Discussion: Argument Analysis
Try to formulate examples for three important patterns of argument: modus ponens, modus tollens, and reductio. Then, for the following argument sent to a newspaper by a reader responding to an article claiming that Shakespeare was Italian, identify the argument's main conclusion and spell out the argument's premises.
"So Shakespeare was an Italian, because almost half of his plays are set in Italy. Almost all of Isaac Asimov's novels are set in outer space – does that mean he was a Martian?" – Graham Simpson
Share your thoughts on the discussion forum by clicking on the link above and creating a free account, if you have not already done so. Read arguments that other students may have constructed, as well as their attempts to analyze the Shakespeare argument.
Respond to at least one or two other students' posts.