Tuesday 1 November 2011

Logical Argument: Death Penalty

Now click on comments and read the argument.
As you read  differentiate between a logical argument and an ordinary persuasive piece.

8 comments:

  1. Death Penalty

    Of all the moral issues on this site, this may be the most difficult to flesh out as an issue of the Democratic Party. Bill Clinton was actually in favor of the death penalty. So, if your vote was held back because you thought all Democrats opposed the death penalty, you would be wrong. However, it is included on this website, because, like other life or death issues, which include war and abortion, it is a moral issue that is hotly debated.

    What we would like to discuss on this site are some of the facts surrounding the death penalty and why it is that more Democrats oppose the death penalty than do Republicans. You see, it stems from a specific world view held by most Democrats. What is that world view? If you ask the Religious Right, it is that Democrats are evil, godless, and want evil people to be let out of jails to take over the United States of America, spreading sin, disease, and hedonism in their wake.

    On the other hand, if you actually ask Democrats about their world view, you will find people who want to have forgiving hearts. You will find people who see themselves as imperfect and want to see their neighbor as themselves. You will also discover that Democrats, by and large, want people to have an opportunity to repent, and have the freedom to change their ways and learn their lessons. Because of their commitment to peace and their desire to help the weakest among us, Democrats are often called "bleeding hearts."

    Unfortunately the term "bleeding hearts" is often used as a derogatory term by Republicans saying that Democrats make their decisions with their emotions and not their heads. Ironically, the death penalty is worth discussing because it is one of the main issues in which these tables are turned. Those that support the death penalty, which is mostly the Religious Right, usually do so for emotional reasons first. If you are a thinking person, there are some ideas and facts you should take into consideration when making a moral decision about capital punishment.

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  2. Do you see any devices so far? Identify them for me. Ensure you give the example. When you identify something you must not simply state it but tell the examiner exactly what it is using quotation marks.

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  3. "Death Penalty" cont'd

    But what if it were a member of your family that was killed? Exactly right. That's why we depend on the state to keep us from making emotional decisions-and that's exactly what it would be in such a case.

    Before the logical arguments, let's begin with some religious ones. If you know your scriptures, you probably know that the book of Genesis tells the story of first murder by Cain. Interestingly, Cain didn't merit a death penalty. Just the opposite. Not only was Cain spared by God, but a "mark" was placed upon him lest any finding him should kill him. In fact, the story goes that God threatened sevenfold vengeance against anyone who harmed him.

    What about Ezekiel 33?

    I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.

    What about David killing Uriah? God never exacted a death penalty.

    The Catholic Church is one of the first churches to take a principled stand against the death penalty. In 1999 American Catholic Bishops released the following statement on Good Friday:

    "Increasing reliance on the death penalty diminishes all of us and is a sign of growing disrespect for human life. We cannot overcome crime by simply executing criminals, nor can we restore the lives of the innocent by ending the lives of those convicted of their murders. The death penalty offers the tragic illusion that we can defend life by taking life. Through education, through advocacy, and through prayer and contemplation on the life of Jesus, we must commit ourselves to a persistent and principled witness against the death penalty, against a culture of death, and for the gospel of life."

    On December 3, 1998, the Most Rev. David B. Thompson, Bishop of Charleston, S.C. stated: "Capital punishment feeds the cycle of violence in society by pandering to a lust for revenge. It brutalizes us, and deadens our sensitivities to the precious nature of every single human life."

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  4. Now tell me why this is indeed a logical argument.

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  5. Logical Argument because there are Authoritative opinion there and Rhetorical Questions.
    Authoriative Opinion " On December 3, 1998, the Most Rev. David B. Thompson, Bishop of Charleston, S.C. stated. "Capital punishment feeds..........of every single life."
    In 1999 American Catholic Bishops release...

    Just trying it out to see if it works.

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  6. It is indeed a logical argument because it have Evidence like statistic, "On December 3, 1998" and Authoritative opinion- The most Rev. David B. Thompson, Bishop of Charleston,S.C.stated: "Capital punishment feeds the cycle of violence.................nature of every single human life."

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  7. The devices are: Refutation-(paragraph 3 line 1) "One the other hand, if you actually ask the Democrats about the world view, you will find people who want to have forgiving hearts."

    Emotional appeal - (paragraph 3 line 5)"Because of their commitment to peace and their desire to help the weakest among us, Democrats are often called "bleeding hearts."
    Rhetorical question-(paragraph 2 line 3)"What is the world view?"

    Repetition- democrats (paragraphs 1-4)

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  8. Emotional Appeal
    paragraph 1 line 2&3 this appeals to your conscience.
    paragraph 4 line 5&6 this also appeals to your conscience
    Repetition
    "Democrats"
    paragraph 1 lines 2&3
    2 lines 2&3
    3 lines 1,3&6
    4 line 2
    This article is a logical argument because it has Authoritative Opions from various sources in the bible example:
    - Genesis paragraph 6 line 2
    - Ezekiel 7
    Religious Leader
    - The Most Rev David.B.Thompson
    Counter Argument
    The whole of paragraph 3
    Paragraph 4 line 1-2

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