phi 103 Examples of arguments

In the required reading this week we learned about the following argument forms: Deductive arguments, statistical syllogisms, arguments from analogy, appeals to authority, and inductive generalizations.

Choose three of the five argument forms and create an example of each. Your arguments do not have to be great arguments (you will analyze their quality below), but they should clearly be instances of the argument types you chose in question (make sure to indicate what argument type each one is).

After each argument, provide a brief analysis of its quality:

If it is deductive, is it valid? Is it sound?
If it is inductive, is it strong? Is it cogent? (Be sure to read the definitions from the text.)
What might be done to improve the argument?
What can people do to better understand and apply this type of argument in general/”real life”?

Guided Response: In addition to your original post, post a minimum of three responses, at least two of which must be to your classmates. The third response could be to a classmate or your instructor. Be sure to post on three separate days throughout the week to promote further engagement and discussion. Each response should be a minimum of 75 words.

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Types of Arguments

Deductive Arguments

An example of a deductive argument would be the premises, “James is a man” and “All men are mortal,” leading to the conclusion that “James is Mortal.” One of the primary characteristics of the deductive arguments is the infallibility of the conclusion due to the amount of confidence in the premise. In this case, the first premise is true, and the second premise is also true.

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