Week 6, Q. 1
Example Argument:
No boys have periods. So Christopher does not buy tampons.
Analysis: Repairing this argument is easy. The premise that is necessary to make the above argument valid or strong is to say that "Christopher is not a girl." Since this is true, and it makes it a stronger argument, we add it. Like I read in the book, it says not to try and add a new different statement that is also true, because it just seems too obvious to the reader, and really does not add anything new or better to the argument. For example, saying "Christopher is a boy." It would be quite redundant if I were to say Christopher is not a girl AND Christopher is a boy. Obviously if you are not one, or identify with one gender, you are not the other, or identify with the other. As the book says, that would violate the requirement so we leave it out. "We repair only as needed."
First off, nice example. It made me laugh and caught my attention quickly. Secondly, from reading your post, it really seems like you got this concept down. Me on the other hand, I am still a little confused. It's so easy to read other people's blogs and understand from them but it is really difficult for me to explain it in my own words. Anyway, you gave a really good example of how to repair this argument. It really does not make sense for you to say "Christopher is a boy" and "Christopher is not a girl". In doing so, it also makes your argument sound really weak because it sounds like you have nothing else to back it up.
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