The following appeared in the editorial section of a lifestyle and travel magazine:
Davidson County is primed for a resurgence as the culinary capital of our state. This year alone, 20 new restaurants have opened in Davidson County and the county college system has announced an expansion to its culinary arts program. Moreover, the chamber of commerce for neighboring Roth County has said that nearly one-third of that county's restaurants have gone out of business in the last year, so its residents will have to eat somewhere. Why not Davidson County, culinary capital?
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.
The magazine editor says that Davidson County is primed for a resurgence as the culinary capital of its state. He derives this conclusion from couple of facts such as opening of 20 new restaurants in Davidson County in this year alone and the county college system has announced an expansion to its culinary arts program. Moreover, the chamber of commerce for neighboring Roth County has said that nearly one-third of that county's restaurants have gone out of business in the last year, so its residents will have to eat somewhere. Thus editor opines that there is no reason why Davidson County cannot be a culinary capital. The argument is exaggerated with the the given facts as explained below.
Primarily, opening of 20 new restaurants in Davidson County in current year alone and expansion to culinary arts program of the county college system to its certainly indicate positive market atmosphere. But there is no information regarding market conditions in a perfect manner. Even though 20 new restaurants have opened, it is possible that more than 20 have closed and those who closed old restaurants reopened the same restaurants as new in order to avoid or explore some tax benefits. In that case the scenario is more disastrous than even expected. Culinary arts program expansion need not indicate progress or advancement of culinary status. It may also indicate the inclusion of simple dishes which may not get identified as unique.
Moreover, the chamber of commerce for neighboring Roth County has said that nearly one-third of that county's restaurants have gone out of business in the last year, so its residents will have to eat somewhere. The author infers that some one's loss can be Davidson county's gain. Whereas it may be not possible if the households people start eating food from their homes rather than restaurants. Also further new ones may open in Roth county to replace the same.
Thus editor opines that there is no reason why Davidson County cannot be a culinary capital. Just because new restaurants opened or culinary arts program expanded or restaurants got closed in some other county cannot assure the culinary capital status of Davidson county. We need much more information to support our argument. We need take information regarding the other county around the vicinity of Davidson country and their conditions to analyse and confirm the data.
Davidson County is primed for a resurgence as the culinary capital of our state. This year alone, 20 new restaurants have opened in Davidson County and the county college system has announced an expansion to its culinary arts program. Moreover, the chamber of commerce for neighboring Roth County has said that nearly one-third of that county's restaurants have gone out of business in the last year, so its residents will have to eat somewhere. Why not Davidson County, culinary capital?
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.
The magazine editor says that Davidson County is primed for a resurgence as the culinary capital of its state. He derives this conclusion from couple of facts such as opening of 20 new restaurants in Davidson County in this year alone and the county college system has announced an expansion to its culinary arts program. Moreover, the chamber of commerce for neighboring Roth County has said that nearly one-third of that county's restaurants have gone out of business in the last year, so its residents will have to eat somewhere. Thus editor opines that there is no reason why Davidson County cannot be a culinary capital. The argument is exaggerated with the the given facts as explained below.
Primarily, opening of 20 new restaurants in Davidson County in current year alone and expansion to culinary arts program of the county college system to its certainly indicate positive market atmosphere. But there is no information regarding market conditions in a perfect manner. Even though 20 new restaurants have opened, it is possible that more than 20 have closed and those who closed old restaurants reopened the same restaurants as new in order to avoid or explore some tax benefits. In that case the scenario is more disastrous than even expected. Culinary arts program expansion need not indicate progress or advancement of culinary status. It may also indicate the inclusion of simple dishes which may not get identified as unique.
Moreover, the chamber of commerce for neighboring Roth County has said that nearly one-third of that county's restaurants have gone out of business in the last year, so its residents will have to eat somewhere. The author infers that some one's loss can be Davidson county's gain. Whereas it may be not possible if the households people start eating food from their homes rather than restaurants. Also further new ones may open in Roth county to replace the same.
Thus editor opines that there is no reason why Davidson County cannot be a culinary capital. Just because new restaurants opened or culinary arts program expanded or restaurants got closed in some other county cannot assure the culinary capital status of Davidson county. We need much more information to support our argument. We need take information regarding the other county around the vicinity of Davidson country and their conditions to analyse and confirm the data.
