Question

3. For the following analogical argument, (1) what is the premise or premises,

(2) what is the conclusion,

(3) what is the analogy,

(4) what are the properties mentioned,

(5) is the argument strong or weak? Explain why.

    Master Kao said, “Men’s nature is like a current of water. If you open a channel for the current to the east, it will flow east. If you open a channel to the west, it will flow west. Men’s nature makes no distinction between the good and the not good, just as water makes no distinction between east and west.”

    Master Meng replies, “Water can be trusted not to make a distinction between east and west; but is this so in relation to up and down? Men’s natural tendency towards goodness is like the water’s tendency to find the lower level. Now if, for example, you strike the water and make it leap up, it is possible to force it over your head … But this surely is not the nature of water, and it is only if force is applied that it acts in this way. That men can be made to do evil is due to their nature also like this.

Answer 1

premise...

All man nature are like nature of water .

man nature no distinction between good and not good.

water also not make distinction between east and west.

Reason: premise is statement that are argument claim will induce or justify a conclusion.in the word premise is argument that is something true. Here compromise man nature with nature of water. But logically ....there is no difference between man nature and water nature .may be water can flow in same direction similarly the nature of man is no difference between good and not good .not good are created which is not part of human nature.

Conclusion : so there is no diffrence betwen man nature and water nature.

a conclusion is a statement of argument that indicates what is arguer trying to convince or trying to prove.there is two person argued about nature of water and men nature same or not same.from above primises, it can be concluded that man nature and water nature have same.

Analogy argument:

Man natural tendency to find out goodness and water tendency to find lower level .but when forced applied to act in this way then it's not nature of water , simlilarly human nature made evil not naturally.so there is no difference between man nature and human nature .

the above argument is not so strong .there is going same direction in diffrent way.master kao directly mention no distinction between nature of water and nature of man wheather master meng replied as water and man nature are natural ..if water are forcefully strike up and make it leap up but it is not is nature of water similarly human nature also not do evil ..he has made evil.