English 1C

Claims, Reasons, and Warrants

“My own observation is that, on the contrary, prophecies of doom are more likely to put people to sleep than to wake them up: why bother striving if the end is in sight?  And when it is not serving to induce apathy, the apocalyptic perspective is serving to prepare for and justify the institution of extraordinary measures of political control… Any alarmist or catastrophist view of any public problem—especially one so fundamental as the survival of the species itself—ought to be received with the greatest skepticism, and the heaviest burden of proof put on anyone who wishes to persuade us that we are doomed unless we radically change our ways” (Podhoretz 97).

Reason: Claims that our 				     Claim: We should demand
survival is in jeopardy can justify 				clear proof before we give
restrictions on our freedoms.    				any credence to claims that
our survival is in jeopardy.

						           
				Warrants:
1.	Any legitimate scientific claim can be substantiated with proof.
2.	A lack of proof indicates that the claimant has another agenda.
3.	American freedoms are always in danger from people, mainly liberals, who want to control us.
4.	Such people will not openly state their agenda but will disguise it.
5.	We should make the protection of our freedoms a priority.

Reason?           Reason: If people think the end is likely,   	 Claim: Arguments that 
they will think they can 			our survival is	in jeopardy
do nothing about it.				induce apathy rather than
			“waking people up.”				 

				Warrants:
1.	?