In this chapter we take a look at fallacy claims as a way to use them in refutation. I think this is important because we have the ability to hold people accountable to their claims and arguments. This is strictly important when arguing things that can possibly contradict what you are wanting to say in the message. Following the rules of argumentation is important in the systematic approach of making sure an argument is solid. For example, if logic is used in an argument and the result of the claims are illogical, then that could be a fallacy claim. An example from the textbook would be "Japanese eat raw fish. Sharks eat raw fish. Therefore, Japanese are sharks" (Pg.176). The logical fallacy has to do with the middle term in the statement as it does not link Japanese to sharks. Therefore, the third claim would be false and illogical. It is important to take into consideration the logical fallacies because it can claims not true even though the statements might be. This is important in argumentation because without the ability to understand how a fallacy can make an argument weaker it will become hard to make a strong argument. An example of a weak argument based on logical fallacy would be the federal government loans out hundreds of thousands of dollars to individuals to attend college, therefore they want every student to be in debt. The logical fallacy in this would be that the government wanting students to be in debt. This claim would be almost one made by someone who could be ignorant. Decision makers would not agree with this claim if the arguer was wanting to change the mind of someone. It is important to understand what makes a claim illogical and how it can be strengthen by critical analysis of what is being argued.
Chapter five focuses primarily on identifying and developing propositions for problems that people think are relevant. It goes over 6 steps for choosing a valid proposition based on a perceived “feeling of doubt.” While all six steps may not be necessary, the collectively ensure a well thought out and firm proposition. The six steps include identifying the question, surveying implicated objectives (or understanding what is the goal accomplishment in regard to the question), searching for new information, considering alternative options, considering costs and risks of each potential proposition, and then finally choosing one of the propositions. The authors then go on to talk about analyzing and strengthening the proposition chosen. This includes identification and ranking of the issues that the proposition addresses as well as understanding how the decision makers will react to these issues and propositions. In general, with all these methods of critically analyzing the proposition, ...
Nate, you do such a great job of bringing your own perspectives into each post. Your thought processes and unique perspectives help me understand the content better, so good work! I think the examples you used in this post (Japanese+Shark, and Gov't+Student Debt) did a wonderful job of explaining the utility of fallacies in our course. They certainly helped me understand things better. The way you displayed the information makes me think you would be successful in a teaching career! Keep up the good work.
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