EssayClub.com - Free College Essays and Term Papers

Argument Evaluation.Doc

I found two different paragraphs that included arguments in my opinion. The very first paragraph of the reading I believe is an argument that provides a premise and conclusion. The main premise of the paragraph is “The terrorist attacks of 9/11 produced a response among American officials, the media, and the public. …the very nature of terrorism to strike fear in the hearts of the population under attack.” I feel the conclusion of this argument is “one might say the terrorists were successful, not just as a result of their own efforts but also of the American Reaction. …to that extent Americans unwittingly cooperated with the terrorists in achieving a major goal: spreading fear and disrupting lives.”
Does the premise support the conclusion? Although I believe the reaction of American at the time of the 9/11 attacks were well justified, I do believe the conclusion does support the premise. As described later in the essay the attention the terrorist received over that of worse life loss tragedies helps further prove the terrorist put fear into the American people.   I think the argument is deductively valid and difficult to prove because there is not 100% proof that fear and life disruption was the terrorist intent and that the media coverage proved fear over preparation to prevent the next attack.
The other argument I found in the essay was found on page 457 in the 3rd paragraph. The premise is “Immediately after the attacks, the estimated death toll was about 6500. Several weeks later it was clear that fewer than half that many had actually died, but was there a sigh of relief that over half were still alive? Not at all. In fact, well after it was confirmed only 3000 people had died the Secretary of Defense still talked about over 5000 death on 9/11.” I believe the conclusion is “So the actual number seems to be of less consequence than one might have believed.”
Does the premise support the conclusion? I do believe the premise in this argument supports the...