Toulmin’s Argument Model Outline

Susan Meyer

ENGL102-048

Toulmin’s Argument Model Outline

29 Arpil 2013

Claim:
People should become organ donors because each person has the power to save up to eight lives.

Warrant:
The lives of others are valuable.
Once one passes on, they can no longer use their organs.
Organs are valuable and can save lives.
Saving the lives of others is a rewarding feeling.

 

Backing:

I would never like to see a day where I would be subject to death because there are not enough organs available to save my life, if I was ever in an accident causing me to need an organ donation. Nor would I ever like to see one of my close friends or family members lose their lives due to organ failure. By donating one’s organs, one is not harmed in any way and is able to give the gift of life to up to eight people. For this reason, after learning about organ donation I have registered to be an organ donor. Leaving this earth, there is nothing more I could wish to save than the lives of eight other people.

Grounds: 
1. According to the Organ Donation Network, “19 people die each day waiting for transplants because of the shortage of available donor organs” (“Statistics”).
2. According to The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “one person [who becomes an organ donor] can save up to eight lives” (“The Need is Real”).
3. A little over “100,000 people in the United States are on waiting lists for kidneys, hearts, livers, lungs, and other organs” (“Organ Transplantation”).
4. Out of the 100,000 people in need of an organ transplant, only “75 people receive organ transplants each day” (“Statistics”).

Qualifiers:
Few religions are against organ donation.
Most people are able to donate their organs.
Sometimes organ donation can delay the donor's funeral process for a few extra days.

Counter Argument:
1. As an organ donor, one would not be equally treated if ever in the hospital. The doctor will not try as hard to save the life of an organ donor because when they die they can save more lives.
2. Someone who becomes an organ donor may be get their death certificate signed after one had falsely analyzed their death.
3. One who is an organ donor cannot have an open-casket funeral.
4. One cannot be an organ donor because it is against their religion.
5. Due to illness, one's organs may not be of any use to another person.
6. One cannot sign up to become an organ donor if they are under eighteen years old.
7. As an organ donor one's family will have to pay the expenses once they die.
8. Rich and famous people are treated first and do not wait their turn on the waiting list like everyone else.
9. One may be too old to donate their organs.

Rebuttal:
1. According to the Mayo Clinic, “When you go to the hospital for treatment, doctors will focus on saving the patient’s life, not someone else’s. The patient will be seen by a doctor whose specialty most closely matches your particular emergency. The doctor in charge of the patient’s care has nothing to do with transplantation” (“Organ Donation: Don’t Let Myths Confuse You”).
2. The Mayo Clinic claims, “people who have agreed to organ donation are given more tests (at no charge to their families) to determine that they’re truly dead than those who haven’t agreed to organ donation” (“Organ Donation: Don’t Let Myths Confuse You”).
3. The Mayo Clinic states, “Organ and tissue donation doesn't interfere with having an open-casket funeral. The donor’s body is clothed for the burial, so there are no visible signs of organ or tissue donation  Because the donor is clothed and lying on his or her back in the casket, no one can see the difference” (“Organ Donation: Don’t Let Myths Confuse You”).
4. Many people argue that organ donation is against their religion; however, according to the Mayo Clinic, “Organ donation is consistent with the beliefs of most religions. This includes Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam and most branches of Judaism” (“Organ Donation: Don’t Let Myths Confuse You”).
5. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Very few medical conditions automatically disqualify one from donating organs” (“Organ Donation: Don’t Let Myths Confuse You”).
6. If one is under eighteen years old, it is true that they cannot legally sign up to be an organ donor; however, according to the Mayo Clinic, one’s “parents can authorize this decision [organ donation]. One can express to their parents their wish to donate, and their parents can give their consent knowing that it’s what you wanted” (“Organ Donation: Don’t Let Myths Confuse You”).
7. Many believe it is costly to be an organ donor; however, “there is no cost to donors or their families for organ or tissue donation” (“Learn the Facts”).
8. According to the Mayo Clinic, “The rich and famous aren’t given priority when it comes to allocating organs. It may seem that way because of the amount of publicity generated when celebrities receive a transplant, but they are treated no differently from anyone else” (“Organ Donation: Don’t Let Myths Confuse You”).
9. Though people argue they are too old, according to the Mayo Clinic, “There’s no defined cutoff age for donating organs. Organs have been transplanted from their donors in their 70s and 80s. The decision to use one’s organs is based on strict medical criteria, not age” (“Organ Donation: Don’t Let Myths Confuse You”).

 

 

Works Cited

"A Positive Chain Reaction: The Sorianos One Year Later." Standford Hospital & Clinics. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2013.

"Be a Lifesaver: Become an Organ Donor." Organ Donation Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2013.

"Becoming a Donor." Organdonor.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2013.

"THE NEED IS REAL." Organdonor.gov. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2013.

"Organ Transplantation." Organ Transplantation. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2013.

Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Organ Donation: Don't Let These Myths Confuse You." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 03 Apr. 2010. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

"Understanding Donation." Donatelifenet RSS2. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2013.

Book Work

Exercise 2.8

"According to Gerard Jones, violent media can actaully have positive effects on young people because" it exposes them to the real world so that they can learn to make their own decisions and understand that not all people can be trusted. "Jones also believes that violent media are a positive influence on children beacause" it allows them to become opinionated and powerful. "Jones makes some good points. For example, he says that" violent media assists children by helping them improve their own self-knowledge. He aslso stats that violent media helps children to feel and experience rage in their own way. Violent media also helps children learn to feel impowered and develop a sense of self, according to Jones. "However," many people believe violent media causes a lot of added violence in today's society. "All in all," I believe violent media is something we must accept as a part of culture that helps children gain an understanding of the real world.

Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology by Laurie G Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell (Page 51)

Exercise 12.1

1.) Refering to tanktops as "wife-beaters" is an issue because "wife-beaters" are people who abuse women, not something you wear around to look good.

2.) Defining the word "wife-beater" is a problem because it has many different origins of where the name began. Another problem is that because it relates to violence it provides unstable messages to people who wear them.

3.) The author includes the definition to ensure that there is a clear understanding of what is being stated. In order to have an argument, it must be clear what the argument is focussing on. By listing the different definitions, the author shows that a "wife-beater" is used to discribe a violent act and also a fashion statement.

4.) Many opposing arguments state that the term "wife-beater" is not used in relation with spousal abuse, but as an article of popculture. The author refutes this statement by claiming that it is not the term that bothers her but the poor signal that it sends to men.

5.) I do not think that a picture of a man wearing a wife-beater would strengthen her argument because in the picture, the man is simply wearing the article of clothing and is causing no harm to anyone while wearing it.

Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology by Laurie G Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell (Page 324)

Beep, Beep: Cochlear Implants Help the Deaf Hear

Susan Meyer

ENG 102-048

Rogerian Argument Essay

29 April 2013

Beep, Beep: Cochlear Implants Help the Deaf Hear

            Deafness is not something most people think of on a day to day basis unless they know someone who is deaf and sees them struggling to communicate with the outside world. One of my closest friends is deaf, legally blind, and suffers with Asperger’s, a form of autism that slows social skills. Of all of these handicaps my friend, Rachael, faces there is not a cure, but there is a way medically to enhance her hearing. Enhancing her hearing would tremendously change her life, for the better. Cochlear implants are highly controversial, though they can take away from the deaf culture, having some sense of hearing will greatly impact those who are hearing impaired and they will significantly change their everyday lives.

            According to Elif Baysal, “Congenital hearing loss is a common birth defect that affects approximately 1-3 of every 1000 births” (“The Polymorphisism of the MBL2”).  This quote proves hearing loss to be a significant problem in today’s world. Hearing loss has no cure; however, many people who undergo hearing loss use hearing aids and some get a cochlear implant. What is a cochlear implant, anyways? As shown in figure one, it “is a device that provides direct electrical stimulation to the auditory (hearing) nerve in the inner ear” (“Cochlear Implants”). Cochlear implants are not suitable for everyone. In fact, to have the implant, a patient must first see a surgeon at the “cochlear implant center [where] more testing is done to determine whether the person is a suitable candidate” (“Cochlear Implants”). This quote explains that before receiving a cochlear implant one must first see a surgeon to discuss the possibility of the surgery. Benefits from a cochlear implant depend on a variety of different factors, such as “age, language skills, and motivation of patient and family members” (“Cochlear Implants”). There are people who are better suited candidates than others. Adults who are best suited for a cochlear implant include people who

have severe to profound hearing loss in both ears, have had limited benefit from hearing aids, have no other medical problems that would make the surgery risky, have a strong desire to be a part of the hearing world and communicate through listening, speaking, and speechreading, and have lost their hearing after speech and language development. (“Cochlear Implants”)

This quote shows that if people have certain specifications, the implant is likely to be very successful. Children who “have profound hearing loss in both ears, have had limited benefit from hearing aids, are healthy and have no medical conditions that would make the surgery risky” are the best candidates for a cochlear implant, showing that children with certain conditions can also have a successful experience with the cochlear implant (“Cochlear Implants”). By requiring those who wish to get a cochlear implant first to discuss the procedure with a surgeon and determine whether or not they are a good candidate, shows that cochlear implants are beneficial when implanted on a suitable patient.

Fig. 1. Cochlear implants are implanted in the inner ear and connect sounds from the outside that are transferred to the brain (Google Images).

                Imagine for a moment not being able to hear. Someone with hearing loss cannot hear in the same way hearing people do. Though some hearing loss is not as poor as others, hearing loss makes everyday life difficult. Someone with hearing loss may not be able to talk on the phone, or struggles to do so. People who struggle with hearing loss may not be able to hear their teachers in the classroom setting and then are put into a deaf program where they may not be as academically challenged as they are in a regular classroom setting. For example, my friend Rachael attends Newton North High School after previously attending Bristol Plymouth High School where she was not challenged to reach her full potential simply because the deaf program she was in did not challenge her intellectual ability. Rachael Weber often said to me, “Just because I am deaf, does not mean I am stupid. My teacher’s treat me like a child” (Rachael Weber). She should not feel as if teachers are giving her easier work because she is deaf. As shown below in figure two, in that it is visible to the eye below the cochlear implant is visible like a hearing aid; however, it is much more powerful because it connects directly to the inner ear. Having a cochlear implant enables those who are deaf to experience sound. Though the cochlear implant does not cure deafness, it helps them to hear significantly better. With a cochlear implant, it would be easier for people who have hearing loss to be able to work with others, who are hearing, and to be more involved in society because they will be able to communicate better with the outside world.

Fig. 2. Every child deserves to be able to experience life the way they chose to do so (Google Images).

            According to Alexandra Quittner, “Children with sensorineural hearing loss demonstrate less verbal skills, poorer academic achievement, and delayed behavior and social development compared with normal-hearing peers” (“Effects of Maternal Sensitivity”). This medical condition shows that by receiving a cochlear implant, people with hearing loss would be given some hearing, allowing them to achieve at a higher level. By utilizing new technological advances, people with hearing loss can be given back some, but not all, of their hearing. Having some hearing will allow them to be able to “acquire verbal skills more easily, achieve higher in academics due to better communication, and behave and develop in a social environment in which they can interact with others more efficiently” (“Cochlear Implants”).

            As cochlear implants become more popular “the need for individuals with profound hearing loss to know ASL has diminished, and, consequently, the need to be established in the deaf community” (Cochlear Implants Change Deaf Culture).  This quote shows that the increase of people receiving cochlear implants is causing the deaf culture to decline. Tina Childress claims that, “If you have to pick one thing that is the unifying factor for deaf culture; it’s the use of ASL” (Cochlear Implants Change Deaf Culture). Childress explains that the reason deaf culture is diminishing is because people who are receiving cochlear implants are beginning to stray away from using American Sign Language.  About “4 percent [of deaf people] … are born deaf via genetic inheritance … [their parents believe] there are two trains of thought: the medical and the cultural” when it comes to considering a cochlear implant (Cochlear Implants Change Deaf Culture). This quote shows that deaf people feel that there is more to being deaf than just hearing loss; the deaf culture provides for a powerful sense of community. My friend, Rachael Weber, plans to receive a cochlear implant and will be attending Gallaudet University in the fall, a university created for the deaf.

There are many ways to feel accepted in society without getting a cochlear implant. Receiving a cochlear implant is a choice. It is not mandatory. Though many may feel that it takes dignity away from deaf culture, for those who wish to have it, why not let them do so. Due to the fact that receiving a cochlear implant is a choice, I believe it is a valid advancement for those who seek it. Others are also concerned about the potential risk factors that are brought about by cochlear implantation. Personal choice is a large factor contributing to cochlear implantation. Whether one believes it is right or wrong to have one, it comes down to the individual’s decision to do so.

            There is a way to receive a cochlear implant and keep in touch with the deaf culture. To reach this compromise, one who receives a cochlear implant could continue using sign language on a daily basis to keep the deaf culture alive. By continuing to use sign language and using the cochlear implant as more of an aid, rather than something to solely depend on, one who receives the cochlear implant will not feel as if deafness is something to be ashamed of. Receiving a cochlear implant would not only allow one to hear better but will give them the opportunity to achieve to their highest potential. Cochlear implants do not rule out deaf culture, rather than viewing cochlear implants as a cure, they should be seen to be a tool used to enhance learning and communication while continuing to use sign language and remaining a proud member of the deaf culture.

           

 

Works Cited

"Cochlear Implants." Cochlear Implants. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

Ibrahim, Nora. "Cochlear Implants Change Deaf Culture as Importance of American Sign Language Diminishes." The Daily Illini. N.p., 29 Apr. 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2013.

"Language understanding and vocabulary of early cochlear implanted children." International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology 77.2 (2013): 184+. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

Mirzahasanloo, Taher S., et al. "Environment-adaptive speech enhancement for bilateral cochlear implants using a single processor." Speech Communication 55.4 (2013): 523+. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

"October 2011 Archives." F11 PSY1001 Sections 14 & 15:. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2013.

Ozdemir, SuLeyman, et al. "Factors contributing to limited or non-use in the cochlear implant systems in children: 11 years experience." International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology 77.3 (2013): 407+. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

Quittner, Alexandra L., et al. "Effects of Maternal Sensitivity and Cognitive and Linguistic Stimulation on Cochlear Implant Users' Language Development over Four Years." Journal of Pediatrics Feb. 2013: 343-348.e3. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

"The polymorphisms of the MBL2 and MIF genes associated with Pediatric Cochlear Implant Patients." International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology 77.3 (2013): 338+. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

Tribushinina, Elena, Steven Gillis, and Sven De Maeyer. "Infrequent word classes in the speech of two- to seven-year-old children with cochlear implants and their normally hearing peers: A longitudinal study of adjective use." International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology 77.3 (2013): 356+. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

Weber, Nancy. Personal interview. 1 Feb. 2013.

Weber, Rachael. Personal interview. 1 Feb. 2013.