Have you ever come across an argument that seemed logical on the surface, but deep down, you felt something was wrong with it? Imagine your school principal made this announcement over the intercom: "Since bright colors are fun, every classroom should now be painted yellow and pink." This would certainly raise some eyebrows. You might even like yellow and pink rooms, but as an argument for something the school should do to its classrooms, it seems fishy: as if it's based on an idea about colors that has almost nothing to do with education, classrooms, and even what it means for colors to be "fun."
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What is the technical name for an argument with at least one unstated assumption?
Show AnswerAn unstated assumption and a tacit claim are the same thing?
Show AnswerAn argument is ___ if it is both valid and true?
Show Answer____ describes an argument in which the conclusion follows logically from the premises.
Show AnswerParadigmatic assumptions are the most difficult to identify.
Show AnswerWhat type of assumption deals with courses of action being taken?
Show AnswerWhere do unstated assumptions show up in an argument?
Show AnswerA clever enough speaker can make an argument with no unstated assumptions.
Show AnswerPaying attention to unstated assumptions is necessary for which parts of English tests and assignments?
Show AnswerAn assumption about how something works is a casual assumption.
Show AnswerOnce an argument is explained, it cannot be countered.
Show AnswerWhat is the technical name for an argument with at least one unstated assumption?
Show AnswerAn unstated assumption and a tacit claim are the same thing?
Show AnswerAn argument is ___ if it is both valid and true?
Show Answer____ describes an argument in which the conclusion follows logically from the premises.
Show AnswerParadigmatic assumptions are the most difficult to identify.
Show AnswerWhat type of assumption deals with courses of action being taken?
Show AnswerWhere do unstated assumptions show up in an argument?
Show AnswerA clever enough speaker can make an argument with no unstated assumptions.
Show AnswerPaying attention to unstated assumptions is necessary for which parts of English tests and assignments?
Show AnswerAn assumption about how something works is a casual assumption.
Show AnswerOnce an argument is explained, it cannot be countered.
Show Answer Generate flashcards Summarize page Generate flashcards from highlight Review generated flashcards Sign up for free to start learning or create your own AI flashcards You have reached the daily AI limit Start learning or create your own AI flashcardsA few of the ideas that the principal seems to miss:
As you can see, the principal is guilty of unstated assumptions.
Here's a simple way to see the unstated assumption.
Unstated assumptions are reasons left out of the explicit language of an argument.
Unstated assumptions are claims and reasons that the argument implies, nudging the audience to assume they are simply common sense and need not be critiqued. They often appeal to the values that the audience supposedly holds and the goals that the audience might desire.
In order to convince an audience, it is often useful to hint at the finer points instead of getting bogged down in the details and risk losing the audience's attention to the larger, more important conclusion. These implied points are often referred to as tacit claims, or tacit assumptions.
To recognize an argument's unstated and implied material, you should first point out what the arguer is trying to accomplish. Then consider why the arguer wants to accomplish that goal. By putting these two important parts into words, you can then examine how the arguer moves from one to the other. In order to articulate these in words, it is important to know the basic parts of an argument and how they work.
All arguments of all types are made of premises and conclusions.
In logic, a premise is defined as a statement (or "proposition") upon which a conclusion is based. A premise is an initial step toward a conclusion.
The conclusion is the final statement that the premises support. It is the ultimate idea that the arguer wants to convince the audience to accept.
If a premise is untrue, then the truth of the conclusion comes into question.
Consider the following simple argument:
Mrs. Dalloway's classroom is good for plants because its many windows let in a lot of sunlight.
The stated premises are:
The stated conclusion is:
The unstated premises are:
From this example, we can see that the first unstated premise ("sunlight is good for plants") is a reasonable statement. Plants use sunlight to create energy by a process called photosynthesis. The second unstated premise, however, reveals potential problems for the original argument. Plants need more than sunlight to thrive: they need water and clean air, and if they are potted houseplants, they need people to take care of them. If Mrs. Dalloway's classroom has unhealthy air, no access to water, and no people around to care for the plants, then the conclusion (that Mrs. Dalloway's room is good for plants) will be untrue.
Fig. 1 - Unstated assumptions can be true or untrue
The technical term in logic for an argument with unstated premises is an enthymeme. An unstated premise is called an enthymematic proposition: it is the claim that is attached to the "because" clause, which is the stated reason for the conclusion to be accepted. In the previous example, the enthymematic propositions are the implied claims "sunlight is good for plants" and "windows that let in a lot of sunlight are sufficient for the classroom to be good for plants."
Here are a few examples of arguments with some of their unstated assumptions listed below.
Germany should protect its water supply from contamination so its people can drink and shower safely.
This is a common-sense statement, but it does assume a number of things that could be contested if someone disagreed with its fundamental values.
A few claims that the argument implies or leaves unexamined:
If the audience disagrees with any of these assumptions, then the main argument that "Germany should protect its water supply from contamination" would not make much sense to them.
People with disabilities should not serve in the military because they lack the strength and endurance needed for military service.
This statement is much more controversial and complex, though at first glance it appears reasonable.
A few of the unstated assumptions here are:
As you can see, there are many unstated assumptions that can be identified in arguments. Although there is no list of all types of unstated assumptions, it is apparent that assumptions often deal with how things are categorized, with suggestions for future courses of action and how something is valued.
Stephen Brookfield, a teacher and author on education, defined three types of assumptions that are usually made in critical reasoning. The three types are casual assumptions, prescriptive assumptions, and paradigmatic assumptions.
A perceptive arguer will be able to recognize, verbalize, and call into question each of these types of assumptions. Being able to identify and critique the third type, "paradigmatic assumptions," is the most important skill for success in critical thinking and analysis sections in English courses and tests.
A major topic of English coursework is the evaluation and analysis of arguments. Both "free response" questions and "rhetorical analysis" sections require students to read argumentative texts and analyze how the writer's language choices build the text's intended meaning and purpose. In "evaluating arguments" sections, you can use the unstated material to reveal mistakes the arguer makes, faulty reasoning, and unexamined beliefs that compromise the argument's effectiveness.
Consider the following passage from an article in The Guardian:
No part of our world deserves to be polluted with plastic, but national parks may be one of the most obviously unsuitable places for a problem that has escalated into one of the planet's top environmental threats. Americans agree. According to a recent Oceana poll, 82% of American voters would support a decision by the National Park Service to stop selling and distributing single-use plastic at national parks. The National Park Service was created to conserve the natural and cultural resources of these treasured areas. To maintain that commitment, the service and its contractors must stop selling and distributing single-use plastic products and offer refillable and reusable alternatives. 2
Fig. 2 - Unstated assumptions may or may not be tricky
This paragraph clearly states the article's main complaint and its recommendations for addressing the problem. From an environmental standpoint, the logic is clear, and the suggested actions are reasonable. If you were expected to critique the argument and point out potential flaws, it would be easy to do so if you believed that plastic pollution was not a problem and protecting national parks was not important. However, if you agree with the values of the text, and you are expected to criticize the argument, then you have a more difficult task on your hands.
This is where identifying unstated assumptions comes in handy. First, identify the parts of the argument that point to a system of values.
The terms "unsuitable," "treasured," and "commitment" stand out.
Then spell out that value system in your own words.The writer calls for waste-free national parks and conservation of these area's "natural and cultural resources."
Also note what threatens this value system, according to the article.The writer claims waste from single-use plastic products sold at national parks threatens the parks.
Then ask yourself if that threat to the value system is indeed true, to what degree, and if there are alternatives that the author might be missing.
By taking the implied and unstated material of an argument seriously, the argument opens up and becomes vulnerable to critique, revision, and re-imagination .
1 Stephen Brookfield. Becoming A Critically Reflective Teacher. 2017.
2 Jonathan B Jarvis and Christy Leavitt. "Why are American national parks filled with plastic?" The Guardian International. 2022.
