ARGUMENT140 [076G飞跃小组]zengyouwen第6次作业 求拍留链必复

zengyouwenUID: 2284999

TOPIC: ARGUMENT140 - The 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."
WORDS: 434          TIME: 30:00          DATE: 2007-3-1
提纲：
1.她在学生中的受欢迎是否属实
2.能引进科研经费并不表明其科研能力强和教学实力
3.引进多少经费就得给其多少么
In this argument the arguer advocates that the university should give Professor Thomas a pay raise and promotion for evidences given by the arguer such as, the popularity among students, the demonstrated teaching and research abilities and even the money she brought to the university in research grants. But the argument suffers several fallacies as follows that makes it reasoned unsound.

The first problem that undermines the argument is the popularity among students of Professor Thomas. Though the botany class conducted by her has become the largest at the university, but it does not follow that she is popular among students. Maybe the students just show interest in this area and the experience in this area will make the students who have chosen the professor's class develop well after their graduation, but not for the reason that she is good at the botany area and have the ability to show demonstrated teaching and research which may make the professor popular.

Second, the author fails to establish a causal relationship between the money that Professor Thomas brought to this university and the ability of demonstrated teaching and research. Maybe she is good at social activities and thus make she has a chance to get that sum of money but it does not presents her ability of research. In addition, granted that the money that Professor Thomas brought to the Elm City University is just because of her ability ,but it still does not indicates that we should give her the same amount of money  as she brought ,though the grants has exceeded her salary in each of the past two years. The money should be used in research and not just give out to personal professors.

Third, the author commits a fallacy of hasty concluding. In this argument, the arguer asserts that the university should give the professor a pay raise and a promotion or else she leave this university. But there is no evidence has shown that the professor should leave this university if there is not a pay and promotion raise. Furthermore, whether the $10,000 pay raise is worth giving to the professor still needs consideration. For we cannot conclude just by these insufficient evidence given above, we need more information to know that whether Professor Thomas is the same as the arguer's statement and worth the money.

In conclusion, the argument lacks credibility for the defects mentioned above ,to make it more convincing ,more evidence and effective information should be given and thus can we know the conclusion that we should give Professor Thomas a pay raise and promotion is reasonable or not.