Identifying-ed-eval-comments

Identifying the Argument of an Essay

Comments on Starting the Evaluation of the Editorial

Whenever we read critically, we are usually also evaluating as we go. This is good to a certain extent. But the comprehensive evaluation of an argument can only be made when the whole argument has been reconstructed. By the whole argument, I'm referring not just to the reasons that are actually stated but also to the reasons that are left out or unstated. Sometimes people leave out reasons and other assumptions in their arguments. These assumptions (unstated reasons) must be included in the argument in order to fully understand it. There are many reasons for leaving out or not stating assumptions: sometimes there is simply not enough space to state all the reasons such as in an editorial; sometimes people themselves are not aware of their own assumptions and sometimes people deliberately leave out assumptions in order not to reveal what they really think, feel, or believe.
In the previous section called "Spotting the Reasons in the Editorial", I have made
references in passing to assumptions: on the fifth page I referred to "what is left
unsaid"; on the sixth page I inserted a remark after Reason 1 that "This reason is not clearly stated in the editorial" and a remark after Reason 4 stating "Please note that this reason is an ASSUMPTION...." I have included these assumptions because they are so crucial to the argument. There are more assumptions which have not been identified.
If the reasons that are actually stated are the iceberg which is above the water, the
assumptions can be likened to that part of the iceberg which is underneath the water. To
evaluate an argument in any complete sense means we have to lift the whole iceberg out
of the water -- assumptions and all.
To show you how crucial assumptions can be, let's put the strongest stated reason together with the assumption (Reason 4 from the sixth page):

Conclusion: The federal government should not dictate athletics schedules.

   (BECAUSE) Reason: These decisions are best made in the community, worked out
                                          by people of good will in a spirit of compromise and cooperation.

   (BECAUSE) Assumption: It is the community which is in the best position to decide                                               when convenience, popularity, and money are more important                                               than fairness in scheduling boys and girls athletic events.

Notice that if you read the argument without the assumption, you might be more
inclined to agree with it and not see the problems associated with it. When the assumption is stated explicitly as part of the argument, it forces us to decide whether we really do want the local community to have the power to say when fairness can be put aside in favor of convenience,popularity and money.
This depends, of course, on another assumption which has been left unstated: the above
reason assumes that there are people of good will in the community who are willing to
work together in a spirit of compromise and cooperation. IS THIS ALWAYS TRUE?
What if the community is sexist towards girls sports? Would you still agree that the
community is in the best position to decide when convenience,popularity,and money are
more important than fairness? If the community really was sexist, wouldn't it simply
use convenience,popularity,and money to promote boys athletic events on prime days
and times at the expense of girls athletic events? The most important parts of an
argument many times are left out in the form of unstated reasons or assumptions.

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