Critical Thinking Argument

This week my critical thinking class is focusing on arguments.  For our discussion post, we were each supposed to find an article and provide premises and a conclusion and identify whether it was valid or sound.  This week's assessment introduces us to this video.  I wished I would have watched it before participating in the discussion

This is what was posted to my discussion:

     A crime, by definition, is a harmful wrong geared toward an individual, community or society (C. Law, n.d.).  Ransomware is a malware sent to computers for the purpose of denying user(s) access to stored information by changing passwords and not releasing new password until a ransom is paid.  This has proved to be harmful to businesses and other public forums (Safety, 2018).  Ransomware is a crime.

       In the article I read, a local school district was targeted just yesterday.  There is information that cannot be released to the media at this time as the criminal act is still under investigation (Harrell, 2018).

       The article goes on to compare this same crime that took place in another state earlier this year.  The school district had been adviced to pay the ransom.  The hackers, in turn, sent the password to unlock the files.  This really irks me that it would be encouraged to pay the ransom.  I think providing a ransom will encourage the hackers to do it again.

(Premise 1) Hackers introduced a malware they would remove for a ransom.
(Premise 2) The district's computer was filled with a Ransomware malware
(Conclusion) No one from the district was able to open the emails.

The argument is valid as no one in the district was able to get into their emails.  The argument is sound as it has not been resolved.

 My own premise and conclusion:

(Premise 1) I think providing a ransom will encourage hackers to send out malware again.
(Premise 2) Ransom is paid to the criminal in order to obtain a password
(Conclusion) Therefore he may continue sending ransomware.  

The argument is valid.  There is no proof that the hacker will send out more ransomware.  It is not sound.

          I didn't provide a reason for being true or false.  I'm not the only one in the class who had "missed the boat" in posting the discussion.  I responded to one individual that seemed to have it down pat and another who seemed to be making an estimated guess.  The assignment was a lot tougher for me than the discussion was.

          For one thing, each member of the class is not only expected to write on the same exact topic but from the same article (here) as well.  We were given an example and outline and I have been doing research and writing for the last two days. After a final proof reading, I have just turned it in - though I'm still not 100% confident.  If those I asked to assist in approval find it needs to be changed, than I will resubmit it.  Tomorrow is the last day that I can turn it in. Hope that next week does not feel so rough.