Phil 004 Critical Thinking HR #3

Transcription

1 Phil 004 Critical Thinking HR #3

2 Announcements Did everyone receive a grade report ? Everyone have a book, or make arrangements for one? I guess you can come to office hours First homework is due tomorrow. First quiz will take place on Monday. Scantron. Covers all material from the first week. Be on time.

3 Review of Class 2 Claim? Issue? Argument?

4 Basic Concepts: Claims, Issues, Arguments Is this an argument? If so identify the premise, conclusion, issue: My brother George make s a lot of money as a doctor, so you should really become a doctor. Premise: My brother make s a lot of money as a doctor. Conclusion: So you should really become a doctor. Issue?

5 Basic Concepts: Claims, Issues, Arguments Is this an argument? If so identify the premise, issue, & conclusion: Everybody is saying the president has made us the laughing stock of the world. What a stupid idea! He hasn t made us a laughingstock at all. There s not a bit of truth in that notion. Not an argument: Just a group of redundant claims without any reason for believing them.

6 Basic Concepts: Claims, Issues, Arguments Is this an argument? If so identify the premise, issue, & conclusion. Dan was happy the day he bought his new car. You can only really be happy if you buy a new car. Premise: Dan was happy the day he bought his new car. Conclusion: You can only be happy if you buy a new car. Issue?

7 Is there an argument here? If so identify the premise, issue, & conclusion.

8 Group Exercise Form groups of 4 to 6. In Exercise 1-5, answer #1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8.

9 Is there an argument? From Exercise 1-5 #1. Federer is unlikely to win the U.S. Open this year. He has a nagging leg injury, plus he just doesn t seem to have the drive he once had. Yes

10 Is there an argument? From Exercise 1-5 #2. Hey there, Marco! Don t go giving that cat top sirloin. What s the matter with you, you got no brains at all? No

11 Is there an argument? From Exercise 1-5 #3. If you ve ever met a pet bird, then you know they are very busy creatures. No

12 Is there an argument? From Exercise 1-5 #4. Everybody is saying the president earned the Nobel Prize. What a stupid idea! He hasn t earned it at all. There s not a lick of truth in that notion. No

13 Is there an argument? From Exercise 1-3 #6: Yes

14 Is there an argument? From Exercise 1-5 #8. Yes, I charge a little more than other dentists. But I feel I give better service. So I think my billing practices are justified. Yes

15 Is there an argument? Why is it important to determine if there is an argument? Try to understand where someone is coming from. Avoid persuasion through rhetoric. Is someone giving reasons for a claim, or are they just pulling a Nicholas Fehn?

16 Is there an argument? All arguments have 2 components: Premise: the reason for believing a claim is true. Conclusion: the answer to the issue. Hints: What is the main point of the passage? -> Conclusion Are there any reasons giving to support this conclusion? -> Premise *If the answer to the second question is no, then there is no argument being made. *May be more than one way to look at an argument.

17 Group Exercise Form groups of 4-6. In Exercise 1-6, answer #1, 2, 3, 6, 8.

18 Is there an argument? If so, what s the conclusion? From Exercise 1-6 #1: No

19 Is there an argument? If so, what s the conclusion? From Exercise 1-6 #2: Yes The conclusion is that we will have to find someone else who owns a truck.

20 Is there an argument? If so, what s the conclusion? From Exercise 1-6 #3: Yes The conclusion is that bans on firearms are counterproductive.

21 #6: Is there an argument? If so, what s the conclusion? From Exercise 1-6 Not really. More an explanation than an argument. Though you could argue that the main point is Long-term memory is like short-term memory. Doesn t really seem to be the point of the passage.

22 #8: Is there an argument? If so, what s the conclusion? From Exercise 1-6 Yes, though it may be a weak argument, it is one. (The last sentence is the conclusion, the sentence before is the premise.)

23 Is there an argument? Conclusion words: It follows that This shows that Thus Hence Consequently Accordingly So My conclusion is Therefore Premise words: Since For Because In view of This is implied by Given

24 What is the Issue? Identifying The Main Issue Main Point, Central Claim In Question Can be hard to find. *Hint: Start by looking for a conclusion (main point or claim with most premises supporting it). This will help us determine the central claim or main issues.

25 What s the main issue? Letting your children surf the Net is like dropping them off downtown to spend a day doing whatever they want. They ll get in trouble. - A) Whether letting your children off downtown to spend the day doing whatever they want will lead them into trouble. - B) Whether letting your children surf the Net will lead them into trouble. - C) Whether restrictions should be placed on children s activities. - Answer: B

26 What s the main issue? Most people you find on university faculties are people who are interested in ideas. And the most interesting ideas are usually new ideas. So most people you find on university faculties are interested in new ideas. Therefore, you are not going to find many conservatives on university faculties, because conservatives are not usually interested in new ideas. A) Whether conservatives are interested in new ideas. B) Whether you ll find many conservatives on university faculties. C) Whether people on university faculties are interested more in new ideas than in other ideas. D) Whether most people are correct. Answer: B

27 What s the main issue? In 2007, the Dominican Republic banned the sale of two brands of Chinese toothpaste because they contained a toxic chemical responsible for dozens of poisoning deaths in Panama last year. The company that exported the toothpaste, the Danyang Household Chemical Company (DHCC), defended its products. Toothpaste is not something you d swallow, but spit out, and so it s totally different from something you would eat, one company manager said. The company manager was taking a position on which issue? A) Whether the DHCC included toxic chemicals in its toothpaste. B) Whether toothpaste should be eaten. C) Whether the DHCC did anything wrong by exporting its toothpaste. D) Whether China should have better product safety controls. Answer: C:

28 Why is it important to find the issue? A common obstacle to clear critical thinking and discourse arises when people appear to be addressing the same issue, but are in fact talking about separate issues. Sometimes easy to see Joe: I think that education is the most important political issue of the coming election. Jim: I want a cheeseburger.

29 Why is it important to find the issue? Sometimes not easy to see Joe: I think that education is a fundamental human right. Jim: Your political interests are so predictable. You always follow the liberal agenda. What s the problem here?

30 Why is it important to find the issue? Let s bring it closer to home. (Need a male and female volunteer.) Male = Jose Female = Juanita

31 Why is it important to find the issue? Let s bring it closer to home Joe: I think that education is a fundamental human right. Jim: Your political interests are so predictable. You always follow the liberal agenda. What s the problem here?

32 What s the problem here? Your homework: identify the issues and see if they are actually being discussed.

33 Announcements Homework due Thursday. Exercise 1-7: #1-5 Exercise 1-14: #4, 17, 19, 21, 24 First quiz will be on Monday. Get scantrons.