写在前面在对argument的定义有一定了解以后我们接下来从反面看.DOC

写在前面：在对argument的定义有一定了解以后，我们接下来从反面看看哪些因素可以使我们混淆argument的定义。通过这些分析把握阿狗中的陷阱，同时为我们写作一休提供一个指导。What is not an argument?We’ve just seen a description of what an argument is and why, so now may be a good time to take a look at some things which are not arguments. Premises, propositions and conclusions — the pieces of arguments — may usually be easy to spot. But arguments themselves aren’t always so easy, and very often people will offer things which they claim are arguments but definitely are not. Too often, you will hear something like these: 1. God exists and the Bible is true!2. Ronald Reagan was the best President we ever had!3. Global warming is a great danger to life and civilization. None of these are actually arguments; instead, they are all just assertions. They could be transformed into arguments if the speaker were to offer evidence in support of their claims, but until then we don’t have very much to go on. One sign that you just have a strong assertion is the use of the exclamation points.  Arguments vs. Hypotheticals One common pseudo-argument which you will probably encounter too often is the hypothetical proposition. Consider the following examples: 4. If the Bible is accurate, Jesus was either a lunatic, a liar, or the Son of God.5. If you want to improve the economy, you have to lower taxes.6. If we don’t act quickly, the environment will be damaged beyond repair. These all look like arguments and, because of that, it isn’t uncommon for them to be offered as if they were arguments. But they aren’t: they are simply conditional statements of the if-then type. The part following the if is called the antecedent and the part following the then is called the consequent. 这些例证说起来和阿狗中的很多内容是相同的，把假设的可能发生是事情当作事实，也正是我们应该批驳的地方，举个例子来看看: 170For the past five years, consumers in California have been willing to pay twice as much for oysters from the northeastern Atlantic Coast as for Gulf Coast oysters. This trend began shortly after harmful bacteria were