Daniel Kelly

EN1420
Unit 1 Assignment 1

The background information that I need to know is what message and what point that the
person is trying to get across. The key details and image that sticks out to me are that the
cigarettes are getting shorter; and the words at the bottom are telling me that the shorter the
cigarettes get the shorter the smokers life gets. The issue that this picture is trying to tell people
is that smoking is bad and it will shorten your life span. The debate that it is a part of is whether
or not smoking is bad for you or not. This picture is taking the side that smoking is bad for you
and the perspective that the picture is taking is that they have done research and know for a fact
that smoking is bad for you. We know what side of the debate this picture is taking because at the
bottom of the picture the text says Every breath you take will eventually shorten your life. The
picture is claiming that smoking is bad for you and eventually will kill you. The response that the
person is looking for is for people to be aware of how bad smoking is and eventually will quit.
The message that it is trying to convey is that smoking is bad and it will shorten your life. I think
that this ad is going to be very successful in trying to get people to quit smoking.

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1. When I encountered the word argument, I thought it was when two people are discussing
an issue. What I now know is that is an argument is when you are trying to influence
another person.

2. Examples of an argument are in T.V. ads, Billboards, and when you are talking to a
salesman.
3. A traditional argument is when you are trying to persuade someone to your point.
Examples of a traditional argument are public debates and courtrooms. A consensual
argument is when you and another person are trying to find the best position on an issue.
Examples of a consensual argument are dialectic and academic inquiry.
4. The conditions for an argument to work best are an issue, an arguer, an audience,
common ground, and a forum.
5. The conditions for an argument to fail are no disagreement or reason to argue, risky or
trivial issues, difficulty in establishing common ground, and standoffs or fights that result
in negative outcomes.
6. Two examples of an ethical argument are planning out a safe and efficient way to get
somewhere or to build something. Two examples of an unethical argument are T.V.
commercials that push you to buy their stuff, pictures in a magazine influencing you to
buy their stuff. Another example is when you get coupons in the mail.
7. The role of the audience has changed from just being able to listen to now being able to
join in on the argument.
8. Four sources of arguable issues are: Should everyone pay taxes, should abortions be
permitted, in the judicial system effective, and should the government be allowed access
to information about us online.