ARCS pg 186

Activity 1

In my roommate's issue of Cosmopolitan, there was an article in the back about violent boyfriends turning into killers. There were multiple stories of girls who had broken relations off with their men because of their violence and anger, which ultimately caused these troubled men to laps into dangerous criminals. The girls were found dead some where around their hometowns. Their premises throughout the rhetoric were:
Major Premise: Violent/angry men are not worth dating and need to get professional help.

Minor Premise: Girls should break off relations with violent/angry men.

Conclusion: Girls shouldn't date violent/angry men.

Ultimately, I think the proofs are read by the Cosmopolitan readers well. It's always good to raise awareness about situations this serious and what kind of signs a girl should look out for. However, my problem with this magazine is that I feel it to be one big contradictory enthymeme on its own. Throughout the magazine it displays all of the quality factors women look for in their dream men, show pictures of male models, and has stories of the most romantic weddings or engagement proposals. At the end, it has the scary stories about men being violent, abusive, cheating...whatever it may be. The magazine's enthymeme is:
Major Premise: Find your dream man here!

Minor Premise: Watch out for those scary, cheating, woman-beaters!

Conclusion: Your dream man is within these pages, just not the true life reads!


Activity 3

I think the premises for "Elvis has left the building" are:

Major Premise: The concert is over and people need to file out of the concert hall.

Minor Premise: Elvis has physically removed himself from the building because the concert is over.

Conclusion: Elvis has left the building.