Statement and Arguments

Statement and Arguments questions: Methods to solve

In this type of questions a statement followed by two arguments is given. The candidates have to
decide which of the arguments on the basis of the statement is strong and which one is weak. Before
answering the questions, it is necessary to understand the conception about the strong and weak
arguments. Strong arguments are both important and directly related to the question, while weak
argument is of minor importance and is related to the trival aspect of the question. The following
example will illustrate the idea clearly.

Example -In the following question a statement is followed by two arguments I and II.
You have to decide which of the arguments is strong and which is a weak argument.

Give answer (A) if only argument I is strong.
Give answer (B) if only argument II is strong.
Give answer (C) if either I or II is strong.
Give answer (D) if neither I nor II is strong.
Give answer (E) if both I and II are strong.

Statement-Should education be given by the government free of charge?

Arguments-
I. Yes. Thus more public will be educated.
II. No. There will be a deficient in the budget of the government.

Answer (E).
By giving the education free of charge, many such people, who are unable to go to schools due to lack of money, will also begin to go to schools and thus more public will be educated. Hence argument I is strong. Now considering the argument II, it is also true that the money which is obtained as fee from education, will not be available to the government and so there will be a deficient in the budget of the government. Therefore, argument II is also strong. Hence the answer is (E).

Circumstances in which argument is strong

1. If an argument is directly related to the statement, then the argument is strong otherwise weak.

 
2. An argument should not be based on personal feelings, because they may be true or untrue.

Statement-Will Anandita get first position in the Examination ?
Argument- Yes, she always gets first position.

Answer-This argument is not strong, because 'she gets always first position does not mean that she will always get first position'.

Example -
Statement-Will Mr. I. K. Gujral win the vote of confidence ?
Argument- Yes, he is an experienced politician and also a clever minded person.

Answer-This argument is also not strong, because in politics it is not necessary that if a person is an experienced and clever politician, he would get the vote of confidence.

3. Such arguments which are contrary to our social and cultural validity are not strong.

Example -
Statement-Are human culture becoming brutal and unsocial ?
Argument- Yes, Man is a wild animal.

Answer-We know that man is a social creature. But the argument is a just contrary to social validity. Therefore this argument is not strong.

4. The arguments which repeat the statement are not strong.

Example -

Statement-Should smoking be prohibited?
Argument- Yes, smoking ' should be prohibited.

Answer-This argument is simply repeating the statement. Hence it is not a strong argument.

5 . Argument given in . different form but conveying the same meaning as that of the statement is not strong.

Example -
Statement -Should state government put a ban on lottery ?
Argument- Yes, spending of money for without a purpose is not good.

Answer-From argument it is not clear that money is spent on lottery or for some other item. 
Hence the argument is not strong

6. The argument should not be in the reference of a person, events of a country, examples or characteristics. The argument should not show resemblance with other country. Such arguments are not strong.

Example-
Statement-Should we believe in friendship?
Argument- Yes, Shri Krishna believed in friendship . .

Answer- "Shri Krishna believed in friendship, it does not mean that everyone should do this. This may be true or untrue. Hence the argument is not strong

7. The statement given by , someone and the statement of the newspaper does not make an argument strong.

Example-  
Statement-Will there be political disturbance throughout this year ?
Arguments-

I.Yes, The newspapers have the' same opinion; ·
II. Yes, The important M.P's of the country also hold the same opinion.

Answer-Both the arguments are not strong. Because the political disturbances do not depend upon the opinions of the newspapers and important MP's. .

8. The ideas of a man cannot be said as strong arguments.

Example-
Statement-Should we believe in violence?
Arguments-
I. No, ultimately it' will be harmful.
II. Yes, it will be beneficial to us.

Answer-These both arguments are not strong because they do not clear that how it is harmful or beneficial to us.

9. The ideal, true and meaningful ideas can be said strong arguments.

Example-
Statement-Is secularism necessary in India?
Argument- Yes, in India there are followers of various religions.
Answer-This argument is strong as India is a secular country.