1. Toulmin
Exercise

2. Directions:
Read the following student rebuttal paragraph and see if you can tell if it contains any weak warrants (assumptions) that need backing, and if so, how would this student improve the paragraph?

3. Student Rebuttal Paragraph:
Some may argue that the death penalty is a good deterrent for violent crimes like murder. These death penalty proponents reason that one of the greatest fears people have is the loss of their lives; therefore, the death penalty will make many criminals think twice before committing a serious crime like murder. However, I do not believe this is correct. I have never in my lifetime seen a criminal in real life or on television who avoided committing a crime because he or she feared the death penalty. Also, even if some criminals are deterred by the death penalty, it probably isn’t an amount significant enough to be worth using the death penalty.

4. Assumption:
This student makes the weak assumption that just because he hasn’t personally seen deterrence occur, that it doesn’t occur and doesn’t occur to a significant enough level that would make the death penalty worth using. The student’s rebuttal would be stronger if the student didn’t use personal experience, but used source-based evidence or pointed out some flaw in the logical reasoning of the opponent.
Note that this is an example of an unfounded warrant that needs backing.