relativism

One concept from the course I would like to expand on is the concept of the cognitive development in college students because this is something that I have seen myself go through quite a bit this semester. I think when I was younger I was scared of being wrong, so I once I decided on something I wouldn’t be swayed, no matter what evidence to the contrary you threw at me. Right now there are some tough issues that my friends like to talk about, and my goal lately is just to try and understand the issues more. The two things I try to do are to ask them a lot of questions, rather than try to state my opinion. The other thing I do is play devil’s advocate, just to put some pressure on. So I’ve seen myself move from the dualistic stage to the relativism stage pretty clearly. It’s interesting to me that even though I know the “process” of what is happening, I feel there is really nothing I can do to get away from it. I sometimes wonder if moving to the final “commitment” stage is necessarily better, isn’t it possible they’re equally good stages to be in? Just kidding. 

I'm not saying this thing is true or not, I'm just saying it's what I learned."

One thing I have learned in this class over the course of the semester is that there are two sides to every argument. And sometimes what I think is the really obvious answer, or something that is absurd, is actually something I just haven’t thought about very much. An example of this is the arguments in the text for and against college plagiarism. It seems obvious at first that plagiarism in college is bad and unwanted by all college faculties. But I think the writer who argues for it makes some interesting points about how embracing plagiarism is a way of utilizing all the resources that are available to students on the internet. He also thinks that teachers are somewhat to blame for not finding creative ways to teach around plagiarism. This just goes to show that if you don’t take the time to think about both sides of an issue you may not consider some important facts pertaining to an issue. I think it is important to know both sides of a debate in order for a person to make an informed decision.  

favorite and least favorite things

My favorite thing about this class was the online format. I thought the way the class was oriented around the web and not just as a way to turn things was great. I thought the blog form of discussion was very cool. Even though we never had class, I probably discussed the course material with other students through the blog more than any of my other classes. Doing a class online like this is really helpful for my schedule because I work and go to school too, so one of the hardest things besides just finding the time to study is scheduling my classes. So anything that can be done online in a way that I can actually learn the material is really helpful. I didn’t like that the major writing assignments were graded based on group performance. I understand that working in teams is one of the learning goals of this class, but it just seemed a little weird when getting grades based on other people’s performance. I think the group projects would go better if there was more of an individual component – like an individual paper that could be used as a source to contribute to the group paper. 

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.

ufo's

In the essay “Perspectives on evaluating evidence for the existence of unidentified flying objects” Condon presents the argument that the study of ufo’s is fruitless and should not be encouraged or be the target of public or private financing. He suggests that individuals with strong scientific backgrounds should not be discouraged from studying the subject on their own terms, but it is not a fit subject for school children or public funds. This is based on the lack of evidence on their existence at all. Hynek believes that ufo’s should be studied and that the only reason it is not more widely accepted discipline is because of the present lack of study in the field. He suggests that the first viable step toward understanding of the subject is data gathering and data processing. I feel that Hynek presents the strongest argument because to date the only real study of the subject has been on a case by case. To really study ufo’s we should study all that is known and look at it through the big picture. 

group pressure and conformity

Group pressure and conformity is a pretty powerful force and it is something that is tough to deal with. The book gives a couple of examples such as the Stanford prison experiment, where the students who are assigned as guards become abusive to the prisoner students. Another one is the standard line test, where six people are asked to tell which line is the same length as the standard one. The five control subjects intentionally give the wrong answer, while 75% of the time the test subject just goes along with what those five say say, even though it is clearly wrong. This is tough to deal with because of how important it is to be a part of the group, especially in a work environment. It is also critical to follow your bosses’ orders and work the way he wants things done. Very often I’ve found that this means doing something different than I would normally do because I see the truth differently in certain situations. 

wisdom

I was always taught that wisdom is the application of knowledge. So in order to be wise, one must have adequate knowledge, and I think that acquiring knowledge is an act of wisdom. I think in college we acquire both knowledge and wisdom. We obviously acquire knowledge because we have to learn the material. I think we also acquire wisdom when we write about the things we learn. I think the majority of students act in a way that shows they apply the knowledge they receive. I think you can see this when you look at students that act wiser and more mature in their later years of college and after they graduate. I think the information age has made us wiser because we are forced to rely less on old-wives tales and more on scientific studies and general consensus that is more accurately true. I think if we use this correctly it is certainly capable of giving us the power to live more fulfilling and rewarding lives, and possibly even become wiser.  

rhetoric

One rhetorical device I have used in the past week is a euphemism. According to the text, a euphemism “is the replacement of a negative term with a neutral or positive one to cover up or sugarcoat the truth.” The example is my a customer at worked asked me if the camera they received as  a gift was a good one. It was old, outdated and not a very generous gift. So I told them that when that camera was new, it was the top of the line, Cadillac of cameras. Even though compared to modern camera’s this one wasn’t very good, it could still take great pictures. Another rhetorical devise I used this week was a dysphemism. A dysphemism is “used to produce negative effects.” An example is when I told a friend of mine he should try my barber, right after he got a haircut. I didn’t think he had a good haircut. 

definitions

One concept that was interesting to me was all the different types of definitions that can be used for any given word. It’s pretty interesting not just that the same word can have different meanings depending on the context, but even in the same context a word can be given different definitions. I feel this is an issue that comes up a lot in philosophy and moral debates. For example, when talking about abortion and a woman’s right to choose a lot of the arguments are just about what words like “life” and “death” mean. What does it mean to say that someone is a person? Is a fetus an individual who has individual rights? These questions make the cornerstone of the debate and it is essential an issue of definition. There are also a lot of persuasive definitions in that debate. For example, you call someone who is pro-abortion “pro-choice” (or “pro-death”, if you want to push some buttons.) 

Sally Ride

In the half page bibliography of Sally Ride, it is clear that she exemplifies all the characteristics of a critical thinker. First and Foremost she shows strong analytical skills. This is clear because her friends think she is an “exemplary critical thinker”, she realizes the importance of communication skills, and she was one of 35 astronauts picked in 1978. She is also an effective communicator. This is clear because she majored in both English and Physics in college. She obviously has strong research skills, because how else would she have earned a Ph.D. from Stanford? In my opinion anyone who can accomplish the things that Sally Ride has accomplished can only be assumed is a strong critical thinker. She has also written several children’s books and has addressed the United Nations, which further shows her strong communication skills and ambition to share the knowledge of space exploration to everyone. I think it is very impressive for someone to believe in something as strongly as she does and understand the importance of sending that message to children and other nations who may have the capability to further that goal. 

The Dawkins Illusion

I don’t think evolution and God are incompatible as Dawkins claims. I think it is a fairly popular belief among Christians that God simply caused the big bang, and evolution followed. Of course there will always be the fundamentalists who stick by their literal interpretations of the bible. But I don’t think this is reason to put anyone who believes in God aside as someone who ignores the claims of science, as Dawkins might have us do. I also think it’s important to understand that on the science side of the problem there a lot of questions left unanswered. So I can certainly empathize with people who believe there simply isn’t enough information to even have the conversation. I think Aquinas would be unfazed by Dawkins derision. In Dawkins response to “The Unmoved Mover” he says of regress “The only escape is God.” And isn’t that why many people continue to believe in God as the creator of the universe? Science hasn’t found a better answer to the question. Even the Physics which claim to have theories are all based on metaphysics. Dawkins need to provide a superior alternative to God, which he fails to do. 

Discussion question 3: emotional intelligence

One part of this week’s reading I found really interesting was the part about emotional intelligence. I thought it was interesting that most many western philosophers believe in rational thought and reason as the highest ideal of intelligence, while many African and Asian philosophers believe that emotional intelligence should play a more vital role in one’s life. It is interesting to tie this in with Al Gore’s belief that there was a lack of response from American citizens in regards to torture and the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina because we have been desensitized by so much sensationalism in the media. I think this goes to show that it is important to have a close awareness of our emotional state and should regard emotional intelligence with as much respect as rational intelligence. I think that emotional intelligence is largely responsible for many of our bigger life decisions, such as who to marry, what field to have a career in, etc. 

Critical thinking

I’m very strong at analyzing inductive arguments and recognizing the difference between rhetoric and strong arguments. This can help me in any number of future career choices. I heard a talk with Bill Gates and Warren Buffet speaking to a group of students. According to both of them communication is the strongest skill any potential can have to improve their job outlook. According to one of them improving ones communication skills can increase his potential job earnings by up to fifty percent. I believe that analyzing inductive arguments and recognizing rhetoric are critical thinking skills which can contribute strongly to one’s communication skills. Being able to analyze arguments will also help one to create and present strong inductive arguments, understand what evidence is necessary to create a strong argument, and understand what evidence is missing from an argument someone is presenting to me. I think that being able to think critically to analyze argument is a skill that will strongly improve future career choices. 

Positive Correlation

One thing I wanted to talk about this week was positive correlation. A positive correlation occurs when one event occurs, a second, predictable event occurs as well. So the two things are related, but the one doesn’t necessarily cause the other. It’s important that correlation does not prove causation, only that the two things are related. An example of positive correlation is that when I stick to my diet and don’t cheat and eat things I’m not supposed to, I lose weight. Another example is going to the gym. When I go to the gym often, and put more effort into my workouts, I see greater fitness gains. I also feel better and have more energy. I think it’s tough to differentiate between causation and correlation because most of the things I do I have very little knowledge of how they actually work. For example, in the diet and fitness examples, I have no idea about the science behind any of that, I just do what I’ve found to work through trial and error, but because for me working out and eating well go hand in hand, I’m really not sure if one is more effective than the other. 

Joe Camel

Dr. Novello used cause and effect style reasoning to find a solution to the problem of children and teens smoking. She saw a correlation between an increase in teen smoking with the release of the Joe Camel ad campaign.  She reasoned that because these ads seemed to target a younger audience, this was one of the causes of the increase in teen smoking. To combat this she did two things. First she placed a ban on ads that target to kids, including the Joe Camel ads. Second, she started to educate children in school about the dangers of smoking. This way even teens already effected by the ads or from peer pressure would be able to make informed decisions about whether or not to smoke. 

T Mobile v ATT

An inductive argument I used last week was about what cell phone and what cell phone carrier I should buy. I decided on a Windows Phone because the reviews are really good and it’s supposed to be really easy to use. I was torn between buying an unlocked HTC Radar for $300 and buying the T Mobile monthly prepaid plan. The other option was buying the Nokia Lumia 900 on contract with ATT for $100 and being stuck on a two year contract. I reasoned that I should get the HTC because over two years I will save about $400 vs ATT, plus I will not be on contract so I can cancel and change my plan anytime. The T Mobile plan also gives me unlimited data while ATT does not, so I feel like I am getting more for less with T Mobile. This is an inductive argument because even though the premises are true it does not necessarily follow that T Mobile will be the better value. T Mobile might have spotty coverage and I might need to switch to another carrier before two years, likely making the cost greater over a two year period. 

Week two discussion question three

The ethics involved in group decision making is very interesting to me. The book told the story about the O-ring engineers warning their superiors about the problems that may arise if the Challenger shuttle launched in cold weather. Their warnings went unheard and they did not challenge their supervisors on the decision.

The decision to challenge authority is a very hard one to make and often comes at great personal cost. The engineers may have lost their jobs if they went to the press or over their managers heads to be sure they were heard. If they had done this it is possible the challenger shuttle could have been saved. The engineers were obviously afraid of negative repercussions if they challenged authority.

In a perfect world ethical decision making would be based on ones intention to always do the right thing.  Sometimes the difference between the “right” thing and the thing that benefits one the most is so close it hardly makes a difference. Other times the cost may be huge but the benefit minimal. 

Death Penalty

This passage from the bible does not mean that Jesus’ teachings maintain abolishing the death penalty. The assumption here is that the death penalty is an act of hate and evil but this is not the case. In fact because the judicial system removes the sentencing of the criminals from the prejudice of those acted upon, any act of punishment carried out is for the purpose of justice, not hate, evil or revenge. If we follow the logic of Sister Helen Prejean the problem arises of what forms of punishment are acceptable. In her view is life imprisonment any less hateful or evil than the death penalty? I believe this passage suggests that motives play a role in the sentencing of a crime. I believe the application of this passage is that one not kill another in an act of vengeance or passion, which would be an act carried out of hate and evil. If, rather, a criminal is tried and sentenced by an impartial jury, with the only motive being justice, then hate and evil play no role in justice. 

The death penalty is just
Anything that is just cannot be hateful or evil
The death penalty is not hateful or evil

Sherlock Holmes and Pants Problems

I think what Sherlock Holmes means is that people tend to take things at face value when there are often more things to consider than there appears to be. I think it’s easy to mistake an explanation or an assumption for a factual account of what happened.  One of the foundations of using logic and reason is having a grasp of the basic facts of a case. For example, my favorite pair of jeans is Levis 514. So when I decided to buy some corduroys I bought Levis 514 corduroys because I assumed they would be cut the same. What I didn’t know is that the “514” label only denotes a very general “fit”, as in, they have a straight leg. But the corduroy style is really different from the denim version. They use different measurements for the different materials and they fit really differently. I assumed that the two materials having the same name would be exactly the same, but I didn’t even consider that corduroy is almost always way looser than denim. I don’t really know why this is, but it seems to be an industry standard. So having a basic knowledge of the industry I would have been able to know that pants with the same name but made with different materials will fit differently. 

discussion question 3 - On Rhetoric

All people use rhetoric to endorse their positions on issues. This is often a very effective form of communication. It is well known that people respond best to persuasion when one appeals to their emotions, which is the essence of rhetoric. This is sometimes preferred when an in-depth analysis of an issue (such as which TV I should buy) is not necessary. However, I also think it is true that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” Many social and moral issues are based on the deepest principles of one’s life. To persuade someone on an important moral issue through the use of rhetoric and emotional appeal robs that person of an opportunity to examine his life and put his principles to the test. Therefore, however strongly one may feel about an issue, I think it is necessary to allow others to come to their own conclusions through reason and by examining their lives.

discussion question 1 - President Obama on same-sex marriage

                I believe President Obama’s stance on the legalization of same-sex marriage is in opposition with his belief that all people deserve equal rights and opportunities under the law. The end goal of marriage is to establish a family, which can be confined to two people with or without children, and acts as a relationship which fulfills each partner’s emotional and physical needs, which necessarily includes sex. Therefore, same-sex marriage is not a gateway to the inclusion of any human relationship being regarded as a potential marriage relationship, as Robert Sokolowski suggests. If two people love each other, provide for each other’s needs and want to get married, then marriage is an essential right which cannot be denied them if they are truly receiving equal rights and opportunities under the law.

The reason same-sex marriage is illegal is because over half the country is evangelical Christian who oppose same-sex marriage on a religious basis. Obviously this is a major issue which will effect voting decisions in the next election. But there is also merit to the fact that a politician’s job is to represent the beliefs of the people he represents. Even if his decision is morally wrong, is there justification for him to represent the will of the people he represents?

Introduction

Hi,

Good luck in class everybody.