The Language of Argument

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A r g u m e n t s f r o m A n a l o g y

Using the criteria mentioned above, evaluate each of the following arguments

as strong or weak. Explain your answers. Be sure to specify the properties on

which the analogy is based, as well as any background beliefs on which your

evaluation depends.

1. This landscape by Cézanne is beautiful. He did another painting of a
   similar scene around the same time. So it is probably beautiful, too.


2. My aunt had a Siamese cat that bit me, so this Siamese cat will probably
   bite me, too.


3. The students I know who took this course last year got grades of A. I am a
   lot like them, since I am also smart and hardworking; and the course this
   year covers very similar material. So I will probably get an A.


4. This politician was caught cheating in his marriage, and he will have to
   face similarly strong temptations in his public duties, so he will probably
   cheat in political life as well.


5. A very high minimum wage led to increased unemployment in one
   country. That country’s economy is similar to the economy in a different
   country. So a very high minimum wage will probably lead to increased
   unemployment in the other country as well.


6. I feel pain when someone hits me hard on the head with a baseball bat.
   Your body is a lot like mine. So you would probably feel pain if I hit
   you hard on the head with a baseball bat. (This is related to the so-called
   Problem of Other Minds.)

Exercise V

c. Joe plans to major in some easy subject, but the other students were

pre-med.

d. Joe recently started taking drugs on a regular basis.

e. Joe needs to work full-time to pay his college expenses, but the others

had their expenses paid by their parents.

3. A new drug cures a serious disease in rats. Rats are similar to humans in
   many respects. Therefore, the drug will probably cure the same disease in
   humans.
   Would this argument be weaker or stronger if:
   a. The disease affects the liver, and rat livers are very similar to human livers.
   b. The drug does not cure this disease in cats.
   c. The drug has to be injected into the rat’s tail to be effective (that is, it
   does not work if it is injected anywhere else in the rat).
   d. No drug of this general type has been used on humans before.
   e. The effects of the drug are enhanced by eating cooked foods.

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