Hi,
This is my very first attempt at Analysis of argument.
Suggestions would be a great help.
Thanks,
The following appeared as part of an editorial in a campus newspaper:
"With an increasing demand for highly skilled workers, this nation will soon face a serious labor shortage. New positions in technical and professional occupations are increasing rapidly, while at the same time the total labor force is growing slowly. Moreover, the government is proposing to cut funds for aid to education in the near future."
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 Argument concludes that, this nation will soon face a serious labor shortage. There has been an increase in new positions in technical and professional occupations, but the growth of labor force is slow, and the Government's proposal to cut funds for aid to education in the near future will lead to labor shortage. Though his claim may well have merit, the author presents a poorly reasoned argument, based on questionable premises and assumptions, and based solely on the evidence the author offers, we cannot accept his argument as valid.
The primary issue with the author's reasoning lies in his unsubstantiated premises. The author states that there is an increasing demand for highly skilled workers, but he fails to provide evidence regarding the type of skills that would be required to meet this increasing demand. For instance there are certain jobs that require Information technology skills or there are other jobs that may require accounting skills. The demand for Information technology may be increasing, and the nation may have skilled workers in that field, and in that case it may not lead to any shortage in labor.
In addition, the author has assumed that the Government proposal to cut funds for aid to education will add to the shortage of labor. The Educations programs at many University are also funded by Companies who create the demand for skilled labor. These Companies have resources to predict the demand for skilled labor that they would require and they can provide fund to educate students in that particular field. The author's premises, the basis of his argument, lack any legitimate evidentiary support and render his conclusion unacceptable.
In sum, the authors illogical argument is based on unsupported premises and unsubstantiated assumptions that render his conclusion invalid.
This is my very first attempt at Analysis of argument.
Suggestions would be a great help.
Thanks,
The following appeared as part of an editorial in a campus newspaper:
"With an increasing demand for highly skilled workers, this nation will soon face a serious labor shortage. New positions in technical and professional occupations are increasing rapidly, while at the same time the total labor force is growing slowly. Moreover, the government is proposing to cut funds for aid to education in the near future."
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 Argument concludes that, this nation will soon face a serious labor shortage. There has been an increase in new positions in technical and professional occupations, but the growth of labor force is slow, and the Government's proposal to cut funds for aid to education in the near future will lead to labor shortage. Though his claim may well have merit, the author presents a poorly reasoned argument, based on questionable premises and assumptions, and based solely on the evidence the author offers, we cannot accept his argument as valid.
The primary issue with the author's reasoning lies in his unsubstantiated premises. The author states that there is an increasing demand for highly skilled workers, but he fails to provide evidence regarding the type of skills that would be required to meet this increasing demand. For instance there are certain jobs that require Information technology skills or there are other jobs that may require accounting skills. The demand for Information technology may be increasing, and the nation may have skilled workers in that field, and in that case it may not lead to any shortage in labor.
In addition, the author has assumed that the Government proposal to cut funds for aid to education will add to the shortage of labor. The Educations programs at many University are also funded by Companies who create the demand for skilled labor. These Companies have resources to predict the demand for skilled labor that they would require and they can provide fund to educate students in that particular field. The author's premises, the basis of his argument, lack any legitimate evidentiary support and render his conclusion unacceptable.
In sum, the authors illogical argument is based on unsupported premises and unsubstantiated assumptions that render his conclusion invalid.
