argument26 我们的九月小组 8.31

lanyelovemeUID: 2234077

TOPIC: 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."
WORDS: 499          TIME: 0:30:00          DATE: 2006-8-31

In the argument the author recommends that the Salude school board should hire Mr. Schade to plan and direct the general music education programs for the entire Schade school system. To support the recommendation, the author cites the success in Steel City high School when Mr. Charles Schade is in charge of the music director at the Steel City high School. Close scrutiny of these evidences reveals that they lend little credible supports to the recommendation.

To start with, the author commits a fallacy of "after this, therefore because of this" reasoning. The author simply assumes that the win of three regional band competitions attributes to Mr.Charles Schade but no evidence in the argument is available to establish the causal relationship between the two events. Besides, Steel City high School may have the strongest music team in the region all the time, rendering the easiness of Steel City high School to win the regional competitions. What is more, common sense and experience shows that other factors may be actually responsible for the improvement of the music rehearsal facilities and musical instruments at Steel City high School, such as the management and cumulation of funds. Absent such information the recommendation just remains incredible.

Furthermore, the recommendation is based on an incomplete comparison and therefore is wholly unpersuasive by the analogy. The author simply assumes that the hire of Mr. Charles Schade will make the similar effects as in Steel City high School but the author provides no evidence that they are indeed comparable. No detailed information such as the distinctive characteristics of the two schools is offered to support Mr. Charles Schade's effects at the Saluda school. Besides, the management of the general music education programs for the entire Saluda school needs different abilities and aptitude from the directorship at Steel City high School. It is hasty to assert that Mr. Charles Schade will also be eligible at Saluda school. Lacking such detailed information, the recommendation is just unjustifiable.

Finally, the author simply ignores other feasible, possible and beneficial candidates other than Mr.Charles Schade.  Other probable candidates may be more suitable to be in charge of the general music education program for the Saluda school system, such as teachers and leaders who have been at the Saluda school for decades and therefore be extremely familiar with the flaws of the school. Besides, Mr.Charles Schade may be not willing to accept the employment at the Saluda school if he has been in favor of the work at Steel City high School. Without ruling out these possibilities and addressing them, the recommendation just remains unwarranted.

In conclusion, according to what have been recounted, not enough evidence substantiate the recommendation in the argument. Rather than based on an unpersuasive comparison, the author should provide more information about the currently distinctive situation of the two schools. To better assess the recommendation, a comprehensive concerning about eligible and possible candidates to take charge of the general music education programs for the entire Saluda school system is also indispensable.