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- E-readers are better
Books are expensive period. However, with the emergence of e-readers, and by association, e-books, reading need not necessarily be a pocket emptying hobby anymore. A multitude of books is available at the click of a button at reduced prices, making the reader, the happiest on earth.
The argument
The price of an e-reader offers great flexibility, customisation and storage. The single purchase can also last you for a long, long time due to the device's durability. Regular e-books are generally cheaper than printed books, and e-books can also be downloaded for free from the internet. The cost of buying books decreases, making an e-reader even more worth investing in. Comparatively, a printed book is meant to serve just one purpose - to be read. Overall, you save more money by investing in an e-reader. Moreover, if you choose to purchase a smartphone, tablet or laptop, the variety of uses of the device increases and more use can be obtained from them aside from reading books.
Premises
Counter-arguments
More often than not, readers tend to gravitate towards the best-sellers put forward by top publishing houses, which are not cheap. These books are not offered at reduced prices, and thus the individual ends up spending not just for the books, but for the device itself. Moreover, e-readers function on electricity and their constant use require them to be charged more frequently, thus resulting in an increased electricity bill. Reading books on e-readers also puts a strain on the eyes, which in serious cases may cause discomfort to the individual, forcing him/her to visit the doctor. On the whole, e-readers prove to be more expensive than physical books.
Rejecting the premises
[Rejecting P1] The premise omits the up-front cost that has to be recovered before any saving begins, and the discount on new titles from major publishers is small — so the break-even point depends on how much a person reads, which the argument treats as settled; free downloads are also either out-of-copyright works, equally free in print through libraries, or unlawful copies, which is not a property of the device. [Rejecting P2] Serving one purpose is not a cost, and the comparison quietly changes the subject when it moves to phones and tablets, since a device bought for other reasons is not evidence about e-readers; a printed book also needs no power, no replacement when the battery fails and no account to keep access to what was bought, all of which are recurring costs on the other side of the ledger.