Critical Thinking: The Art of Argument Power Point Presentation by Chapter Chapter One Critical Thinking and Arguments 1 Lecture Six Putting Arguments into Standard Form 6 Standard Form To better understand arguments, it is useful to put them into standard form. It makes them clearer. It makes them easier to read. It makes the relations between the parts easier to see and talk about. This process is called “standardizing” an argument. LO3 4 Standard Form (1) This is the first premise. (2) This is the second premise. [3] This is the third premise. Therefore, (4) This is the conclusion. 5 Standard Form (1) This is the first premise. (2) This is the second premise. [3] This is the third premise. Therefore, (4) This is the conclusion. We put brackets [ ] around the numbers of unstated premises or conclusions. 6 How to Standardize Put all the statements in declarative sentences and replace all pronouns with nouns. Insert any unstated premises and any unstated conclusions. Place the premises before the conclusion. Number each statement with ( ) or [ ]. Indicate the conclusion with the word “Therefore.” 7 What Standardizing Isn’t Standardizing isn’t just rearranging the phrases you find in a text. When you standardize, you should edit the phrases you find to make the argument clearer. It isn’t just writing down the premises in any order. You have to carefully note the relationships between the various sentences in the passage and find the logical order. An Example Don’t cry. Your toy dinosaur’s around here somewhere. You were playing with it in the kitchen less than an hour ago, and you haven’t been out of the house since then. We’ll find it. Step 1: Look for an attempt to convince. This person is trying to convince a young child. There’s an argument. 9 An Example Don’t cry. Your toy dinosaur’s around here somewhere. You were playing with it in the kitchen less than an hour ago, and you haven’t been out of the house since then. We’ll find it. Step 2: Find the conclusion. (C) The toy dinosaur is in the house. We write “(C)” temporarily. 10 An Example Don’t cry. Your toy dinosaur’s around here somewhere. You were playing with it in the kitchen less than an hour ago, and you haven’t been out of the house since then. We’ll find it. Step 3: Find the premises. (P) The child was playing with the toy dinosaur in the kitchen less than an hour ago. We removed the pronoun “you.” 11 An Example Don’t cry. Your toy dinosaur’s around here somewhere. You were playing with it in the kitchen less than an hour ago, and you haven’t been out of the house since then. We’ll find it. Step 3: Find the premises. (P) The child hasn’t left the house in the last hour. 12 An Example (P) The child was playing with the toy dinosaur in the kitchen less than an hour ago. (P) The child hasn’t left the house in the last hour. Therefore, (C) The toy dinosaur is in the house. 13 An Example (1) The child was playing with.

1. Critical Thinking:
The Art of Argument
Power Point Presentation by Chapter
Chapter One
Critical Thinking
and Arguments
1
Lecture Six
Putting Arguments into Standard Form
6
Standard Form
To better understand arguments, it is useful to put them into
standard form.
It makes them clearer.
It makes them easier to read.

2. It makes the relations between the parts easier to see and talk
about.
This process is called “standardizing” an argument.
LO3
4
Standard Form
(1) This is the first premise.
(2) This is the second premise.
[3] This is the third premise.
Therefore,
(4) This is the conclusion.
5
Standard Form
(1) This is the first premise.
(2) This is the second premise.
[3] This is the third premise.
Therefore,
(4) This is the conclusion.
We put brackets [ ] around the numbers of unstated premises or
conclusions.
6
How to Standardize

3. Put all the statements in declarative sentences and replace all
pronouns with nouns.
Insert any unstated premises and any unstated conclusions.
Place the premises before the conclusion.
Number each statement with ( ) or [ ].
Indicate the conclusion with the word “Therefore.”
7
What Standardizing Isn’t
Standardizing isn’t just rearranging the phrases you find in a
text.
When you standardize, you should edit the phrases you find to
make the argument clearer.
It isn’t just writing down the premises in any order.
You have to carefully note the relationships between the various
sentences in the passage and find the logical order.
An Example
Don’t cry. Your toy dinosaur’s around here somewhere. You
were playing with it in the kitchen less than an hour ago, and
you haven’t been out of the house since then. We’ll find it.
Step 1: Look for an attempt to convince.
This person is trying to convince a young child. There’s an
argument.
9

4. An Example
Don’t cry. Your toy dinosaur’s around here somewhere. You
were playing with it in the kitchen less than an hour ago, and
you haven’t been out of the house since then. We’ll find it.
Step 2: Find the conclusion.
(C) The toy dinosaur is in the house.
We write “(C)” temporarily.
10
An Example
Don’t cry. Your toy dinosaur’s around here somewhere. You
were playing with it in the kitchen less than an hour ago, and
you haven’t been out of the house since then. We’ll find it.
Step 3: Find the premises.
(P) The child was playing with the toy dinosaur in the kitchen
less than an hour ago.
We removed the pronoun “you.”
11
An Example
Don’t cry. Your toy dinosaur’s around here somewhere. You
were playing with it in the kitchen less than an hour ago, and
you haven’t been out of the house since then. We’ll find it.
Step 3: Find the premises.
(P) The child hasn’t left the house in the last hour.

5. 12
An Example
(P) The child was playing with the toy dinosaur in the kitchen
less than an hour ago.
(P) The child hasn’t left the house in the last hour.
Therefore,
(C) The toy dinosaur is in the house.
13
An Example
(1) The child was playing with the toy dinosaur in the kitchen
less than an hour ago.
(2) The child hasn’t left the house in the last hour.
Therefore,
(3) The toy dinosaur is in the house.
Done!
14
Next Lecture
Main Arguments & Subarguments
7
Assignment 1 (50 Points)
Directions: Standardize the arguments.

6. 1.“When people ask, as they frequently do, ‘Is etiquette still
important today—isn’t it old-fashioned and outdated?’ I can
honestly reply, ‘Of course not!’ A knowledge of basic manners
carries very definite advantages. First, manners help smooth the
path between people, to establish a pleasant relationship.
Second, a knowledge of basic good manners gives us self-
confidence. And third, a knowledge of good manners simply
makes us more attractive – and who (way down deep) doesn’t
want to be liked?” – Elizabeth Post, Emily Post’s Etiquette,
14th ed. Harper and Row, 1984, p. xiv. Material omitted.
2.“Friendship; . . . is the most necessary relation for our life.
For no one would choose to live without friends even if he had
all the other goods. For in fact rich people and holders of
powerful positions, even more than other people, seem to need
friends. For how would one benefit from prosperity if one had
no one to share it with. . . and how would one guard and protect
prosperity without friends, when it is all the more precarious
the greater it is? In poverty also, and in all other misfortunes,
people think friends are the only refuge. Moreover, the young
need friendship to keep them from error. And the old need it to
care for them. . . and those in their prime need it too, to do
brave actions for ‘when two go together’ they are more
capable.” – Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1155a1—15.
Material omitted.