The Epstein text says that many advertisements are arguments, with the (often unstated) conclusion saying that we should buy the product. For my example, I chose QuickTrim, a diet pill advertised and endorsed by Kim Kardashian (I LOVE HER). Its conclusion is "How hot can you be?" and its premise being, "if you take the diet pill, you'll get Kim's results." The truth is, everyone is different, everyone feels different, and not everyone is going to love this product. The product has the benefits of losing weight and feeling sexy but there are always side-effects. From what my mom told me (she's an RN), diet pills can ruin your liver and most people know that diet pills should not be used long-term. The advertisement leaves the side-effects out and only focuses on the good things that can happen to a person taking the pill. In regards to Section A of Ch. 5, we can accept or reject the claim, depending on whether or not there is good reason to believe the premise, its premise is more plausible than the conclusion, and the argument is valid and strong. The advertisement (argument) is not strong; how do we know that taking this pill will work for everyone trying to lose weight? Section B touches upon personal experience being the most reliable source of information about the world. In regards to the advertisement, only a person who has taken the product can accept or reject its claim.
I found your post very interesting. Many people fall for advertisements because of the celebrity that portrays the “truths” about this particular product. I found it very interesting that you stated, “I LOVE HER.” Many people would buy this product just because they like the person that is advertising the product and they think they will get the same results. The media portrays certain ways that people’s bodies should look. People are pressured through advertisements, such as this, to try to attain this body image that is displayed through advertisements. However, your examples relating back to sections A and B of Chapter 5 made the material clearer to me.
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