Finding the Arguments

§2.1

When trying to analyze the arguments in a given text the first step is to identify which passages contain arguments. You need to single out those stretches of text in which one or more propositions are cited as a reason to believe another. There are many ways in English to indicate that one proposition is being offered in support of another. For example, we might say “I should respect her, because she’s my mother,” or “She’s my mother, so I should respect her,” “I should respect her, for she’s my mother, or “She’s my mother; therefore, I should respect her.” In all of these cases “She’s my mother” is being offered as a premise in support of the conclusion “I should respect her.”