Question

And Mr. Washington thus faces the triple paradox of his career:

1. He is striving nobly to make Negro artisans business men and property-owners; but it is utterly impossible, under modern competitive methods, for workingmen and property-owners to defend their rights and exist without the right of suffrage.

2. He insists on thrift and self-respect, but at the same time counsels a silent submission to civic inferiority such as is bound to sap the manhood of any race in the long run.

3. He advocates common-school and industrial training, and depreciates institutions of higher learning; but neither the Negro common-schools, nor Tuskegee itself, could remain open a day were it not for teachers trained in Negro colleges, or trained by their graduates.

–The Souls of Black Folk,
W. E. B. Du Bois

Which statement best explains the validity of this argument?

-The argument is valid because Du Bois refers to Washington by name.
-The argument is valid because Du Bois gives relevant reasons to support his claim.
-The argument is not valid because Du Bois does not make a claim.
-The argument is not valid because Du Bois does not give reasons to support his claim.

Answer 1

The statement "The argument is valid because Du Bois gives relevant reasons to support his claim" best explains the validity of this argument. In the passage, Du Bois presents a clear argument about the triple paradox of Booker T. Washington's career, and he supports his claim by providing specific reasons and evidence to illustrate each paradox. He argues that Washington's goals of promoting black economic advancement and self-reliance are undermined by his acceptance of second-class citizenship and lack of support for higher education, and he provides evidence to support these claims. Therefore, the argument is valid because it presents a clear and logical argument with supporting evidence.