Things that need further discussion

There are many things that I think can be other discuss. However, I think on most topic things can be clarify by reading up on different posts on the blogs and see how other people explain them. The concept that I want to discuss more is the conceal claim. Even though in the book, there is one chapter that is dedicated to the conceal claim. There are no discussion on this concept on other people and I think that it is important for people to understand it. People cannot understand a claim without knowing what the claim is. From my experience, conceal claim can be hard to identify. Sometime, people might get mislead by the wrong claim and misunderstand the claim entirely. In some situation it might be hard to identify where the argument is or what exactly is the argument is about. In the conceal claims, people tend to convince us by the choice of words they use instead of by stating the argument. There are many ways or literacy devices that help to conceal the argument. I think that the book, chapter 9 did a great job at explaining those literacy devices that are use in the conceal claim. However, I have found this one website where I find that the short definitions and explanations for the terms might be helpful.

http://bellevuecollege.edu/lmc/ilac/Curric/kint/phil7.htm

The Usefulness of the assignments

Now that we are almost finish with assignment number 2, I realize that I have learn many things from these two assignments. The two assignments give me the opportunity to practice what I have learned in real life situation. First, everyone know about things that were asked in the assignment, but by putting in to practice we can see how it work. Even though the book give many examples, but looking at the real world situation is definitely different. For example, in the assignment number two, there is a part that we were asked to find the concealment claims that are used by our social organization. Even though, I know what concealment claim is but finding it is not as easy as one may think. I realize that there are more than one aspect to look at it. So, I think by doing the two assignments, it gives everyone the opportunity to really look at how these things are used in real life. We may not realized that these kinds of things are surrounded us everyday, just depend on how they are used.

Chapter 8

General claims
All: the word "all" means that everything is included without any exception. For example, I like all kind of cake. This claim may seem valid but it is not. Maybe there is some kind of cake that I have not yet tried. So I cannot say that I like every cake.
Some: This bring us to the word "some." I can say that I like some cakes. The claim may sound valid. However, it is too vague. What do I mean by "some?" Does some mean 2, 5, or 8? Some just mean that there is at least one, but not all of them. So, the reading of the word "some" is depend on the argument.

Contradictories: "no" and "only"
No: The word "no" is use in the same sense as "all." It means that, there is not even one, every single one of it is a no. For example, no one cry when he or she is happy. This may sound valid, but it is not true. There are people who cry when they are happy. Hint the phase "tears of joy."
Only: The claim that use "only" usually means "all" when it got reverse. "Only S are P" means "all P are S." For example, only bakers open bakery shops. Joy is a baker. So, Joy open a bakery shop. This is not true, just because Joy is a baker does not means that she own a bakery shop. She might be a baker at a hotel or a restaurant.

interesting facts

After looking through chapter 6 and 7 for something that is interesting that I have not yet mention this week. Than I came across the reasoning from hypotheses in chapter 6. The main key that help to reason with hypotheses is start with hypothesis A. After giving the hypothesis A, follow by making a good argument for B. This idea is kind of similar to conditional claim: If A, then B.

Example argument: Lin: I think I'll walk to John's house today.

Casey: If you do make sure to take an umbrella.

Lin: Why do I need an umbrella? It's not raining outside.

Casey: The weather forecast said that it's going to rain later in the day and the clouds are seem to hang really low in the sky. It'll rain soon and you will need an umbrella on the way back.

In the example, Casey does not tell that Lin need an umbrella. Rather, Casey assume that Lin will stay at John's house until later in the day. By that time it'll rain and Lin will need an umbrella to walk back home.  

Chapter 7

Counter argument:
In chapter 7, there is the explanation about raising an objection to a claim. By raising a question in any claim, the person who raised  the question claim means that the claim is invalid and/or weak. The question than will become another argument to prove or show that the claim is fault. However, sometime the argument get "knock off" because it might not be relevant to the subject or the claim. Many people might not realize it, but this kind of situation is always happen. When one says something that other people might not be agree to or think that it may be fault, the other person will try to prove otherwise.
Refuting argument:
One can refute the argument directly or indirectly. To refute an argument directly one have to prove that at least one of the premises are dubious. The way to refute the argument indirectly is to reduce the credibility of the claim. One have to prove that at least one of the claims are dubious.  

Chapter 6

Compound Claims and "Or" claims:
The compound claims are usually composed with more than one claim, however it views as just one claim. In this kind of claim, the two claims are usually combine with the word "or."
For example, The dogs are sick or they are just hungry. This claim does not mean that the dogs are sick nor they are hungry. It just stated that the dogs are either sick or hungry, not either one nor both. As the result, there is just one claim in that statement not two. In compound claim, the "or" part call the alternative.

Reasoning with "or" claims:
To determine if the argument is valid or not, one have to look at the role the compound claims play.
For example, The dogs are sick or they are just hungry. But the owner just fed the dogs their dinner. Therefore, the dogs must be sick. This can be called as excluding possibilities: A or B. If not A. So, B.

Online Ad

Advertisement, as many may not realize that ads are just a form of argument that with the conclusion that the products are good. The advertisers try to convince the consumer that their products are good or better than other brands by convincing the consumers. For example, in the ad by Garnier, the advertiser is trying to convince the consumers by showing how good the products are.  Many people have trouble with their hair in different climate. Sometime when it is very hot and humid, people might have a harder time styling their hair. In the ad, it show that the products can stand the difficult weather: humidity, hot, and wind. From personal experience, I have used the Garnier's shampoo and conditioner before  but never the styling products. However, I have found that their products are pretty good. As the result, I might be willing to try the styling products. I think that this ads will convince some consumers who have tried their other products or heard good things about the brand to try their products. Since the ad aim toward the younger people, especially guys.

Criteria for accepting or rejecting claims

Personal experience:
The most trustworthy information comes from what we have experience in the past. Things that we learn by experiencing it is always better than things that are told to us. So, we accept claims that we know it true from our experience and reject claims that we know is false from our experiences as well. However, there are some exceptions. Our memories are not written in stones, so we might forget something and have the reasons to doubt our own memories. Another possibilities happen when we might have some memories that prove the claims to be false or there are good theories to prove that the claims are false.

Other resources:
There are other resources other than our memories. Some of the other resources can be acceptable.
1. If the claims are by someone who has good knowledge authority) on this kind of claims.
2. If the claim comes from an expert from this field and have no motive to mislead anyone
3. Articles or researches that are published in a respectable journal or refences
4. From media  that is reliable who has no motive to give the wrong information and named the original source.

Argument that need to be repair

Argument: Babies cannot talk. So Alex Jr. cannot talk.

Analysis: This can be a strong argument. However, it does missing the premises to make it a strong and valid argument. If it add that "Alex Jr. is a baby," than this argument will be a valid argument. Without that statement, people may argue or ask what if Alex Jr. is mute or he has some kind of surgery and cannot talk for a period of time. With no premises, this argument seem to be begging the questions from other people because there are many other solutions. This argument can also be  mistaking the claim as well. Since there is no premise, many people may think that the missing premise, "Alex Jr. is a baby" is the conclusion. Other people might miss the real conclusion, "Alex Jr. cannot talk." This will lead to the miss understanding of the claim for the argument, which is consist to be a content fallacies.