Argument 61/139/141/143/162 Arg 162 eliminate funding for the Grandview Symphony Orchestra-o
61) The following appeared in an article in the Grandview Beacon.
For many years the city of Grandview has provided annual funding for the Grandview Symphony. Last year, however, private contributions to the symphony increased by 200 percent and attendance at the symphony's concerts-in-the-park series doubled. The symphony has also announced an increase in ticket prices for next year. Given such developments, some city commissioners argue that the symphony can now be fully self-supporting, and they recommend that funding for the symphony be eliminated from next year's budget.
Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation and the argument on which it is based are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.
139) The following appeared in a memo from a budget planner for the city of Grandview.
Our citizens are well aware of the fact that while the Grandview Symphony Orchestra was struggling to succeed, our city government promised annual funding to help support its programs. Last year, however, private contributions to the symphony increased by 200 percent, and attendance at the symphony's concerts-in-the-park series doubled. The symphony has also announced an increase in ticket prices for next year. Such developments indicate that the symphony can now succeed without funding from city government and we can eliminate that expense from next year's budget. Therefore, we recommend that the city of Grandview eliminate its funding for the Grandview Symphony from next year's budget. By doing so, we can prevent a city budget deficit without threatening the success of the symphony.
Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation is likely to have the predicted result. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.
141) The following appeared in a memo to the board of the Grandview Symphony.
The city of Grandview has provided annual funding for the Grandview Symphony since the symphony's inception ten years ago. Last year the symphony hired an internationally known conductor, who has been able to attract high-profile guest musicians to perform with the symphony. Since then, private contributions to the symphony have doubled and attendance at the symphony's concerts-in-the-park series has reached new highs. Now that the Grandview Symphony is an established success, it can raise ticket prices. Increased revenue from larger audiences and higher ticket prices will enable the symphony to succeed without funding from the city government.
Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.
143) The following appeared in a memo from a budget planner for the city of Grandview.
When the Grandview Symphony was established ten years ago, the city of Grandview agreed to provide the symphony with annual funding until the symphony became self-sustaining. Two years ago, the symphony hired an internationally known conductor, who has been able to attract high-profile guest musicians to perform with the symphony. Since then, private contributions to the symphony have tripled and attendance at the symphony's outdoor summer concert series has reached record highs. Now that the symphony has succeeded in finding an audience, the city can eliminate its funding of the symphony.
Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.
162) The following appeared in a memo from a budget planner for the city of Grandview.
It is time for the city of Grandview to stop funding the Grandview Symphony Orchestra. It is true that the symphony struggled financially for many years, but last year private contributions to the symphony increased by 200 percent and attendance at the symphony's concerts-in-the-park series doubled. In addition, the symphony has just announced an increase in ticket prices for next year. For these reasons, we recommend that the city eliminate funding for the Grandview Symphony Orchestra from next year's budget. We predict that the symphony will flourish in the years to come even without funding from the city.
Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation is likely to have the predicted result. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.
C1: It is time for the city of Grandview to stop funding the Grandview Symphony Orchestra.
G1: It is true that the symphony struggled financially for many years, but last year private contributions to the symphony increased by 200 percent and attendance at the symphony's concerts-in-the-park series doubled.
G2: In addition, the symphony has just announced an increase in ticket prices for next year.
C2: For these reasons, we recommend that the city eliminate funding for the Grandview Symphony Orchestra from next year's budget.
C3: We predict that the symphony will flourish in the years to come even without funding from the city.
A1 (G1): Private contributions are sufficient to help the symphony become financially viable.
A2 (G1): The increase in ticket revenue as a result of doubled attendance would be sufficient to support the symphony financially.
A3 (G1): The increase in private contribution and attendance would be sustainable.
A4 (G2): The increase in ticket prices would necessarily increase the revenue.
A5 (C2, C3): Government funding is meant only to help the symphony flourish.
claim: It is time for the city of Grandview to stop funding the Grandview Symphony Orchestra
the symphony will flourish in the years to come even without funding from the city.
Data: It is true that the symphony struggled financially for many years,
but last year private contributions to the symphony increased by 200 percent
and attendance at the symphony's concerts-in-the-park series doubled.
the symphony has just announced an increase in ticket prices for next year.
Warrant
- private contribution increased by 200%, therefore the symphony will have enough funding to flourish
- attendance of a series of events doubled - the symphony can increase ticket revenue
- increase in ticket prices - increase revenue
three main issues or points
about contribution
- the importance of private contribution relative to the overall financial support received by the symphony including the government funding
- will the contribution increase or decrease or remain the same next year
- would the elimination of government funding discourage private contribution (some private organisations consider government funding as some sort of endorsement)
about attendance
- how important are the park series relative to other events of the symphony
- how are the attendance of all the other events of the symphony this year
- how will the elimination of government funding affect the attendance of the symphony events (e.g. funding has been used to promote the events; subsidise the price tickets)
about ticket prices
- how sensitive are the audience to the price change ( how the increase of ticket prices affect the attendance and the revenue)
- how would the increase of ticket prices affect the private contribution
- the increase of price tickets will limit the public access to the symphony (to what extent is this desirable or acceptable to the governments policy about music and education