Identify the conclusion

 There are several arguments in the following

slides. Identify the conclusions of each argument.
 Remember, the conclusion is usually either at the
beginning of the argument or at the end.
Sometimes, however, the conclusion may be in
the middle of the argument.
 The conclusion is also the logical sum total of all
contributive premises.
* Answers are in the last three slides.
Identify the conclusion
 The following appeared as part of an article on government funding
of environmental regulatory agencies.

 “When scientists finally learn how to create large amounts of

copper from other chemical elements, the regulation of copper
mining will become unnecessary. For one thing, since the amount
of potentially available copper will no longer be limited by the
quantity of actual copper deposits, the problem of overmining will
quickly be eliminated altogether. For another, manufacturers will
not need to use synthetic copper substitutes, the production of
which creates pollutants. Thus, since two problems will be settled
— overmining and pollution — it makes good sense to reduce
funding for mining regulation and either save the money or
reallocate it where it is needed more.”
Identify the conclusion
 The following appeared in a memorandum from the
business department of the Apogee Company.
 “When the Apogee Company had all its operations
in one location, it was more profitable than it is
today. Therefore, the Apogee Company should
close down its field offices and conduct all its
operations from a single location. Such
centralization would improve profitability by cutting
costs and helping the company maintain better
supervision of all employees.”
Identify the conclusion
 The following appeared in a memorandum issued by a large
city’s council on the arts.
 “In a recent citywide poll, fifteen percent more residents said
that they watch television programs about the visual arts than
was the case in a poll conducted five years ago. During these
past five years, the number of people visiting our city’s art
museums has increased by a similar percentage. Since the
corporate funding that supports public television, where most
of the visual arts programs appear, is now being threatened
with severe cuts, we can expect that attendance at our city’s
art museums will also start to decrease. Thus some of the
city’s funds for supporting the arts should be reallocated to
public television.”
Identify the conclusion
 The following appeared as part of an article on government funding
of environmental regulatory agencies.

 “When scientists finally learn how to create large amounts of

copper from other chemical elements, the regulation of copper
mining will become unnecessary. For one thing, since the amount
of potentially available copper will no longer be limited by the
quantity of actual copper deposits, the problem of overmining will
quickly be eliminated altogether. For another, manufacturers will
not need to use synthetic copper substitutes, the production of
which creates pollutants. Thus, since two problems will be settled
— overmining and pollution — it makes good sense to reduce
funding for mining regulation and either save the money or
reallocate it where it is needed more.”
Identify the conclusion
 The following appeared in a memorandum from the
business department of the Apogee Company.
 “When the Apogee Company had all its operations
in one location, it was more profitable than it is
today. Therefore, the Apogee Company should
close down its field offices and conduct all its
operations from a single location. Such
centralization would improve profitability by cutting
costs and helping the company maintain better
supervision of all employees.”
Identify the conclusion
 The following appeared in a memorandum issued by a large
city’s council on the arts.
 “In a recent citywide poll, fifteen percent more residents said
that they watch television programs about the visual arts than
was the case in a poll conducted five years ago. During these
past five years, the number of people visiting our city’s art
museums has increased by a similar percentage. Since the
corporate funding that supports public television, where most
of the visual arts programs appear, is now being threatened
with severe cuts, we can expect that attendance at our city’s
art museums will also start to decrease. Thus some of the
city’s funds for supporting the arts should be reallocated to
public television.”