Evaluating Argument Relevance Questions and Answers Flashcards

Question: 'Should cities ban single-use plastic bags?' Argument: 'Plastic bags cause significant marine pollution, harming ocean ecosystems and wildlife.' Is this argument strong and relevant?

Answer: Yes — marine pollution from plastic bags is directly relevant to the environmental harm the ban aims to prevent.

Marine pollution is a direct environmental consequence of single-use plastic bags — it is highly relevant to whether the policy is justified on environmental grounds.

Question: 'Should employers be required to provide paid parental leave?' Argument: 'Many European countries offer paid parental leave and have strong economies.' Is this argument strong and relevant?

Answer: No — correlation between paid leave and economic strength does not prove causation; other factors explain European economies.

The fact that some countries have both paid leave and strong economies does not establish that paid leave caused economic strength — confounding factors make this argument weak and insufficient.

Question: 'Should governments fund public arts programs?' Argument: 'Arts programs provide economic benefits through tourism, employment, and increased property values in cultural districts.' Is this argument strong and relevant?

Answer: Yes — economic returns from arts programs are directly relevant to the cost-benefit analysis of public funding.

Economic returns are directly relevant to whether public funding is justified — they address the resource allocation question central to the debate.

Question: 'Should the minimum wage be increased?' Argument: 'The CEO of a fast-food chain has publicly opposed minimum wage increases.' Is this argument strong and relevant?

Answer: No — citing who opposes the policy is not a substantive argument about the policy's merits or harms.

An appeal to authority or opposition does not itself provide substantive reasoning about whether the policy is beneficial or harmful — the CEO's opinion is not an argument, it is a position.

Question: 'Should universities be tuition-free?' Argument: 'Students who attend university earn significantly higher lifetime incomes than those who do not.' Is this argument strong and relevant?

Answer: Yes — higher earnings generate more tax revenue, partly justifying public investment in higher education.

Higher graduate earnings increase tax revenues and reduce social welfare costs, providing a public economic return that directly addresses whether public funding of tuition is justified.

Question: 'Should social media companies be required to verify user ages?' Argument: 'Verified age systems used by online retailers have successfully prevented minors from purchasing age-restricted products.' Is this argument strong and relevant?

Answer: Yes — it shows that age verification technology exists and works in analogous contexts.

Evidence from analogous online verification systems directly addresses the feasibility objection to age verification — showing the technology works in comparable digital environments.