BA 3300 - Midterm Review

Ad Hominem: QUICK

The "attacks"; attacking a book and not reading it

CofQ: Fact

Truth (one right answer)

Slippery Slope: QUICK

Series of future events

"If we allow the Brady Bill waiting periods for gun purchases, pretty soon guns will be outlawed entirely."

Slippery Slope

If you don't get to bed early, you'll be too tired to do well on the entrance exam tomorrow. If that happens, you won't get accepted into a decent college. You'll end up a washed-out alcoholic living in a trash-bin.

Slippery Slope

Dennis states, "Whenever I criticize our war in Iraq and advocate getting out, my friend quickly accuses me of wanting to give in to the terrorists. He is distorting and exaggerating my position. I do not want to give into the terrorists; I just think the Iraq war is not the answer and hampering our fight on terrorism." The passage is an example of which fallacy?

Straw Man

"The word, variable, has several synonyms, such as changeable or unsteady. Our set of rules tells us that a variable is a noun, not an adjective, and represents a class of outcomes that can take on more than one value. For example, hair color is a variable that can take on the values of red, brown, black, blonde, and these days green, orange, and (I swear) puce. (I saw it outside my office this morning!) Other variables would be height (tall or short), weight (128 pound or 150 pounds), age at immunization (6 weeks or 18 months), number of words remembered, time off work, party affiliation, and so on. The one thing these traits have in common is that the variable (such as party affiliation) can take on any one of several values (such as Republican, Democrat or Independent)." Which of the following statements is the LEAST relevant to the purpose of this passage?

"I saw it outside my office this morning."

"An increasing number of people are resisting the pressure to be boxed in by color. Groups such as Wesleyan University's Interracial Students Organization are becoming more common on college campuses. This trend will probably continue as interracial marriages become more common and society becomes more comfortable with different and new ways of defining one's heritage." Which of the following statements would strengthen the author's conclusion?

"These student organizations support people who want to celebrate the ethnic heritage of all their ancestors."

"An increasing number of people are resisting the pressure to be boxed in by color. Groups such as Wesleyan University's Interracial Students Organization are becoming more common on college campuses. This trend will probably continue as interracial marriages become more common and society becomes more comfortable with different and new ways of defining one's heritage." Which of the following sentences would improve the clarity of this passage?

"Tiger woods, for example, has made it known that he objects to being called African-American. Rather, he prefers "Cablinanasian." A term he made up that combines his Caucasian, Black, Indian and Asian ancestry. Other well-known people who have affirmed their mixed ancestry are Keanu Reeves (Hawaiian, Chinese, Caucasian), Mariah Carey (Black, Venezuelan, Caucasian), and Johnny Depp (Cherokee, Caucasian)."

Generalization: QUICK

"always"; "Never"; "everyone"

EofR: POV

"the place" from which you view something - Includes what you are looking at and the way you're seeing it

Clarity: Bullet Points

- Could you elaborate on that point? Do I need to elaborate on that point? - Could you express that point in another way? Can I express that point differently? - Could you give me an illustration? Should I give an illustration? - Could you give me an example? Should I provide an example? - Let me state in my own words what I think you just said. Am I clear about your meaning? - I hear you saying "______". Am I hearing you correctly or have I misunderstood you?

Precision: Bullet Points

- Could you give me more details about that? - Could you be more specific? - Can I trust the accuracy of these data given the source from which they come?

STEIN: I'm glad you brought up this Denver thing. I don't like the idea of Senator Obama giving his acceptance speech in front of 75,000 wildly cheering people. That is not the way we do things in political parties in the United States of America. We have a contained number of people in an arena. Seventy-five-thousand people at an outdoor sports palace, well, that's something the Fuehrer (Hitler) would have done.

False Analogy

Fairness: Bullet Points

- Does a particular group have some vested interest in this issue that causes them to distort other relevant viewpoints? - Am I sympathetically representing the viewpoints of others? - Is the problem addressed in a fair manner, or is personal vested interest interfering with considering the problem from alternative viewpoints? - Are concepts being used justifiably? Or is some group using concepts unfairly in order to manipulate? - Are these law justifiable and ethical, or do they violate someone's rights?

Logic: Bullet Points

- Does all this fit together logically? - Does this really make sense? - Does that follow from what you said? - Does what you say follow from evidence? - Before you implied this and now you are saying that, I don't see how both can be true. What exactly is your position?

Accuracy: Bullet Points

- How could I check that to see if it's true? - How could I verify these alleged facts? - Can I trust the accuracy of these data given the source from which they come?

Relevance: Bullet Points

- I don't see how what you said bears on the question. Could you show me how it's relevant? - Could you explain the connection between your question and the question we are addressing? - How does this fact bear upon the issue? - How does this idea relate to this other idea? - How does your question relate to the issue at hand?

Depth: Bullet Points

- Is this question simple or complex? Is it easy or difficult to answer well and truly? - What makes this complex question? - How am i dealing with the complexities inherent in the question?

Becoming a Critic of Your Thinking

- To maximize the quality of your thinking, you must learn how to become an effective "critic" of your thinking. And to become an effective critic of your thinking, you have to make learning about thinking a priority. - Thinking about thinking, is rare. - But if you focus your attention for a moment on the role that thinking is playing in your life, you may come to recognize that, in fact, everything you do, or want, or feel influenced by your thinking. - Improvement in thinking, in other words, is similar to improvement in other domains of performance where progress is a product of sound theory, commitment, hard work and practice.

Breadth: Bullet Points

- What POVs are relevant to this issue? - What relevant POVs have I ignored thus far? - Am I failing to consider this issue from an opposing perspective because I am not open to changing my view? - Have I entered the opposing views in good faith or only enough to find flaws in them? - I have looked at the question from an economic viewpoint. What is my ethical responsibility? - I have considered a liberal position on the issue. What would conservatives say?

Significance: Bullet Points

- What is the most significant info needed to address the issue? - How is that fact important in context? - Which of these questions is the most significant? - Which of these ideas or concepts is the most important?

Resume Information

1. Objective (summary) statement in 3rd person 2. Resume = 1 page and no more than 2 pages 3. UHD info in education section first 4. Only list colleges prior to UHD w. degrees (NO HS) 5. 4-5 bullet points - action verbs = short (results) 6. No more than 10 years prior work expierence

Career

1. Personal Value/Professional Culture/Professional Authority 2. Interships/Self-Assesments 3. Networking/Branding 4. Cover Letter/References/Resume

Fallacy: QUICK

2 choices; if you do this.. this WILL happen

EO: "We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new sources of energy, yet we import more oil today than ever before." Comment: Not true. We're importing less than we were just a few years ago The U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that weekly imports of crude oil and petroleum products (in thousands of barrels per day) have been dropping. Imports reached a high point of 15,217,000 barrels per day the week of Nov. 4, 2005. Most recently, they totaled 11,577,000 the week of Feb. 20, 2009. The CEO did NOT meet which intellectual standard?

Accuracy

UHD students are required to read and sign the current Academic Honesty Policy 9PS 03 A19) before the first class of each academic semester. This statement does not meet the intellectual standard of

Accuracy

"Von Daniken's books about ancient astronauts are worthless because he is a convicted forger and embezzler."

Ad Hominem

Anyone who would support capital punishment has no feelings, no heart."

Ad Hominem

A poll was taken from business students last May at UHD regarding Business Cornerstone and whether it should be a required course. The results showed that a majority of students (80%) said they believed Business Cornerstone should be a required course. When Sam was asked yesterday if Business Cornerstone should be a required course and told of the survey results, he replied, "If that many people believe it should be, then I do too." Sam is violating which fallacy?

Ad Populum

"Student like us know we should be able to choose for ourselves whether or not to go to class. We're smart; we know what we're doing. We're in college now, and we're mature enough to be responsible. Sure, a few people may skip too many classes and end up not learning the material, but that's just a small minority. And if we don't get a chance to make mistakes, how will we ever learn to stand on our own two feet? Professors need to either leave the choice of attending classes to us or admit that they don't treat us like adults."

An implicit assumption of this passage is that professors who require class attendance do not recognize that college students are responsible.

Relevance: Definition

Bearing upon or relating to the matter at hand; EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT AND EACH PART MAKES A DIFFERENCE

EofR: Assumptions

Beliefs you take for granted - operate at the subconscious/unconscious level of thought

EofR: Implication/Consquences

Claims/truth that logically follow other claims/truths - follow from thoughts - follow from actions

The "gateway standard" is which intellectual standard?

Clairty

A student at UHD heard the following statement made about the Business Cornerstone class. "Yeck, that class is BORING!" Susie realized that this statement does not meet the intellectual standard of __________ and asked more questions before making her mind up about taking the class.

Clarity

Over four million people have switched to our insurance company - shouldn't you?

Common Practice

EofR: Interpretation/Inference

Conclusions you come to - what the mind does in figuring things out

Depth: Definition

Containing complexities and multiple interrelationships; implies thoroughness in thinking through the many variables in the situation; ARGUMENT IS THOROUGH

CofQ: Judgement

Debatable; Subjective issues and has multiple views

Straw Man: QUICK

Distorting, exaggerating, making something up, taking out of context; twisting their words

Red Herring: QUICK

Distraction; Problem A but states Problem B because they are deflecting

CofQ: Preference:

Don't have to think (opinion)

In order to gain support for tax for the refurbishment of public spaces, a woman holds up a photo of an adorable little boy, looking very sad, bored, and lonely and explains that he is one of dozens of children that will be forced to keep playing on a bare and decrepit playground. Identify the fallacy.

Emotive Language

Breadth: Definition

Encompassing multiple viewpoints, comprehensive in view, wide-ranging and broadminded in perspective; ALL VIEWS ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT

As a critical thinker, assumptions should be eliminated

False

The issue was whether bias had tainted the death sentence imposed on Allen Snyder, a black man from Kenner, La., for a 1995 knife attack on his estranged wife and her male companion, killing the latter. After removing every black in the jury pool, the Jefferson Parish prosecutor compared the defendant to O.J. Simpson, the former football star who 10 months earlier had been tried for a similar crime in Los Angeles. This is an example of which fallacy?

False Analogy

"Give up smoking or you will die." Identify the fallacy

False Dilemma

False Analogy: QUICK

False comparison; 2 unrelated subjects being used for a benefit

Fairness: Definition

Free from bias, dishonesty, favoritism, selfish-interest, deception or injustice; JUSTIFIED

Accuracy: Definition

Free from errors, mistakes or distortions; True and correct

I had a bad time with my former husband. From that I've learned that all men are no good.

Generalization

EofR: Purpose

Goal, objective, what you're trying to accomplish

Significance: Definition

Having importance, being of consequence; having considerable/substantial meaning; INCLUDE MOST IMPORTANT FACTS

EofR: Concepts

Ideas/theories/laws/principles/hypothesis we use in thinking to make sense of things

EofR: Information

Includes facts, data, evidence or experiences we use to figure things out. Not implying accuracy or correctness

Emotive Language: QUICK

Jump to conclusion based on emotions rather than facts and evidence.

Ad Populum/Common Practice: QUICK

Jumping on the bandwagon; if someone does something and other follows blindly

EofR: Question at Issue

Lays out the problem and guides thinking

Post Hoc: QUICK

Many possibilities (other causes or false cause);

"I got sick right after eating a the UHD cafeteria. It must be their food."

Post Hoc

The city never had this problem with garbage disposal until she became mayor.

Post Hoc

"Who won the U.S. presidency?" This question lacks ________________

Precision

n response, the Republican White House press secretary answered: "I think it does raise the question, 'How do you fight and win the war on terrorism?' And if Democrats want to argue that we shouldn't be listening to al-Qaida communications, it's their right and we welcome the debate. We are a nation at war." A reporter asked the press secretary to name one Democrat -- just one -- who is arguing that the government "shouldn't be listening to al-Qaida communications." That argument is distorted. We haven't heard any Democrat make that argument, and indeed Feingold himself has said exactly the opposite. This passage best represents which fallacy committed?

Straw Man

Logic: Definition

The parts make sense together, no contradictions; ARGUMENT IS REASONABLE/CONSISTENT/FOLLOWS EVIDENCE

Clarity: Definition

Understandable, the meaning can be grasped; to free from confusion; EASY TO UNDERSTAND

All college freshmen at Highlands University take English composition. Sam is enrolled in English composition at Highlands University. Based on these two premises, one can reasonably reach which of the following conclusions?

We cannot be certain whether Sam is or is not a college freshmen.