ESSAY QUESTION:
The following appeared in a science magazine:
"The "Space Race" of the 1960's between the USA and Russia was very expensive but it yielded a tremendous number of technological advances. These advances have provided many economic and humanitarian benefits. The benefits have more than paid for the effort and money spent during the Space Race and therefore the government should make allowances within the budget to pay for a manned Mars landing by 2020."
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.
YOUR RESPONSE:
The argument above is reasoned insufficiently as it only tells about the benefits superficially that we got with the space race of the 1960's between USA and Russia.The argument fails to tell us the exact economic and humanitarian benefits we got from number of technological advances,which was a result of space race between the two countries.Since we don't know the benefits we can't compare the benefits which we might get now for manned mars landing.The author has wrongly assumed that since earlier mission gave us economic and humanitarian benefits...we will have the same during this manned mars landing.The supporting evidence is insufficient to make the decision about the future.Since the political,economic situation differs significantly now..the author fails to take into account many factors which might influence the decision.To make argument more logical,the author should elaborate the economic and humanitarian benefits which we will got now for going for manned mars mission and should tell us how those benefits will be more than than the effort and money spent..this will make conclusion stronger regarding going for manned mars landing by 2020.
The following appeared in a science magazine:
"The "Space Race" of the 1960's between the USA and Russia was very expensive but it yielded a tremendous number of technological advances. These advances have provided many economic and humanitarian benefits. The benefits have more than paid for the effort and money spent during the Space Race and therefore the government should make allowances within the budget to pay for a manned Mars landing by 2020."
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.
YOUR RESPONSE:
The argument above is reasoned insufficiently as it only tells about the benefits superficially that we got with the space race of the 1960's between USA and Russia.The argument fails to tell us the exact economic and humanitarian benefits we got from number of technological advances,which was a result of space race between the two countries.Since we don't know the benefits we can't compare the benefits which we might get now for manned mars landing.The author has wrongly assumed that since earlier mission gave us economic and humanitarian benefits...we will have the same during this manned mars landing.The supporting evidence is insufficient to make the decision about the future.Since the political,economic situation differs significantly now..the author fails to take into account many factors which might influence the decision.To make argument more logical,the author should elaborate the economic and humanitarian benefits which we will got now for going for manned mars mission and should tell us how those benefits will be more than than the effort and money spent..this will make conclusion stronger regarding going for manned mars landing by 2020.
