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Quantitative Evidence
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Quantitative evidence includes things that can be represented in numbers (statistics, sur-
veys, polls, experiment results) and may be presented through verbal explanations or, more
often, in illustrations such as graphs, charts, or tables. This type of evidence can be persua-
sive in its appeal to logos, but a shocking statistic can also be a strong appeal to pathos. As
Argument
always when working with data, carefully investigate the source and make sure that the infor-
mation is accurate and placed in context rather than manipulated with an intent to mislead.

Analyzing Multiple Types of Evidence
We will now take a look at an opinion piece that appeared in the online publication Slate
in 2018. Writer Genevieve Guenther argues against saying “we” caused climate change.
She concludes that the only place “we” should be used is to define who should be work-
ing together to undo climate change. Guenther uses many of the types of evidence
we’ve talked about. See how many you can find.

Who Is the We in “We Are Causing Climate Change”?

Genevieve Guenther

People writing on climate change really like to Given that climate change is a global prob-
use the word we. “We could have prevented lem, the temptation to use we makes sense. But
global warming in the ’80s.” “We are emitting there’s a real problem with it: The guilty collec-
more carbon dioxide than ever.” “We need to tive it invokes simply doesn’t exist. The we
ramp up solutions to the climate crisis.” responsible for climate change is a fictional con-
That verbal tic was in full effect on Monday, struct, one that’s distorting and dangerous. By
after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate hiding who’s really responsible for our current,
Change released its special report on the differ- terrifying predicament, we provides political
ences between 1.5 degree and 2 degree Celsius cover for the people who are happy to let hun-
global warming. The IPCC stated in no uncer- dreds of millions of other people die for their
tain terms that climate change will threaten the own profit and pleasure.
lives of hundreds of millions of people in the I mean, think about it. Who is this we? Does
next decades unless greenhouse-gas emissions it include the 735 million who, according to the
halve in 10 years and cease entirely in 30. In World Bank, live on less than $2 a day? Does it
response, one prominent climate journalist include the approximately 5.5 billion people
wrote on Twitter, “We had plenty of time & who, according to Oxfam, live on between $2
warning to avoid this fate, without undue dis- and $10 a day? Does it include the millions of
ruption, but now we can only avoid it with people, all over the world (400,000 alone in the
EXTREME disruption. Given how badly we’ve 2014 People’s Climate March in New York City),
botched it so far, odds are we’ll continue to go doing whatever they can to lower their own
too slow.” emissions and counter the fossil-fuel industry?

Genevieve Guenther, “Who Is the We in ‘We Are Causing Climate Change’?” Slate, October 10, 2018. Copyright © 2018 by The Slate Group. All rights reserved.
Used under license. https://slate.com/
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Uncorrected proofs have been used in this sample. Copyright © Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers.
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers.
For review purposes only. Not for redistribution.
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