Download Argument by Cause and Effect

Argument by Cause and Effect
Introduction
Cause and effect arguments explain the reasons or results of an event, idea, or situation.
This rhetorical pattern is also used in expository writing to explain facts; when used to
support an argument, it concerns opinions, or claims, rather than facts. If your thesis is an
opinion, not fact, then even if you use facts as causes or effects, they are working in
service of your opinion.
Contentious scientific issues are debated by analyzing cause and effect patterns of factual
information or hypothetical situations. For example, we can debate whether homosexuality
has genetic origins, whether global warming is part of a historically larger natural cycle or is
a modern phenomenon resulting from a drastically altered environment, and whether
stem-cell research will have dangerous, unpredictable consequences.
There are three basic types of cause and effect arguments:

multiple causes/one effect

one cause/multiple effects

chain or domino effect
The multiple causes/one effect argument can be organized as follows:
Thesis: American children are not being protected from dangerous Chinese toys for
three reasons:
lack of Chinese governmental oversight, lack of U.S. testing on Chinese imports, and
lack of U.S. trade penalties against China for lax toy safety l
The one cause/multiple effects argument might be structured this way:
Obesity is one of the major problems facing Americans today. It can result in physical
and mental health problems, as well as removal from an active lifestyle.
The third type of cause and effect argument is a chain effect, also known as a domino
effect.
The above argument against obesity could be easily organized as a domino effect.
I. Obesity has been linked to physical health problems such as
a) high blood pressure
b) diabetes
c) shortness of breath
II. Physical symptoms can inhibit an active lifestyle
a) less endorphins in bloodstream
b) accelerates the body’s aging process
III. The inactive lifestyle can result in
a) low self-esteem
b) mild depression
c) lack of sexual drive
The above example of the cause/domino effect demonstrates the potential effects of a
cause.
They are not guaranteed. You may wish to think about what fields deal in absolute domino
effects and which fields have only the potential for various domino effects.