Reaction to 911

1st Argument:

The American reaction to 9/11 was irrational and helped the terrorists achieve their goal by disrupting our lives. If a more rational course had been taken lives would not have been disrupted.

The premise that Americans reaction to 9/11 is irrational is difficult to prove, making the premise false. By stating that we helped the terrorist in any way makes the premise inductively strong. Although our lives did change after 9/11 it was not because of irrationality but out of a realization that we are vulnerable and perhaps naïve to trust everyone. The premise does not support the conclusion that a more rational reaction would have had less of an effect or disruption on our society. The reaction to 9/11 was of sorrow, shock, anger, pain and disdain. Our lives changed forever on that day, took away trust and opened our eyes.

2nd Argument

Americans respond more strongly to deaths of Americans closer to home than to those of others halfway around the world.

The premise that American responds more strongly to death closer to home is plausibly true but the argument is weak. The argument is weak because it can be proven time and time again that America is the first country to offer help and aid to any country that has suffered any type of disaster. Not so when America needs help, we are left to our own devise to help ourselves. The premise does not support the conclusion that we only care about those who die on our shores.