What Is the Importance?

The First major assignment was useful because there were lessons and tests outside of the actual assignment. The assignment was a challenge in itself because the class is online, so each of us individually do not know each other. Learning how to communicate with one another via email and organizing around everyone’s schedule.  Learning how to cooperate with complete strangers and write a paper in a short amount of time.

The paper itself was extremely helpful and useful because it is important to know what is going on in the world. As a college student I am either sleeping, working, or going to class, so sometimes it is hard to be caught up on the daily news. Searching a topic that causes a lot of controversy between the government and the public was good to read and form an opinion over. Knowing how to break down an article to find the specifics and why certain research was used. 

Say It Ain't So

When stating general claims it is common to use words such as “all” or “some”. If those two words are used wrong it can cause a persons argument to be false and invalid. It is easy to mistake a good and bad argument when the claims sound decent. In the book the example of polar bear sounds valid at first, but is it true. When using all a person should make sure the definition of all keeps the claim true. Using All means everything and at least one. An example of displaying All can be:

All girls like shopping.

If you are a girl you like to shop.

Girls shop.

Everyone that shops is a girl.

Some arguments use Some in arguments when talking about at least one, but not all.

Some alcohol tastes good.

At least one alcohol tastes good.

There is alcohol that tastes good.

Good tasting alcohol exists. 

Don't Be Weak

Reducing to the absurd shows that one or several claims are either false or dubious. Reducing the absurd also helps prove if claims are unwanted or false. In an argument if the if the conclusion is absurd then the premises shouldn’t be wanted in an argument. When using reducing to the absurd in an argument it is important to have a strong or valid argument, so it is easier to point out the premises or claims that do not belong.  When talking more specifically about reducing to the absurd there is refuting by analogy. There are some premises that can be said differently with analogies that cause the conclusion of the argument to be absurd. I thought this part of chapter seven was helpful because it is easy to compare one thing to another and in some cases the meaning can change. Knowing how to use reducing to the absurd can help with arguments and making them strong and valid.

What I Learned Today :)

Chapter seven’s main goal is to educate on counterarguments. Two main parts of counterarguments are raising objectives and refuting an argument. The main point of raising objective is a way to show that the argument being presented is bad. When raising objective it challenges the premises or can show that premises are dubious, which shows whether the alcohol is weak or not. The other part of counterarguments is refuting an argument. When refuting an argument there are three direct ways: show that at least one of the premises is dubious, show that the argument isn’t valid or strong, and show that the conclusion is false. Another way is when refuting indirectly there many not be a way of proving the premises is false, but one knows that the argument is wrong.  When attempting to refute a bad argument there are different ways such as ridicule. A bad lead can lead to a slippery slope. 

So Johnny What Did You Learn Today?

Compound claims are composed of multiple claims using the word “or” to connect the claims together to make one claim. The claims connected by “or” are known as alternatives. There can be two claims in a sentence, but depending on the connecting word it may not be a compound claim.

I could drink water or I can drink soda. This is a compound claim because there are two alternatives connected by “or” to make the sentence a compound claim.

When using compound claims it is easy to confuse whether the claim is true of false. Sometimes the word “because” is used as a connector, but that makes the claim an argument not a compound claim.

This chapter has really helped me learn how there can multiple types of claims and how to tell the difference between them. It is really easy to make a mistake when making a claim act as a claim and not an argument. 

The Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth

We have all been arguing since we were able to grasp the concept of fighting for what you want.  Some of us adapted good arguing skills while others are unfortunate and can never win an argument. Those who lose their arguments probably argue backwards. Arguing backwards is when someone thinks and argument is strong and believes the conclusion is true, which then leads people to believe the premises are true. In the book the example has to do with allergies and because the cats were around an outsider thought the subject was allergic to cats.

Most arguments happen because people do not understand the premises and go straight to the conclusion. I know from personal experience I have seen fights happen and I look at the conclusion and not the premises. Once I learn and understand the premises I have a whole new look and idea of a conclusion. People need to learn to know the facts before skipping to conclusions. 

What you see is not always what you get!

Facebook is not only the time consumer of a majority of college students. One part of facebook is all about advertising. Online advertisements try to make good deals, but what buyers do not think of when buying merchandise is there is also a price for shipping and handling. The right side of the panel on facebook always has advertisements for clothing and shoes. A lot of advertising I see has to do with Fraternity and Sorority paraphernalia. The advertisement I saw most recently was for Greek stationary and gifts. 

http://www.signaturea.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=3141&RefineBy_300=9005&isReloaded=t

The website’s home page has a lot of eye-catching detail to keep the readers attention. The main page has a lot of pictures to advertise what they sell. They show the original price and the sale price right below it to make buyers think it’s a good deal, but I know that there are stores that sell stationary for cheaper prices then what is online.

        

FIX IT!

Mary: Sororities are fun. They give you a place to live.

Alex: So?

Mary: You should join one.

Alex: Why would that make me want that?

Analysis: This isn’t a strong argument, so to make it a stronger argument there should be a premise that relates to Alex. A statement that could make it stronger to add would be for Mary to say, “ You want to have fun and you need a place to live”.  Also, adding the cost is cheap can help make the argument plausible.

There are plenty of places to live such as housing, apartments, and dorms. Not all apartments and housing are cheap, so by stating that living in a sorority becomes a valid option. Personalizing cheap and fun living is a solid win in an argument for a majority of the human population.