Exercise 2

"We are confident that Grace did not contaminate Woburn's drinking water. Fifteen years of geotechnical data, including information that has only become available since the trial described in A Civil Action , supports this conclusion. New technical information not then available supports our belief."

(From W. R. Grace & Co. sponsored web-site: http://www.civil-action.com)

What issue does Grace & Co. raise here?

What is the conclusion that they draw?

What are the reason(s) that support that conclusion?

Are there any vague words, words that are not clarified?

• Geotechnical (involving what…)

What value(s) does the author assume that you will agree with?

• Rationality
• "time will tell"

What descriptive assumptions does Grace & Co. use to connect the reasons to the conclusion?

• Geotechnical tests are a good indication of whether or not the wells could have been contaminated