4th Homework: Due 10/4/2002

(1) Using the numbering provided, diagram the following argument. You do not have to supply any missing premises. 

Monica, Shmonica -- it’s time to stop talking about sex in politics and start paying serious attention to food in politics. The recent drop in tourist trade -- travel agents are going hungry -- shows that our national obsession with sex has gone too far. Even Madonna has been pushed off the front pages, and she’s the expert at going too far! On the other hand, it has been centuries since the country had a good juicy food scandal. Food has broader appeal than sex, since people of all ages can enjoy it, and large groups of people can easily participate in it publicly. And a national obsession with food would also be much healthier for the economy, which could certainly use some additional help in these troubled times. So let’s root out a good food scandal in Washington so we can give new meaning to the notion that there’s something fishy in politics.

(1) Supply missing premises as needed for the argument from Homework #3, as diagrammed in the answer sheet. Then go back and rediagram the argument incorporating your missing premises. Your answer will therefore contain a list of numbered missing premises, and a full diagram of the argument.

2. For each of the following short arguments, supply the most significant missing premise. Only one, please.

a)   Recent research at Harvard shows that dreams are actually the discharge of electrical energy within the brain. We see then that Freud, who claimed that dreams are an expression of deep wishes and fears, was wrong.

b)   An effective leader gets whatever s/he wants. Since Hitler got killed, he wasn't a very effective leader.

c)   The rights of men are not being violated, since no man will be harmed in any way.

d)   T.V.'s quest for 30-second "sound bites" shows that they are not interested in the deeper issues.

e)   Although he may crumble and bow to political expediency, Senator Whipsal certainly should vote in favor of the school prayer bill, since he is a deeply religious man who believes in this measure.

f)   Only hemrads flooze gramly. So if we are careful not to invite any hemrads, the whipsal will be a success.