Exercise 1

I will be analyzing the structure of the following:
1. My neighbor should be forced to get rid of all the cars in his yard. 2. People do not like living next door to such a mess. 3. He never drives any of them. 4. They all look old and beat up and leak oil all over the place. 5. It is bad for the neighborhood, and it will decrease property values.

Argument? Yes.

Conclusion: Neighbor should be forced to get rid of all the cars in his yard.

Additional premises needed: Talked to neighbors, and they do not like living next door to such a mess. It is bad for the neighborhood and will decrease property values because people do not like living to such a mess.

Identify any subargument: 2,3,4, and 5 are independent and support the conclusion, 1.

Good Argument? Not really. In theory, the argument makes sense, but all of his supporting arguments are assumptions. For example: people do not like living to such a mess. That is a vague generalization. If the arguer had gone out of his/her way to ask the neighbors and mentioned that the neighbors didn't like living next to " a mess", then it would be a valid point. But as it is, they're simply assuming that "people don't like living to such a mess."

This exercise was mildly useful, I think. I had to dissect an argument and see where it was lacking, but I don't think it's actually all that useful unless these dissections are critiqued because otherwise I'm not actually learning where I could have strengthened the argument etc. This exercise only works if we get feedback on our work because otherwise we won't really know how well we dissected the argument, is essentially what I'm trying to say. The reason I think it's slightly useful though is because it does give a better understanding on how an argument works, though. Since I didn't make the argument, only dissecting it, I can objectively critique it because I don't have any vested interest in proving this argument correct or false. I'm a neutral third party and can simply see where the argument is strong or lacking. If I could carry this mentality over to my own arguments, I could learn to strengthen my own arguments.