Essay
Essay
Characterizationof Argument
The argument presented in the article is deductive based on how it ishighlighted. Deductive arguments are those where the premise concurswith the conclusion. It draws from the sentiments that have beenproposed by the premise. Mainly, if the author determines the premiseas true, the conclusion can be assumed to be true as well. The authorargues that a fact can become an argument if it has the capability ofeliciting a controversy among those targeted. The author gives anexample of child obesity and the facts revolving around the same.Chances of an argument arising are high because of the controversyrevolving around the topic of child obesity. The facts that emergemust be interpreted and the results of the same used to informothers. The premise provided by the particular argument can lead tothe conclusion one ends up with (Sinnott-Armstrong, & Fogelin,2014). For example, the facts presented about child obesity and theinterpretation given would determine how parents would feed theirchildren.
Passage Depicting Different Argument
Inductive arguments are evident in the passage. The premise isintended to be strong in that if it was to be true, chances of theconclusion being false is unlikely. For example, there is a factualargument stated that,
“One study even found that older people are more likely to takeregular walks if the walking companion is canine rather than human.”
The passage presented shows a strong premise. It is an indication ofthe fact that it is highly unlikely for old people to take a walkwithout a canine companion. In such an argument, the arguer canconclude that elderly people probably prefer walking with caninecompanions than they would do when they are with humans. It iscontrary to the premise that “old people walk only with the caninecompanions and not humans”. The use of the term “probably” is areflection that the arguer intends to present the argument isinductively strong but may not be valid (Sinnott-Armstrong, &Fogelin, 2014). It is evident that many other old individuals preferhaving human companions when they are taking a walk. It may not betrue that all of them would choose a canine for a walk. Ofsignificance is the need to understand the choice of words used bythe arguer. Notably, the decision to use the word “probably” or“definitely” indicates the intention that the argument seeks toelicit. Nevertheless, it is worthy to consider that it would beinappropriate to criticize an inductive argument for not being valid.In the passage, it would be illogical to conclude that it is falsethat old people do not like canine companions. Arguments need to beevaluated based on the positions they take on a particular issue.
Evaluation of Argument
The author is successful in presenting evidence that seeks to provetheir claim. The ability to present arguments followed by examplesserves to further the understanding of aspects of factual arguments.The author illustrates how to come up with a factual argument. Thesequential process with which the author highlights the manner inwhich factual arguments are arrived at indicates a carefully thoughtout sentiment regarding the overall issue. However, the author couldhave considered ideas by other scholars to make the conceptspresented stronger. Use of scholarly articles could have been crucialin enhancing the ideas of the author.
References
Sinnott-Armstrong,W., & Fogelin, R. (2014). Cengage Advantage Books:Understanding
Arguments: AnIntroduction to Informal Logic. Cengage Learning.