A Good Argument?

Epstein’s text lists three different tests for an argument to be good. The first test requires an argument’s assertion to have the possibility of being a case or an occurrence. The second test dictates that the propositions must be stronger than the conclusion of an argument. The third and final test merely suggests that an argument must actually support the intended point or assertion.

Here is an argument that I had recently with another individual: “I bought a Japanese vehicle because they are simply better built than American cars, and it will last longer.” Is this a good argument? It is if it passes the three tests listed in the text. The first test is a success – it is very possible that Japanese automobiles are manufactured with better quality as opposed to American cars. The second test may not be as strong. Is this always the case? What if I brought up a couple of people that I knew who owned Honda Civics with high mileage on them, and actually had the engine fail at 180,000 miles? This can be compared with vehicles that my friends and I have owned, some who have surpassed the 180,000 mile mark, and even a couple who have more than 200,000 miles and are still running strong. But if the opposing side has a list of statistics that ultimately prove that the majority of Japanese cars outlast American cars, then the second test is passed. The third and final test does show that the argument supports the intended point, which is to demonstrate that the American auto industry is lacking in the quality department when compared to the Japanese product.