Guys, This is my first attempt at analysis of argument. How much do you think it deserve? Please rate!
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The following appeared in the editorial section of a local newspaper:
The inflow of immigrant workers into our community has put a downward pressure on wages. In fact, the average compensation of unskilled labor in our city has declined by nearly 10% over the past 5 years. Therefore, to protect our local economy, it is essential to impose a moratorium on further immigration.”
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. Point out flaws in the argument's logic and analyze the argument's underlying assumptions. In addition, evaluate how supporting evidence is used and what evidence might counter the argument's conclusion. You may also discuss what additional evidence could be used to strengthen the argument or what changes would make the argument more logically sound.
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RESPONSE
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The argument tries to portray immigration of workers in the city as a threat to city's local economy based on the historical data indicating reduction in average wages of unskilled labor in the city. It has several underlying assumptions which may not necessarily be true. I will discuss these assumptions in following paragraphs.
First, the author assumes that city's local economy mainly depends on its unskilled jobs. There is no eveidence provided to indicate that such correlation exists. City's economy could be depdent on more than one type of skilled jobs as well. It could be that jobs in areas such as banking, IT, manufacturing which require special skills are major forces driving city's economy.
Secondly, the argument assumes that the reduced comepensation of unskilled labor is a result of immigrated workers. No support is provided to indicate that immigrants in the city compete with locals for unskilled jobs only. The reason behind immigrants inflow in this city also could be because of high demand in IT jobs.
Even more, the author takes into consideration average wages over the last five years. There is no reason sited in the argument to support that such trend will continue. Also, the argument fails to consider the fact that such reduction could be a result of decrease in total number of unskilled jobs. Evenmore, it may be result of rise in number of available unskilled workers which are local.
In sum, the argument is not convincing mainly because it fails to correlate immigrants to the drop in average compensation of unskilled workers and also it provides no support whether such drop directly affects city's local economy. Additionally, a survey that shows that a major percentage of immigrant workers actually represent unskilled labor, a proofs that average compensation of unskilled labor indicates health of city's economy and some evidence that the trend in reduction of wages is likely to continue will strengthen the argument.
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The following appeared in the editorial section of a local newspaper:
The inflow of immigrant workers into our community has put a downward pressure on wages. In fact, the average compensation of unskilled labor in our city has declined by nearly 10% over the past 5 years. Therefore, to protect our local economy, it is essential to impose a moratorium on further immigration.”
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. Point out flaws in the argument's logic and analyze the argument's underlying assumptions. In addition, evaluate how supporting evidence is used and what evidence might counter the argument's conclusion. You may also discuss what additional evidence could be used to strengthen the argument or what changes would make the argument more logically sound.
____________________________________________________________
RESPONSE
____________________________________________________________
The argument tries to portray immigration of workers in the city as a threat to city's local economy based on the historical data indicating reduction in average wages of unskilled labor in the city. It has several underlying assumptions which may not necessarily be true. I will discuss these assumptions in following paragraphs.
First, the author assumes that city's local economy mainly depends on its unskilled jobs. There is no eveidence provided to indicate that such correlation exists. City's economy could be depdent on more than one type of skilled jobs as well. It could be that jobs in areas such as banking, IT, manufacturing which require special skills are major forces driving city's economy.
Secondly, the argument assumes that the reduced comepensation of unskilled labor is a result of immigrated workers. No support is provided to indicate that immigrants in the city compete with locals for unskilled jobs only. The reason behind immigrants inflow in this city also could be because of high demand in IT jobs.
Even more, the author takes into consideration average wages over the last five years. There is no reason sited in the argument to support that such trend will continue. Also, the argument fails to consider the fact that such reduction could be a result of decrease in total number of unskilled jobs. Evenmore, it may be result of rise in number of available unskilled workers which are local.
In sum, the argument is not convincing mainly because it fails to correlate immigrants to the drop in average compensation of unskilled workers and also it provides no support whether such drop directly affects city's local economy. Additionally, a survey that shows that a major percentage of immigrant workers actually represent unskilled labor, a proofs that average compensation of unskilled labor indicates health of city's economy and some evidence that the trend in reduction of wages is likely to continue will strengthen the argument.
