Arguments & Non-arguments

1. I ate because I was hungry.

• Argument

• Non-argument

If Christmas is on a Friday, the day after Christmas must be a Saturday.

• Argument

• Non-argument

The Cascades mountain range contains many majestic peaks. Mt. Rainier and Mt. Hood, for instance, are both more than ten thousand feet.

• Argument

• Non-argument

Never hit your child. Today health professionals agree that hitting children harms them emotionally as well as physically, fosters rage and self-hate, and often does lasting damage to their self-esteem and sense of worth.

• Argument

• Non-argument

If you don’t listen to radio talk shows, you really should, because it gives you a chance to reassure yourself that a great many people out there are much stupider than you are.

• Argument

• Non-argument

Dogs make better pets than cats because they’re more intelligent and obedient

• Argument

• Non-argument

I stayed home from school because I was sick.

• Argument

• Non-argument

Children should be taught not to steal because it is wrong. They should not be taught not to steal because there is a rule against stealing.

• Argument

• Non-argument

Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good. (Samuel Johnson)

• Argument

• Non-argument

I believe that ghosts are real.

• Argument

• Non-argument