise(s). Some premises need to be con¬sidered together, others not, and when you diagram your argument you need to group them accordingly. To some extent, this is a judgement call. You must be prepared to defend your decision to link premises by showing that one of those premises could not serve as support for the conclusion unless it is combined with at least one other premise. (p. 117)

5. A supplemented diagram is a diagram of an argument to which has been added information about the arguer, the audience to which the argument is directed, or those who oppose this point of view. A fully supplemented argument contains information on all three. (p. 120)

6. There are two ways in which a supplemented diagram can help you construct an argument. First, a diagram will provide you with a precisely defined set of premises and conclusions and illustrate the way in which the premises support particular conclu¬sions. Because the structure in a diagram is clear, using one will encourage you to plot straightforward patterns of argument with clear lines of reasoning. Second, diagram¬ming will help you see for yourself whether the premises you provide work indepen¬dently to support a conclusion or rely upon each other to provide support. (pp. 124–5)

7. The five steps to take when preparing your own arguments are as follows:
1. Decide on your conclusion.
2. Pick your premises and diagram your argument.
3. Diagram an argument against likely objections.
4. Keep your diagrams as simple as possible.
5. Base your finished argument on your diagrams. (p. 127)