Standard Form Arguments, Exercises of Legal Argumentation Theory

Download Standard Form Arguments and more Exercises Legal Argumentation Theory in PDF only on Docsity!

Standard Form

arguments

Philosophers usually present their arguments to us in prose (full sentences and paragraphs). It is often helpful to take an argument from its original prose statement and lay out its premise(s) and conclusion(s). This is called 'standard form', because then its reasoning can be seen more clearly.

Example

1. Humans are mortal
2. Mr Fenby is human ∴ Mr Fenby is mortal

Identifying Premises and Conclusions

Most of the time, you will need to convert an argument from prose form into standard form Here are the steps to follow:

1. Read the written argument carefully
2. Highlight the conclusion first
3. Identify the premises provided that prove this conclusion
4. Construct the standard form of the argument
5. Include any tacit premises

Step 1: Read the argument carefully

We should not inflict unnecessary pain on cows and pigs. After all, we should not inflict unnecessary pain on any animal with consciousness, and cows and pigs are animals with consciousness.

Step 2 : Highlight the conclusion

We should not inflict unnecessary pain on cows and pigs. After all, we should not inflict unnecessary pain on any animal with consciousness, and cows and pigs are animals with consciousness.

Step 4: Construct the standard form

We should not inflict unnecessary pain on cows and pigs. After all, we should not inflict unnecessary pain on any animal with consciousness, and cows and pigs are animals with consciousness.

1. We should not inflict unnecessary pain on any animal with consciousness
2. Cows and pigs are animals with consciousness ∴ We should not inflict unnecessary pain on cows and pigs

Step 5 : Include any tacit premises

We should not inflict unnecessary pain on cows and pigs. After all, we should not inflict unnecessary pain on any animal with consciousness, and cows and pigs are animals with consciousness.

1. We should not inflict unnecessary pain on any animal with consciousness
2. Cows and pigs are animals with consciousness ∴ We should not inflict unnecessary pain on cows and pigs

Activities

Re-write each of the following 7 arguments in Standard Form, then read the last 3 SF arguments and tell me what is wrong with them. You need to submit these 10 answers to me by the end of this week!

If this liquid is acidic, the litmus paper would have turned red. But it hasn't, so the liquid is not acidic.

He is either in Hong Kong or Macau. John says that he is not in Hong Kong. So, he must be in Macau.

If the Government wants to build an incinerator here, they should compensate those who live in the area. Incinerators are known to cause health problems to people living nearby. These people did not choose to live there in the first place.

It is a mistake to think that medical problems can be treated solely by medication. That’s because medication does not address psychological and lifestyle issues. Medical problems are not purely biochemical. They involve issues of attitude and way of life.

Haven’t we had enough letters to the editorial page of the Spectator every day and from cry-baby steel workers talking about how the Stelco strike is killing them? I am sure there are hundreds of pro-union letters going into the Spectator office, but only the anti-union ones get printed. I would not be a bit surprised if Stelco and the Spectator were working together to lower the morale of the steel workers who chose to strike for higher wages.