What This Document Is
This document contains a series of reading exercises designed to accompany Topic Eight of COM-362, Argumentation and Advocacy at Grand Canyon University. It focuses on the practical application of logic principles, specifically concerning enthymemes – arguments with unstated premises or conclusions. The exercises are based on selections from Irving Copi’s *Introduction to Logic*.
Why This Document Matters
This resource is essential for students enrolled in COM-362 who are working to solidify their understanding of logical argumentation. It’s used to practice identifying and reconstructing enthymemes, a common feature of persuasive communication. Successfully completing these exercises will help students critically evaluate arguments they encounter and construct more effective arguments themselves. This is particularly valuable for anyone pursuing a career involving communication, debate, or legal reasoning.
Common Limitations or Challenges
This document provides practice *exercises* and does not offer comprehensive instruction on the underlying theory of logic or enthymemes. Students will need a solid grasp of these concepts from course lectures and readings to effectively work through the problems. It also doesn’t provide full solutions; it’s designed for students to actively engage with the material and develop their analytical skills.
What This Document Provides
The document includes fifteen problems, each presenting an enthymematic argument extracted from various sources. For each argument, students are prompted to:
* Formulate the missing premise or conclusion.
* Rewrite the argument in standard logical form.
* Identify the order of the enthymeme.
* Name any fallacy committed if the argument is invalid.
This preview does *not* include the solutions to these exercises, nor does it contain the full text of the original sources from which the arguments are drawn. It is a practice tool, not a complete lesson.
