What Does ‘Stealing’ Mean in a Digital Environment?
Make an argument about the persuasiveness of a written argument and offer evidence from the text to support your evaluation of its persuasiveness. To analyze an argument, you have to be a rhetorical reader—that is, an active and critical reader who can explain not just what an author says but how persuasive the author is or isn’t and why. You should focus not on the issue but on what choices an author has made and how those choices affect the audience’s response to the argument.
Use this articles for Writing Arguments for your rhetorical analysis:
Alex Mullen, “A Pirate but Not a Thief: What Does ‘Stealing’ Mean in a Digital Environment?” (pp. 245-47)
Sample Solution
In his essay, “A Pirate but Not a Thief: What Does ‘Stealing’ Mean in a Digital Environment?” Alex Mullen makes the persuasive argument that individuals who engage in "digital piracy" are not committing theft. He starts with an anecdote of a student downloading music illegally and then shifts to explaining copyright law. He offers evidence from the Library of Congress and provides examples such as sharing Netflix passwords or using images without permission to support his point. Additionally, he acknowledges other argumentative perspectives but ultimately refutes them by citing research from technology experts and economists who disagree with those perspectives. All these rhetorical choices make for an effective written argument as they allow Mullen to logically build upon each point until arriving at his conclusion about digital piracy not being considered stealing according to current copyright laws. He also stays rational throughout by avoiding inflammatory language and instead relying on facts and logic to explain his stance on the issue—all of which helps him present a more convincing case for why viewers should accept his position on this controversial topic.