Fallacy Hunt assignment

Video: BP Demo Debate from IDEA Youth Forum

False analogy: compares violent crimes to protect the environment, with foreign relations. These two are too dissimilar to be an applicable analogy.

Material fallacy: no cited authority on the claim: war is the most environmentally harmful action that you can take.

Unrepresentative evidence: uses story of Shell Corporation in Africa, hurting environment and hurting people’s lives. This example does not reflect all corporations across the board.

Slippery slope fallacy: argued that allowing violence to protect the environment would lead to people killing anti-gays because of their beliefs.

Straw man fallacy: misrepresents the Government side by saying they are advocating militias taking over water sources and selling water to poor people, when the Government case only advocates violence against the sources of environmental harm.

Chapter 6, Exercise 1

Construct criteria for the topic: Security is more important than privacy

To support the proposition that security is more important than privacy, we start by arguing that national security equates to life, because the goal of national security is to protect the lives of the citizens. Therefore, our burden is to prove that protection of life is more important than privacy, which essentially only improves the quality of life for someone. We will argue that more rights are more vital than privacy, yet all people value having life. Therefore, we argue that security is more important because it is more vital to the protection of life.

15 Propostions

5 Propositions of Fact

The war in Iraq was a failure
The ends justify the means
The death penalty increases crime
Obama has failed in office
The Colts will win the Super Bowl

5 Propositions of Value

Freedom is more important than security
National security outweighs personal privacy
Losing some freedoms is better than having too many
It is better to kill one to save many
Some regulation of business is better than none at all

5 Propositions of Policy

The United states should isolate itself
This house would negotiate with terrorists
The United States should open its borders
This house should declare war on Israel
The United States should make abortion illegal

Chapter 2 Book Assignment

Exercise 2

Argument: cats are not better than dogs

Argument 1: Dogs are better than cats because of their ability to detect health problems in humans. A recent study by the MACH Foundation showed that dogs can detect cancer from breath samples with an accuracy "between 88% and 97%". The study was published in an article in the journal Integrative Cancer Therapies.

Argument 2: Dogs are better than cats because they protect and save their owners. According to information from the Associated Press that was published on msnbc.com, dogs have used their intellect and instinct to save their owners from injury and death. One specific article mentions a dog that dialed 911 when its owner fell.

Exercise 4

President Obama recently compared America to a car, saying that the "D" for drive in a car represents the Democrats, and the "R" for reverse represents the Republicans. He made this argument to say that the Republicans are holding back progress and beneficial policies that the Democrats are attempting to get through Congress.

Test: The two sides are similar as political parties, just as they are both gears in a car in his analogy. In their dissimilarity, they are polar opposites when it comes to their political beliefs and agendas. Because they are so opposite in values, this analogy does nothing more than to state the obvious, that Democrats and Republicans don't get along.

Use of ethos, pathos and logos in Obama's speech on the end of the war in Iraq

President Obama on end of Iraq War

Ethos

            Constantly looking at audience, shows confidence and personal interaction

            Carefully chooses words, sits calmly, shows poise and calmness

            Speaks confidently, makes you believe he has a plan that will work

Pathos

Connects with those related to military members with talk about their service, completion of missions, sacrifices that were made

For those who worry about how Iraq will survive, he assures the audience that we will continue to cooperate with them and help them

Logos

            Talks about how times have changed, it is logical that our combat strategy should as well

Has a plan to remove many troops, but to keep some there to ensure Iraqi progress and safety, we don’t simply leave the Iraqi people alone

Mentions that attacks are significantly lower, elections that drew large turnouts, shows that Iraq is slowly developing and the situation is improving

Five Syllogisms

Major premise: People can drink liquids.
Minor premise: Gatorade is a liquid.
Conclusion: People can drink Gatorade.

Major premise: I can wear clothing.
Minor premise: A shirt is clothing.
Conclusion: I can wear shirts.

Major premise: Fish need water to survive.
Minor premise: Nemo is a fish.
Conclusion: Nemo needs water to survive.

Major premise: Rubber does not conduct electricity.
Minor premise: Shoe soles are made of rubber.
Conclusion: Shoe soles do not conduct electricity.

Major premise: Exercise releases endorphins.
Minor premise: Running is a form of exercise.
Conclusion: Running releases endorphins.