Causal Argument Exercises 13.1 and 13.5

13.1-
Guns don't kill people, people kill people
-Guns do not go off themselves, so they don't kill people
-People are responsible for their own actions
-Taking away guns would not stop human violence, it is merely a tool
-Guns just make killing someone easier
-If guns are not around then there may be less violence that ends in death
-Guns are always going to be in the hands of criminals, so why shouldn't others have them too?

Caution: Cigarette smoking may be hazardous to your health
-Smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and many other health problems
-It shortens your lifespan by more than five years
-For many people who started smoking when they were young or before the health problems were known, it is very difficult for them to quit
-Cigarettes are widely distributed even though they are deadly, unlike lead paint, which has been banned for over 30 years
-It is obvious that cigarettes need to be banned completely, but nobody's making any headway
-Secondhand smoke is harmful as well, but smoking bans are not enforced that well in many places

Friends don't let friends drive drunk
-Anyone driving drunk could cause major damage which may include property damage and death of his/herself, the passengers or anyone else in their path
-It could only take one drink for someone to be unable to drive well
-A friend who lets the drunk drive has as much blame as the driver
-Many people don't think they are drunk and end up in car crashes


13.5
Cause- She had chicken soup. Result- She got a cold.
 Alternate effects- She caught the cold from somebody else or she touched surfaces with germs on them then touched her face.
Cause- Women breastfeed their children. Result- Children are more prone to allergies nowadays.
 Alternate effects- Children are in the house more, where dust mites can affect their immune system.
Cause- Computers are being used for more things like writing and screenwriting. Result- The movies are not that good anymore.
  Alternate effects- Overuse of the same story lines/plots, too much exposure to other media so they are too influenced by it in their writing, or there were a lot of brilliant writers writing movies that year.
Cause- Hand washing a lot. Result- Memory loss.
 Alternate effects- Not everyone can remember anything, the human mind cannot remember every exact detail.