"The number of souls in Ireland being usually reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate there may be about two hundred thousand couples whose wives are breeders, from which number I subtract thirty thousand couples, who are able to maintain their own children..." Why does Swift include these sorts of "facts and statistics" in his essay?

Question

"The number of souls in Ireland being usually reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate there may be about two hundred thousand couples whose wives are breeders, from which number I subtract thirty thousand couples, who are able to maintain their own children..." Why does Swift include these sorts of "facts and statistics" in his essay?

a. to make his use of verbal irony more effective.
b. to reinforce his stated arguments.
c. to head off opposition to his stated arguments.
d. to demonstrate that he is well-educated.

My answer is b.

Answer 1

Your answer is correct. Swift includes these "facts and statistics" in his essay to reinforce his stated arguments. By providing specific numbers and calculations, he adds a sense of credibility and authority to his argument. These statistics help to create a more convincing case for his proposed solution to the problems of poverty and overpopulation in Ireland.

Answer 2

Your answer is correct. Swift includes these "facts and statistics" in his essay to reinforce his stated arguments. By providing specific numbers and calculations, he adds a sense of credibility and authority to his proposal. These statistics help to strengthen his argument and make it more persuasive to the readers.

Yes.