Smart Thinking: Skills for Critical Understanding and Writing, 2nd Ed

52 SMART THINKING: SKILLS FOR CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING & WRITING

(these claims, while not self-evident, are reasonably straightforward), I can imagine

some situations in which we might want to dispute the Tightness of that penalty.

Exercise 4.5

In the following complex argument, identify how the wording of the claims helps

you to see the logic of the five arrows which represent the movement from premise

to conclusion.

1. Ian should be jailed for between three and six months for assaulting Michael.


2. Ian threatened to attack Michael.


3. By law, threatening to attack someone is known as 'assault'.


4. Ian assaulted Michael.


5. A recent survey of 200 assault victims found that, for over 150 of them,
   the assault adversely affected their lives for between three and six months
   after the incident.


6. In most cases of assault, victims suffer for at least three months after the
   actual assault has ended.


7. Michael will most likely be adversely affected by the assault for at least
   three months.


8. Michael was relaxed and happy before the assault.


9. Now, after the assault, Michael is depressed and fearful.


10. Nothing other than the assault has happened to Michael that would cause
    him to be depressed and fearful.


11. lan's assault on Michael has caused him to be depressed and fearful.


12. If Michael is suffering fear and depression, then it is only right that Ian
    suffer similarly for a similar period of time.


13. Imprisonment is the only way in which suffering similar to that of
    Michael's can be inflicted on Ian.

2 + 3

t

4 + 6 8 + 9+10

7 +12 + 13 + 11

T