3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading this week, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.
There are many ways of checking claims and arguments for validity. One way is by using a diagram. While reading the book and having the author explain how the diagram is used was a little bit confusing, but using them personally, it really does help. The point of using the diagram to find out if an argument or claim is valid is to have each part of the claim be able to fit within another part of the claim.
An example of a valid argument would be : All trees have leaves. An oak is a tree. So an oak tree has leaves.
An example of a weak argument would be: All trees have leaves. An oak has leaves. So an oak is a tree.
The difference between these two examples is simple, the order. The slightest difference in order can determine if an argument is valid or weak. Therefore it is very easy for certain claims to be seen as valid, but are really weak and visa versa.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Week 9 Question 2
2). Discuss the usefulness of the first or second major course assignment. Use specific examples.
I think that both of the class assignments have been really helpful, I just think that I got different things from both of them. The first assignment, since I do not like politics or the news, was a stretch for me and in the end it helped me a lot. It also allowed me use the book in order to find what we needed to find for the specific parts to the assignment. When my group met I really understood what was going on and we all had a easy time figuring out the premises, and the main claim, and the descriptions, and the evidence. Without the book it would have been a lot harder. The second assignment I learned a lot because the assignment and the subject of the assignment interested me a lot more. The second assignment for me based on the part of looking in the book and referring to the book made things a little more challenging than the last assignment because the concepts were not as easy for me to understand. Like having to decide if the references were acceptable or needed to be rejected or suspending judgement. Also having to find and look for specific fallacies was a little harder, because in the book the examples are so much easier than in real life.
I think that both of the class assignments have been really helpful, I just think that I got different things from both of them. The first assignment, since I do not like politics or the news, was a stretch for me and in the end it helped me a lot. It also allowed me use the book in order to find what we needed to find for the specific parts to the assignment. When my group met I really understood what was going on and we all had a easy time figuring out the premises, and the main claim, and the descriptions, and the evidence. Without the book it would have been a lot harder. The second assignment I learned a lot because the assignment and the subject of the assignment interested me a lot more. The second assignment for me based on the part of looking in the book and referring to the book made things a little more challenging than the last assignment because the concepts were not as easy for me to understand. Like having to decide if the references were acceptable or needed to be rejected or suspending judgement. Also having to find and look for specific fallacies was a little harder, because in the book the examples are so much easier than in real life.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Week 9 Question 1
1). Discuss one concept in Chapter 8 that you found useful. Please explain the concept and give a personal example or personal story.
I think I found the first section of Chapter 8 the most useful, General Claims and Their Contradictories. I like how the book gave a good explanation about what "all" means and what "some" means and showed how using those words does not always work.
All means "every single one, no exceptions." All sometimes also means, depending on the argument, "every single one, and there is at least one."
Some means "at least one." Some sometimes also means, depending on the argument, "at least one, but not all."
An example of using "all" would be: All of my friends are living the college experience.
This example I just used would be following the definition of "every single one, and there is at least one" because all of my friends living the college experience is about 10 people. The contradictory of this example would be some of my friends are not living the college experience.
An example of using "some" would be: Some dogs are violent.
This example I used would be following the definition of "at least one, but not all" because I know a lot of dogs that are violent, but my dogs are not violent at all. The contradictory of this example would be No dogs are violent.
I think I found the first section of Chapter 8 the most useful, General Claims and Their Contradictories. I like how the book gave a good explanation about what "all" means and what "some" means and showed how using those words does not always work.
All means "every single one, no exceptions." All sometimes also means, depending on the argument, "every single one, and there is at least one."
Some means "at least one." Some sometimes also means, depending on the argument, "at least one, but not all."
An example of using "all" would be: All of my friends are living the college experience.
This example I just used would be following the definition of "every single one, and there is at least one" because all of my friends living the college experience is about 10 people. The contradictory of this example would be some of my friends are not living the college experience.
An example of using "some" would be: Some dogs are violent.
This example I used would be following the definition of "at least one, but not all" because I know a lot of dogs that are violent, but my dogs are not violent at all. The contradictory of this example would be No dogs are violent.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Week 7 Question 3
3). Pick one concept from either text, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it. Use either Chapter 6 or Chapter 7.
Necessary and sufficient conditions is saying two claims are equivalent if each is true exactly when the other is.
For example: If people drink at a party and get caught, they are going to get in trouble.
People will not get in trouble if they drink at a party and do not get caught.
This is called a Contrapositive, if A, then B is. If not B, Then not A. These are therefore equivalent.
Conditionals are needed to understand what is meant by necessary and sufficient conditions.
Necessary Condition: A is necessary for B means if not A, then not B is true. For example, it is necessary to feed pets or they will die. Therefore: if a person does not feed his or her pets, he or she will not have a pet anymore because it will die.
Sufficient Condition: A is sufficient for B means if A, then B is true. For example, it is sufficient to feed pets in order for them to live. Therefore, if a person feeds his or her pet, his or her pet will live.
Necessary and sufficient conditions is saying two claims are equivalent if each is true exactly when the other is.
For example: If people drink at a party and get caught, they are going to get in trouble.
People will not get in trouble if they drink at a party and do not get caught.
This is called a Contrapositive, if A, then B is. If not B, Then not A. These are therefore equivalent.
Conditionals are needed to understand what is meant by necessary and sufficient conditions.
Necessary Condition: A is necessary for B means if not A, then not B is true. For example, it is necessary to feed pets or they will die. Therefore: if a person does not feed his or her pets, he or she will not have a pet anymore because it will die.
Sufficient Condition: A is sufficient for B means if A, then B is true. For example, it is sufficient to feed pets in order for them to live. Therefore, if a person feeds his or her pet, his or her pet will live.
Week 7 Question 2
2). Please discuss, in detail, what you learned from reading Chapter 7. Discuss at least 2 things you learned.
Raising objectives is a typical way to show that an argument is not a good one. This is done by calling into question one of the argument's premises, or showing that an unstated premise is dubious, or illustrating why an argument is weak. Everyday people reason through arguments, counterarguments, and counter-counterarguments. Thinking of the objectives one might have towards a claim, can strengthen and validate a claim even more, but one has to be willing to see the other side of the claim as well as their own.
There are three ways to refute an argument directly. One way is to show that at least one of the premises is dubious. Another way is by showing that an argument is not valid or strong. The other way is by showing that the conclusion is false. There are also ways to refute an argument indirectly. With refuting indirectly there might not be exact ways to refute the argument, but there are negatives and objectives that can be pointed out in an argument that will be considered refuting the argument. One way that a person can refute an argument indirectly is by reducing to the absurd. This means to show that at least one of the claims within an argument is false, dubious, or unacceptable, but drawing a false conclusion from them. If the conclusion is false that means that some part of the argument is false as well. One may not be able to show or pinpoint the issue, but knowing that the conclusion is false leads to the argument being weak.
Raising objectives is a typical way to show that an argument is not a good one. This is done by calling into question one of the argument's premises, or showing that an unstated premise is dubious, or illustrating why an argument is weak. Everyday people reason through arguments, counterarguments, and counter-counterarguments. Thinking of the objectives one might have towards a claim, can strengthen and validate a claim even more, but one has to be willing to see the other side of the claim as well as their own.
There are three ways to refute an argument directly. One way is to show that at least one of the premises is dubious. Another way is by showing that an argument is not valid or strong. The other way is by showing that the conclusion is false. There are also ways to refute an argument indirectly. With refuting indirectly there might not be exact ways to refute the argument, but there are negatives and objectives that can be pointed out in an argument that will be considered refuting the argument. One way that a person can refute an argument indirectly is by reducing to the absurd. This means to show that at least one of the claims within an argument is false, dubious, or unacceptable, but drawing a false conclusion from them. If the conclusion is false that means that some part of the argument is false as well. One may not be able to show or pinpoint the issue, but knowing that the conclusion is false leads to the argument being weak.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Week 7 Question 1
1).Please discuss, in detail, what you learned from reading Chapter 6. Discuss at least 2 things you learned.
A compound claim is a claim that is made up of multiple claims, but must be viewed as only one single claim. This is done by words linking claims together, making it the claim a bunch of multiple claims put together, but is only read like it is one claim. The key word to look for in compound claims is "or". "Or" links two claims together, but allows the reader to read the claim as one.
For example: You should do homework or go to bed.
The alternatives (which are the individual parts of a compound claim) would be you should do your homework. You should go to bed.
A conditional claim is one that can be read with the words "if" and "then" (in other words it is a claim where one thing will lead to another, If A then B)
Within these conditional claims, The A part of the claim is the antecedent, and the B part of the claim is the consequent.
For example: If I get to sleep in then I will not be a grouch.
The antecedent of the claim is I get to sleep in. The consequent of the claim is I will not be a grouch.
A compound claim is a claim that is made up of multiple claims, but must be viewed as only one single claim. This is done by words linking claims together, making it the claim a bunch of multiple claims put together, but is only read like it is one claim. The key word to look for in compound claims is "or". "Or" links two claims together, but allows the reader to read the claim as one.
For example: You should do homework or go to bed.
The alternatives (which are the individual parts of a compound claim) would be you should do your homework. You should go to bed.
A conditional claim is one that can be read with the words "if" and "then" (in other words it is a claim where one thing will lead to another, If A then B)
Within these conditional claims, The A part of the claim is the antecedent, and the B part of the claim is the consequent.
For example: If I get to sleep in then I will not be a grouch.
The antecedent of the claim is I get to sleep in. The consequent of the claim is I will not be a grouch.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Week 6 Question 3
3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading this week, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.
The Guide to Repairing Arguments is a helpful list that helps students, teachers, and everyone to turn a problematic argument into a better argument by adding a premise or conclusion that makes the argument better or stronger, is plausible or could be seem as plausible to the other person involved in the argument, and the premise is more plausible than the conclusion. This guide also allows for strong and valid arguments to have premises taken out, if the deletion of the premise does not affect the strength or validity of the argument.
The first step to repairing arguments is by making the argument strong or valid, to show the other person in the argument what needs to be assumed. By doing so, one must make sure that the premises do not lead to the conclusion being false. If a premise is found where it leads to the conclusion being false, there must be a plausible premise added to the argument so it becomes valid or strong. Eliminating ways for the premises to be true and the conclusion to be false perfects the arguments and makes it better.
Another way to repair arguments is by adding indicator words. There are certain words to indicate conclusions and certain words to indicate premises. Indicator words are flags put on claims, to highlight what part of the claim is what, but they do not act as part of the claim. Some examples of conclusion indicator words are: so, therefore, hence, thus, etc. Some examples of premise indicator words are: since, because, given that, in as much as, etc.
The Guide to Repairing Arguments is a helpful list that helps students, teachers, and everyone to turn a problematic argument into a better argument by adding a premise or conclusion that makes the argument better or stronger, is plausible or could be seem as plausible to the other person involved in the argument, and the premise is more plausible than the conclusion. This guide also allows for strong and valid arguments to have premises taken out, if the deletion of the premise does not affect the strength or validity of the argument.
The first step to repairing arguments is by making the argument strong or valid, to show the other person in the argument what needs to be assumed. By doing so, one must make sure that the premises do not lead to the conclusion being false. If a premise is found where it leads to the conclusion being false, there must be a plausible premise added to the argument so it becomes valid or strong. Eliminating ways for the premises to be true and the conclusion to be false perfects the arguments and makes it better.
Another way to repair arguments is by adding indicator words. There are certain words to indicate conclusions and certain words to indicate premises. Indicator words are flags put on claims, to highlight what part of the claim is what, but they do not act as part of the claim. Some examples of conclusion indicator words are: so, therefore, hence, thus, etc. Some examples of premise indicator words are: since, because, given that, in as much as, etc.
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