Exercise 3.4.15

PHI332 : The Class : Essays : Practice : Exercise3.4.15

Exercise 3.4.15

If we judge Sherwin's essay at the general or section level, it does not seem to belong in the text. The text, in this section, is about "The Morality of Abortion," but Sherwin's essay is about differences between feminist and nonfeminist reasoning. Sometimes, however, an essay which is not directly about the issue at hand can be mined for arguments that bear on that issue. This is the case with Sherwin's essay, and I guess that is why it is included in this section of the book.

Consider Sherwin's main thesis, announced in the first sentence of her essay: "Feminist reasoning in support of women's right to choose abortion is significantly different from the reasoning used by nonfeminist supporters of similar positions." Her thesis doesn't take sides on whether she thinks feminist reasoning is better or worse, more or less valid, more or less insightful than non-feminist. But as soon as we start reading at the topic sentence level, common sense tells us that she does think feminist reasoning has value and can teach us something about the morality of abortion. In particular, we can mine her article to find reasoning in support of the statement that women have a right to choose abortion-even though this is not her announced main thesis. (If we evaluate such "mined" arguments as poor, we cannot blame Sherwin, since she has never advanced these arguments directly. Be sure you advance your intended arguments directly in your research paper-Have the courage of your convictions!)

Find the topic sentences in the section "Women and Abortion" [W] of Sherwin's essay which support the statement that women have a right to choose abortion. Diagram how they support that statement, then turn the page and check your work.

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Check your work.

Once you have completed this excercise you should:

Go on to Exercise3-4-16
or
Go back to Practice

E-mail George Rudebusch at George.Rudebusch@nau.edu
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