Argument140 【Persistence小组】第14次作业

Andy85UID: 2250503

A140The following appeared in a report of the Committee on Faculty Promotions and Salaries at Elm City University.
"During her seventeen years as a professor of botany, Professor Thomas has proved herself to be well worth her annual salary of $50,000. Her classes are among the largest at the university, demonstrating her popularity among students. Moreover, the money she has brought to the university in research grants has exceeded her salary in each of the last two years. Therefore, in consideration of Professor Thomas' demonstrated teaching and research abilities, we recommend that she receive a $10,000 raise and a promotion to Department Chairperson; without such a raise and promotion, we fear that Professor Thomas will leave Elm City University for another college."

1 the argument is arbitrary. there is no information about Professor Thomas's willingness of leaving Elm City University if the university doesn't provide her a raise and promotion.
2 the evidences that the arguer supplys to support that Professor Thomas is worth such a raise and promotion are not convincing.
   a popularity    b  the money she has brought
3 the suggestion that they should promote Professor Thomas to Department Chairperson is not reasonable.

In the above argument, the speaker claims that according to Professor Thomas's excellent work, the Elm City University should provide
her with a raise and promotion in fear of that she may leave the university to another college. However, I'm afraid this argument is not
sound as it stands.

In the first place, there is no information indicates that Professor Thomas will leave Elm City University. Perhaps she feels pretty well with her salary and position and has no intention of leaving here at all. And it is also very likely that the salary the Elm City University offered is much higher than any other colleges. Thus, it is very abitrary for the speaker to jump to the conclusion before making a comparison
between the salaries of different colleges.

In the second place, the evidences the speaker supplies to support that Professor Thomas is well worth the raise and promotion is not
convincing. That the classes of her are among the largest at the university can not demonstrate her popularity. It is possible that many
students must take her classes as they are fundamental to those students' subjects. And the money she has brought to the university
also cannot predict what she will do for this university in the future.

Finally, the speaker's suggestion that the university should promote Professor Thomas to Department Chairperson is not reasonable. As
we all know, a brilliant professor offen would not be an smart leader. The work of a chairperson is quite different from that of a
professor. Thus, it is not rational for us to expect Professor Thomas to do a good job in that new position. Further more, there might be some other person who is better that Professor Thomas and who the speaker fails to take into count for that position.

There are still many other qustions in this argument, such as whether high salary and position is the best way to prevent the leaving of
prominent professors. It is very likely that fine environment and equipments are the most attractive to them. Thus, the speaker should
gather more evidences and consider more factors to make this argument more convincing.