Question

which of the following is an argument?

○ if i don’t go out tonight, i won’t be crabby tomorrow.

○ there’s not a cloud in the sky today, so you should wear sunscreen if you go outside.

○ everyone should try learning an instrument at some point.

○ my coworkers are all eating lunch. i’m not eating lunch, though.

Explanation:

An argument consists of a premise (evidence/reason) and a conclusion (claim supported by the premise).

• The first option is a conditional statement, not an argument (no conclusion supported by a premise).
• The second option has a premise ("There’s not a cloud in the sky today") and a conclusion ("you should wear sunscreen if you go outside"), so it is an argument.
• The third option is just a claim, no premise to support it.
• The fourth option is a statement of facts/observations, not an argument (no conclusion drawn from a premise).

Answer:

B. There’s not a cloud in the sky today, so you should wear sunscreen if you go outside.