Question

task one
for each of the following, explain whether or not you think that logos is being used effectively.
ex \i need new jeans. everyone in my class has new jeans.\
y n explain
x this isnt effective as the reasoning is not logical and convincing. first, its highly unlikely that everyone has new jeans (hyperbole). second, just because other people have them, it doesnt logically follow that the speaker needs them.
1 \all men and women will die. you are a man. therefore, you will die one day.\
2 \everyone has children. therefore, everyone needs to think about the schooling of his or her children.\
3 \you dont need to jump in front of a train to know its a bad idea; so why do you need to try drugs to know if theyre damaging?\
4 \cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. so why start smoking?\
5 \every morning the rooster crows, then the sun rises. therefore the rooster causes the sun to rise.\

Explanation:

1. Y: The statement uses sound deductive reasoning. The general premise is that all men and women will die, and since the individual is a man, it logically follows that he will die.
2. N: The first premise "Everyone has children" is false (not everyone has children), so the reasoning based on it is not effective. Just because some people have children doesn't mean everyone needs to consider their children's schooling.
3. Y: It makes a valid analogy. Just as one can know jumping in front of a train is bad without doing it, one can know drugs are damaging without trying them.
4. Y: It presents factual evidence (cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which cause cancer) to support the conclusion that one should not start smoking.
5. N: This is a fallacy of false - cause. Just because the rooster crows before the sun rises doesn't mean the rooster causes the sun to rise. There is a correlation but no causal relationship.

Answer:

1. Y. The reasoning is logical using deductive logic.
2. N. The initial premise is false.
3. Y. Valid analogy for reasoning.
4. Y. Uses factual evidence for reasoning.
5. N. Commits false - cause fallacy.