Assignment title: Information
PHIL 120 (2017 Winter)
Assignment (8%)
Due Date: Final exam
Assignment
Write a short extended argument.
Main argument: DC syllogism (Unit 2)
Subargument: Inductive argument (your choice)
Options: statistical syllogism (4), analogical (short form) (6), generalization
from a sample (7), method of difference (short form) (8), confirmation (11)
Format
1) Copy (from the course text) the patterns of the DC main argument and the inductive
subargument.
o For the DC syllogism, write the conditional premise in whatever form (“If… then…”,
“…only if…”, etc.) that you use in your paragraph.
2) Write the extended argument as a paragraph with each statement numbered.
o Include 1-2 sentences of extra information.
3) Reconstruct the argument using the statement numbers.
o Standard form
o Diagram
Requirements
1) You must submit your own work. It must be printed. (The argument reconstruction
[#3 above] may be written neatly by hand.)
2) One premise must be supported by reference to an English-language news article
published since 2017 January. Cite the article in a footnote. (See sample assignments.)
Options: New York Times, BBC World News, CNN, Reuters, etc.
3) Paragraph word count: 130-180 words
Other than the one premise supported by a news source, I do not care whether the statements
in your argument are true or whether you believe them. However, the paragraph should make
sense. It should say something understandable about a single topic, even if it is mostly false.
.