mission critical and causal arguments

Both these websites are very good for illustrating the practical value of knowing and understanding arguments. The mission critical gives an overview of the basics of argument, such as premises, conclusions, fallacies, etc… The Intro. To causal arguments site gives a good example of how to use causal argument in a real life situation. It’s very good at showing what is important to consider when trying arguing causation. The three things to consider are, how acceptable the comparison is, how likely the causation is, how credible the “only difference” claim is. The other two rules are that the cause must precede the event, and even strong correlation is insufficient to prove causation. This was very useful because it showed how to argue causation. It was really interesting that causation cannot be proved with certainty. Things can only be likely to be likely to be proved to cause something. The mission critical website is a really good resource for information, and the causal arguments site is really good for showing an example. 

observations from the gym

I used to think that there were certain exercises I should be doing when I go to the gym because everyone else I see at the gym did these. Most people isolate single muscle groups in the arms and chest, so they do a lot of curls, triceps pull downs, and things like this, trying to get bigger arms and chest. I discovered this observation was wrong because I wasn’t achieving the results I wanted in the gym. I realized that there were differences between me and the other people in the gym; a lot of people who were doing these exercises were in overall good shape and already had developed core strength and the basic exercises that I should’ve been doing. Scientific knowledge played a big role in correcting my mistake because there is a lot of bad information out there about what you should and shouldn’t be doing in the gym. I had to do a lot of research on the internet, and eventually found a program that came highly recommended, and was able to explain the physiological reasons that certain exercises should be done instead of others, the way the exercises should be done, and took into account the fact that this program is for novices. By the way, as is often the case in science, the simplest explanation is usually the best one, and this gym program has the simplest explanation for why things should be done a certain way.   

horoscope

“You have certainly felt better than you do today, Taurus. We'll pause here while you go and fetch the aspirin. The stomachache and headache are simply the result of recent overindulgence. Don't worry - you'll be fit as a fiddle by tomorrow morning. Next time someone offers you multiple helpings of food or drink, however, you might want to consider politely declining!” – from horoscope.com

This horoscope is actually completely accurate. I mean 100% accurate. I’ve been completely hung over all day because I drank too much last night. I wish there was something that could falsify this horoscope for me today, but I’ve tried everything and I’m still hung over. If anyone has any suggestions please post them as a comment. I guess the point of this exercise is to find fallacies in horoscopes… well…. How hard is it to get that one right? I mean telling me I’m hung over on a Saturday, which, if you don’t know, is the day after Friday night. This is a case of good solid advice being passed off as fortune telling – I mean really horoscope, you think I shouldn’t overindulge in beverages? Where were you last night with this information!? I think most horoscopes have some sort of overarching truth that can apply to anyone, and thus “prove” its validity…. But predicting that I might be hung over on a Saturday – well done horoscope.com

Internet Plagarism

In the article Brook Sadler presents ten reasons to punish internet plagiarism. The reasons he presents are fairly run of the mill: encourages work ethic, teaches pride in the student etc. I think the strongest point he makes is that the student does not struggle with the work himself. I have seen this in myself and have only come to be able to write by struggling through the exercises.  Russell Hunt presents four reasons to embrace internet plagiarism. The main points being that the current academic models are outdated and useless in a work environment, and that since internet plagiarism is here to stay we should teach students how to properly use it to increase the quality of their education. He seems to believe that this is an opportunity to fix a problem that’s been broken for some time and his case is compelling, as the process of teaching students to use secondary sources well has certainly been lost on me until very recently. But I couldn’t help but feel this was a bit of a red herring, as he attacks the current model of academic writing more than actual plagiarism. I think he is making a strong case for including in college education proper use of secondary sources, which I think would be advantageous. 

Media Confirms and Challenges Beliefs

Media has the power to reinforce my existing views, while also expanding and challenging my current views. One way it reinforces my existing views is by my own confirmation bias. I tend to watch the shows and channels that already agree with my beliefs. For example, for the news I tend to watch the Daily Show or Rachael Maddow, because as commentators I tend to agree with the things they say. I also tend to avoid watching programs that don’t agree with my beliefs, such as fox news. This way I usually just tend to hear the views and perspectives that are already in line with my own. But these programs can also expand and challenge my current views because they often bring guests on that discuss ideas that are different from my own. John Stewart does a lot of debates with right ring politicians that are very challenging and give the politician an opportunity to argue his case for the beliefs he has. 

Bias in the news

Bias in the news is the concept that news stories are selected to appeal to the largest audience as well as to keep us tuned in. Examples of this are clips of Tina Fey playing Sarah Palin on CNN, which has tremendous bias against the vice-presidential candidate. News agencies also play to gender biases, as men report the news more than women, and to cultural biases, such as age and fear. One current example of bias in the news is the exemption of presidential candidate Ron Paul from any of the news reports. Even though he has been one of the top contenders for the republican nomination since the beginning, news stories systematically over look him and pass him off as a fringe candidate in favor of candidates who have less popularity in the poles. This is an example of how powerful the news agencies can be in controlling what is news and what isn’t. Often bias in the news is for the purpose of ratings and making money, not for finding the most credible or worthy news items. 

advertising this week

One type of Marketing I saw this week was the product placement of a Starbucks coffee cup on an episode of Law and Order. Product placement is the placement of a brand product in the setting of a tv show or movie. It was really conspicuous because they drink coffee a lot on that show and it’s usually in a plain white cup so this just really stuck out to me. One of the effects this had on me is it pulled me out of the fiction of the show, almost more than a regular commercial. Another type of advertising I saw this week was endorsement by celebrities, which is really the fallacy of an appeal to inappropriate authority. An example I saw this week was a commercial with the rapper Tyga  where he talked about his endless drive for success. The only mention of the product is the last shot in the ad which is a picture of his Reebok’s. This is not only appeal to inappropriate authority, but also has snob appeal, by associating reebok with success and motivation.  I almost always find product placement to be the most effective because I can relate in some way to the character in the show, so it feels like a much more personal recommendation to me. It also stands out in my memory more, because it is something I am on the lookout for, instead of something that is just expected and routine. 

product placement

Product placement is pretty interesting to me. Product placement is using the advertiser’s product as part of the act of the show. An example is the Audi that James Bond drives in the last James Bond Movie. I think it is really a good way to advertise because Audi basically gets James Bond as their spokesperson; how awesome is that? The other good thing about it for consumers is that it doesn’t cut into the show like standard commercial breaks do. I think that a lot of shows now are using product placement than before, and it is becoming more conspicuous. One thing that I’ve noticed is that as more and more companies use product placement, the movies that don’t are the ones whose products stick out. For example Quentin Tarantino is well known for making up brand names for cigarettes in his movies. I think this is a pretty creative way for him to stick out from the rest of the directors because it makes the set more of a fictional place, where product placement puts the scene more in line with the reality of our daily lives.