Reference no: EM133193509

Your Background Beliefs

Each one of us has a worldview - an interpretive framework through which we view life. Worldviews are composed of our core beliefs and commitments. They are the sum total of the background beliefs that we have.

You will share some of your core beliefs that make up your worldview. These can be general beliefs or specific beliefs, but make sure they are among the most important beliefs that you hold. Refer to your book for more information about worldviews. Here are some examples of beliefs you might include:

• Human nature is fundamentally good/bad.

• It is always wrong to lie to someone.

• Anyone can succeed at a task if they put the effort into it.

• Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

• An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Cogent Reasoning

The goal of an argument, as we are using the term, is to persuade. Specifically, a good argument persuades someone into adopting a conclusion that is rational on the basis of its premises.

You will recount a time when you were persuaded or had your mind changed by a good argument.

• Make sure that you identify a situation in which you were convinced or had your mind changed on the basis of good evidence.

• Note: An "argument" for the purposes of this class does not refer to a verbal altercation, but a collected series of statements intended to prove some conclusion.

Moral Decision-Making

There are many different moral theories, each of which provides a different way of analyzing the moral dilemmas we face in our lives. These moral theories provide a systematic framework for making reasoned moral decisions.

You will write about a time in which you had to make a difficult moral decision.

• Which moral theory did you use?

• What steps did you take to make the decision?

• What was your reasoning process?

Faulty Inferences

While there are various kinds of fallacies, all share one common feature: they are errors of reasoning. We engage in fallacious reasoning when we fail to satisfy the three requirements of cogent reasoning (see Chapter 1 in your textbook).

You will write about a time in which you were persuaded by fallacious reasoning.

• What was the fallacious reasoning?

• Why was it fallacious?

• Why were you convinced?

• How did you discover that the reasoning you were initially persuaded by was in fact fallacious?

Inductive Fallacies

Statistics carry with them the air of authority. The accuracy and precision they offer makes a given position more credible and believable.

But statistics can also be misused to convince us of things that aren't true.

You will write about a time in which you were persuaded by faulty statistics.

• What was the faulty statistic?

• Why was it faulty?

• Why were you initially convinced?

• How did you discover that the statistic was in fact faulty?

Your Cognitive Biases

Despite our rational nature, we are not perfectly rational. We often fall prey to non-rational biases that affect our judgement on certain matters. These biases are an impediment to cogent reasoning because they lead us away from what is true and good.

You will write about your own cognitive biases.

• What are some cognitive biases that you currently have or used to have?

• How have these biases affected the way you view things?

Trust, But Verify

We are surrounded by news and media. It has never been easier to access information about any given topic or world event. Yet despite living in an age where information-on-demand is only a click away, misinformation abounds. News programs mislead, pundits exaggerate, and articles distort.

Select a recent news article and identify its key claims. Essentially, you will be acting as a fact checker for the news. Make sure that what you're analyzing is a news article, not a blog post or social media post.

• Post a link to the article you chose.

• Attempt to find corroborating information that verifies the article's claims.

• Use primary sources whenever available.

• Post links to the information you find.

• If information is found that disproves the key claims of the article, post that instead.

Bad Reasoning on Social Media

Social media offers a powerful means of communication. With just a click, we can broadcast our thoughts to the entire world. But like the news, social media is even more prone to misinformation and distortion of various kinds. A lie can spread halfway around the world before the truth comes out to correct it.

Last week, you acted as a fact checker for a news article. This week, you'll be doing much the same. Head over to Twitter and locate a tweet about current events from a politician, celebrity, or any user with a "verified" status. Note: You are not required to make a Twitter account to complete this assignment. Please pick a user whose posts are publically available. Do not share private posts.

• Share your chosen post in this week's Discussion Forum by copying and pasting it into your initial discussion response.

• Make sure the tweet makes a factual claim.

• Attempt to fact-check that tweet by including independent evidence to corroborate its content.

• If information is found that disproves the key claims of the tweet, include that as well.