backwards

Tracing the cause backwards was helpful reading over because people use this reasoning all the time to try and put blame on someone else besides them. In the example from the book, the dog was the last reason to wake Dick up, but the process of looking back and find out the reason to each eventually makes one forget the main reason in the first place. It makes sense as to why someone would keep trying to figure out the reasoning to an action, but it is also silly to do so because the reasoning is never ending.  Sticking to the most recent cause is the best because it is the freshest cause and most recent evidence. 

Mission Impossible

Mission: Critical tour gives details around aspects of critical thinking with examples and participation.  Details around whether a claim is specific or non-specific. (non-specific example would be around half the girls in the house go out drinking on the weekends. ) The site then goes through the four types of patterns for statements.  Then it goes on the explore Induction and deduction with discussion around Syllogism and conditionals.(If Megan was home last night,  she slept in her bed.  Megan was home therefore she did sleep in her bed) For each and every topic in this site there is a series of examples and questions that emphasize what was covered.  This site is a perfect example of learning through practice.  In the end, anyone completing all tutorials and practices will have a stronger knowledge of critical thinking and a stronger ability to apply all aspects that were covered. Once done with there are fun activities that can be done and references for additional reading.  All to emphasize critical thinking.

entry numero uno

The cause and effect site has a good example of a causal argument.  It showed that for all people involved, there is one significant difference for all parties dependent upon point of view. The bicycle claims the parked truck caused him to swerve. The car claims the bicycle forced him to slam on his brakes which caused the car behind him to crash.  From each point of view there is one significant difference.   The example helped to show that the cause must precede the effect.  With out cause there is no effect. In a court or trial setting, you cannot prove causation you can only prove effect.  Finally the site emphasized that a causal argument relies on three factors:  acceptability of the comparison, the likelihood of the cause occurring, and the credibility of the significant difference.  In other words,  a causal argument must be believable so that those you are trying to convince can easily put themselves in that situation.  This website’s bicycle/truck example demonstrated a causal argument can be believable from different points of view as long as the arguments are real and credible.

Nature or Nurture?

It is interesting to read that when we use comparisons we are reasoning by analogy.  In life we constantly compare things.  That girls dress is cuter than that other girls.  That boy has a cuter smile than the other.  I think it is human nature  to think that way.  Until I read this section, I never thought of that as reasoning by analogy.

 Then to read that comparisons and conclusions are used in law was kind of amazing.  We think that law is spelled out  in complete detail but to read that lawyers use this form of reasoning all the time to make their point makes we wonder how clear and straight forward the courts and judicial system really are? Do the laws really mean something or is  it that the person that can make use of the best comparisons and analogies forms the direction the laws should go?

We Need to Learn to Read

Causal reasoning was the most difficult because I was reading over the word faster then my brain was working, so I was looking in the book and online for the wrong type of reasoning I was looking for casual reasoning and was confused when I could not find anything that made sense.  Even as I was reading the description of the wrong word I was still trying to process the definition and description.

After doing more internet research I learned that causal reasoning is a cause and effect argument. In an argument if there is a consistent pattern in the effects then it is easier to figure out and prove the cause. Causal reasoning is used in real life situations when customers all complain about the same product, then the products are looked at to see what is common in each of the complaints. That then will lead to the source of the problem. 

I LOVE COLLEGE

1.     Reasoning by Analogy: Kids under age already drink. The drinking age should be lowered. In a Fraternity in order to be allowed to party and drink a student must be at least 18 years of age, so what is the point of having the drinking age of 21 when serious binge drinking starts the first years of college.

2.     Sign Reasoning: If someone walks down the street and smells marijuana smoke, then someone is smoking marijuana.

3.     Casual Reasoning: Friday morning Alix, Morgan, and Alyssa felt sick. Julianne asked what they did the night before. Alix said she drank and danced. Morgan said she drank and smoked. Alyssa said she drank and ate La Vic’s. Julianne concluded that all three girls were feeling hung over from drinking too much.

4.     Reasoning by Criteria: We are having a tour for incoming freshman, so we need rooms to look presentable. Rather than, clean your room!

5.     Reasoning by Example: Are you sure you want a 4.0? Julie has a 3.8 and all she does is study. She is always sick and never sleeps.

6.     Inductive: Every student is required to take 12 units today to be a fulltime student, so every student will need to take 12 units next semester to be a full time student.

7.     Deductive: All students have professors. All professors give finals, therefore all students take finals. 

Emotions: Friendly or Foe?

When appealing to emotions depending on how they are used an argument can be good or bad. They can also, but used to cause emotion towards someone or to oneself. Appealing of emotion can cause an argument that has a prescriptive conclusion or a descriptive conclusion. If an argument has a prescriptive conclusion in can be considered either good or bad because it is directed at convincing someone else, so depending on the premises the argument can be good or bad. If the argument appeal to the emotion is a descriptive conclusion it is going to be a bad argument. Descriptive conclusions can come with wishful thinking within an argument. Thinking of descriptions are true just because of the belief of believing in emotions can cause a bad argument because the appeal cant be deleted as premise

Fear the Beard

Exercise # 3

An advertisement that appeals to fear:

There is an organization caused every fifteen minutes. The company goes around to high schools and colleges all around the nation during alcohol awareness week. In the advertisment images are shown of death, crushed cars, and accidents. Also shown are statistics of deaths per year from alcohol abuse, the percentages of age demographics that die each year, and the reactions from families and friends at funerals. In the end it advertises to not drink and drive because every fifteen minutes someone dies from drunk driving.

I think this advertisement is a good argument to appeal to fear because it is definitely fearful to everyone I know who has watched it. The advertisement gives information on how to prevent drunk driving as well as what to do to stop it from happening. This is what makes it a good argument because it doesn’t substitute one concern for all others. 

Two Wrongs Do Not Make A Right!

If I have learned anything growing up it is that emotions play a role in almost every aspect of our lives. No matter how much we try to control it in a positive or negative manner emotions are always present in an argument. In an argument emotions should not be the most effective part of making a decision. An appeal to emotion as stated in Epstein ch.10 is, “ In an argument is just a premise that says, roughly, you should believe or do something because you feel a certain way.” When using emotion in arguments there are different angles to use depending on the argument trying to be made. Arguments can appeal to pity, fear, and spite.

Appeal to spite always catches my attention because it is the easiest to come by when talking to people. It is the most common way to win over someone by playing the guilt trip card. I know people do it to me all the time and 95% of the time it works because people do not want to disappoint others.