One Confusing Form

Because the job of the test makers is to determine how well you can interpret
information, they will sometimes arrange premise and conclusion indicators in
a way that is designed to be confusing. One of their favorite forms places a
conclusion indicator and premise indicator back-to-back, separated by a
comma, as in the following examples:
“Therefore, since...”
“Thus, because...”
“Hence, due to...”
A quick glance would seemingly indicate that what will follow is both a
premise and a conclusion. In this instance, however, the presence of the
comma creates a clause that, due to the premise indicator, contains a premise.
The end of that premise clause will be closed with a second comma, and then
what follows will be the conclusion, as in the following:
“Therefore, since higher debt has forced consumers to lower their
savings, banks now have less money to loan.”
“Higher debt has forced consumers to lower their savings” is the premise;
“banks now have less money to loan” is the conclusion. So, in this instance
“therefore” still introduces a conclusion, but the appearance of the conclusion
is interrupted by a clause that contains a premise.

Premise and Conclusion Recognition Mini-Drill
Each of the following problems contains a short argument. For each argument,
identify the conclusion and the premise(s). Answers on the next page.
1. “Given that the price of steel is rising, we will no longer be able to
offer discounts on our car parts.”
2. “The political situation in Somalia is unstable owing to the ability of
individual warlords to maintain powerful armed forces.”
3. “Since we need to have many different interests to sustain us, the
scientists’ belief must be incorrect.”
4. “So, as indicated by the newly released data, we should push forward
with our efforts to recolonize the forest with snowy tree crickets.”
5. “Television has a harmful effect on society. This can be seen from the
poor school performance of children who watch significant amounts of
television and from the fact that children who watch more than six
hours of television a day tend to read less than non-television watching
children.”
6. “The rapid diminishment of the ecosystem of the Amazon threatens the
entire planet. Consequently, we must take immediate steps to convince
the Brazilian government that planned development projects need to be
curtailed for the simple reason that these development projects will
greatly accelerate the loss of currently protected land.”