Argument26 【四海一家】第一次作业

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Argument26   The following appeared in a memo from the chairperson of the school board in the town of Saluda.

"For the past five years, Mr. Charles Schade has been the music director at Steel City High School, and during that time
the school band from Steel City High has won three regional band competitions. In addition, the quality of the music
rehearsal facilities and musical instruments at Steel City High has improved markedly over the past five years. Because of
such successes at Steel City High, the Saluda school board should hire Mr. Schade to plan and direct the general music
education programs for the entire Saluda school system."



In this argument, the arguer recommends that Mr. Schade should be hired to plan and direct the general music education programs for the whole region school system. To substantiate the conclusion, the arguer points out that the school band from Steel City High, where Mr. Charles Schade has worked at for the latest five years, has won regional hand competitions for three times during these five years. In addition, the equipment and rehearsal skills of the hand has ameliorated prominently(notably). A careful examination (close scrutiny) for this argument would reveal how unwarranted it is.

First of all, the author falsely depends on gratuitous assumption that a person, who is competent for a music director of a high school, would be worth his salt at planning and directing the regional music education programs. In fact, to be a music director needs music-conduction, instruction abilities, or the ability to motivate individual students, while it is more significant that a person possesses the competence of foresight, administration and coordination for planning music education. For example, a excellent doctor is not inevitably equal to the job of minister of health. Therefore, a further investigation on whether Mr. Schade has the necessary potential for a education administrator should be conducted before the arguer convincesme the conclusion that Mr. Schade should be hired.

Furthermore, the fact that the school band's equipment and performance skills has ameliorated during Mr. Schade's tenure is insufficient evidence to conclude that Mr. Schade is responsible for the amelioration. The augrer commits the "After Of This, Therefore, Because Of This" fallacy. The argument fails to rule out the alternative that the increasingly investment of school committee is to be credited for the improvement, or it is maybe attributable to another administrator's efforts and abilities. After all, the arguer fails to convince me that Mr. Schade has the administrative abilities needed for the district job.

Last but not least, lacking more specific information to confirm the assumption that three rewards received by the band are attributable to Mr. Schade's efforts. It is entirely possible that the band won all these rewards early in Mr. Schade's tenure, and his predecessor is to be credited. Or, it is maybe the improved music instruments which are responsible for the rewards. Therefore, without consider other possible reasons the arguer cannot convince me that Mr. Schade should be appointed to the district job.

To sum up, though the argument seems to be plausible, in fact, it is neither sound nor persuasive. Not only does it leave out such important issue whether Mr. Charles has the competence to be a director of regional music education programs, but also sites in the analysis the evidence, which does not lend strong support to what arguer claims. To make the argument more convincing, the arguer would have to provide dear evidence that the band's rewards and improvement cited are attributable to Mr. Schade's efforts and abilities, and that these abilities would translate directly to those required for the district position. If the argument includes the given factors discussed above, it would have been more thorough and adequate.

[ 本帖最后由 rny82 于 2007-2-23 08:32 编辑 ]