Manned Space Flights - AWA - Argument

This topic has expert replies

Feedback

1
0
No votes
2
0
No votes
3
0
No votes
4
0
No votes
5
0
No votes
6
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 0

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2010 3:48 am
Thanked: 1 times

Manned Space Flights - AWA - Argument

by varundaga05 » Sun Jun 20, 2010 3:10 am
Prompt: "Manned space flight is costly and dangerous. Moreover, the recent success of a series of unmanned space probes and satellites has demonstrated that a great deal of useful information can be gathered without the costs and risks associated with sending men and women into space. Therefore, we should invest our resources in unmanned space flight.

Today the world has progressed a lot in terms of technological advancement. Few years back it was impossible to think of a space flight. After few years we not only have spaced flights but both manned and unmanned space flights. There is always a discussion on which one is a better option since now we can have both manned and unmanned space flights. In the above statement the author claims that the unmanned space flight is better than the manned space flight as it is less costly and the risks involved is also less and the author advocats for investment of resources in unmanned space flights. Though unmanned space flights has its own advantages but the premises and assumptions that the author has given are unsubstantiated and results in the argument becoming less sound.

Primary reason that the argument is flawed is the premise manned space flight is costly and dangerous is unsubstantiated. The autor fails to provide evidence why the manned space flight is costly. How many accidents have taken place in the recent years. Is the rate of accidents changed with the passage of time and technology becoming more advanced. Unless we have answers to these questions than the premise is weak and we cannot make a conclusion that the unmanned space flights are the future.

Secondary reason that the arugment is flawed is the assumption put forward by the author. Author assumes that the useful information that the unmanned space flights gathered are same that the manned space flights gather. There is no evidence that the unmanned space flights and manned space flights perform the same functions. Are they replaceable in terms of function and there objectives. The assumption needs to be backed with evidence which the author fails to provide. Both manned and unmanned space flights might perform some tasks which are related but they might perform some other tasks that are independent and so both of them may be required for future endeavors. Therefore the conclusion made by the author is flawed.

Author could have strengthen the argument by providing evidence in support of his premises. Author could have mentioned that even after tecnological advancement the accidents involving manned space flights have not reduced and the risks of life is huge. In comparison the unmanned space flights are less costly and the accidents of unmanned space flights are very low. Another way of strengtheing the argument could have been that both the unmanned and manned space flights perform same functions. Only difference is one has human beings involved in flights and other is run by machines. If the assumptions would have been clearly spelt out then there would have been no doubts regarding the role of the manned and unmanned space flights

In sum we can say that the author has poorly constructed his arugments with a weak premise and assumptions which are not substantiated. Therefore if the author wants the readers to accept his conclusion he needs to modify his argumen and provide necessary evidence and clearly specify his assumptions leaving no room for guessing. Without these things, his poorely reasoned arument will not convince many readers

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 93
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:52 pm
Thanked: 2 times
Followed by:1 members

by ArpanaAmishi » Tue Jun 22, 2010 5:20 am
Seems good for me... would like to add couple of lines

1. Author can strengthen argument by saying that manned space flights needs significant amount of recurring cost in training , hence costly

2. Manned space craft are more error prone due to human being involvement. Manual opertaions


I am not trying to correct you ..just putting my thoughts as I also want to earn 6 in this area.