In this blog post I decided to choose a section from chapter 4 of Everything’s an Argument. I chose to write about providing logical structures for arguments. These types of arguments do not focus on cultural assumptions, but rather use more of a logical approach that is sometimes self evident. The first argument is based on degree. It is a very common type of argument and is usually barely noticeable. An example from the book is saying that it is better to have a conventional war than have a nuclear war.
Another type of argument would be the use of analogies. This is used to by explaining one idea by comparing it to another. This can be as simple as a metaphor or simile that gets the point across. Arguments from precedent are very similar to using analogies because they do compare two things. For example the book says “ …If motorists in most other states can pump their own gas safely, surely the state of Oregon can trust its own drivers to be as capable. It’s time for Oregon to permit self-service gas stations”. This argument says that if other Americans can pump gas, surely people from Oregon can too. Other forms of precedents deal with issues of time. For example, if a court rules a certain way for a criminal for a certain crime, then it usually sets a precedent for the same punishment later on. The picture uses logos to show all the ways smoking can harm/kill you.
Dylan, what drew me into this blog post was the picture. For my first writing project, I am doing the anti-smoking ads and I have never seen this picture and I think it looks very relevant. Now on to your blog and the post from chapter four. Your writing is very precise and seems somewhat professional. The only problem I see with that is that it might drag on a little bit and make the reader less interested in your post. This could result in the reader looking over what you're arguing or even to stop reading your post before it is finished. Like I said, I was drawn in by the picture, maybe you could use a few more pictures to draw in your audience. Also, with your picture, it would have been nice if you would have explained how it was relevant to what you're talking about. I know you put a sentence at the end but I think you could have had more depth and detail on how the picture relates to chapter 4. I liked how you used specific examples like the Oregon gas pumping issue. This example gave me a better understanding of using arguments with precedent. With this example, I think you might have been able to use an example from your own life to help the reader relate to your post a little bit more. This could have been a simple sentence describing an ad or anything that you thought used precedence to persuade you. These are just some suggestions that might help you on your future blog posts.
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