TFY Chapter 9

Summary

An argument presents a side to an issue of controversy. Questions must be asked regarding what is the viewpoint, what is the issue, whether it is an argument or a report, what is the structure of the argument and what are the strengths and weaknesses. Arguments have either inductive or deductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning draws a conclusion from smaller elements, while deductive reasoning draws conclusions from examples of a main point. Reasoning is used to support the conclusion of an argument. A conclusion is the last step in this reasoning process, but is not necessarily explicit. The reasons may lead to an inference instead. In an argument, a person is attempting to defend a claim in an attempt to persuade. They can be disguised as presentations of the facts in an attempt to slant the argument. A report only states facts, leaving the reader to draw his own conclusions. When evaluating an argument, it is necessary to consider the reasons supporting the conclusion, find hidden assumptions, detect slanted language, find logical fallacies and consider missing, false and contradictory information. I often hear poor arguments when I listen to talk radio in my car. Probably the most common one is over the issue of the “war on terror”. Supporters of former president Bush 43 will argue that because there has not been another terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11, the war is successful. This is a kind of circular reasoning that does not consider the attacks in Spain and Britain, or explain why we are safe when Osama bin Laden is still operating in an area where he is safe. Nor is growing instability in the Middle East considered. The fact that America has not been since 9/11 is a reliable predictor that there will not be another attack in the future.

Exercises

1. Frequent snacks of high-energy food are not harmful to backpackers. Indeed, hikers are found to have more energy and less weariness if they snack every hour.

2. Broadcast television is not appropriate in the courtroom. The relentless pressure of the media threatens the balance between the First Amendment’s press freedom and the Sixth amendment’s fair trial rights.

3. Whereas birth is the cause of celebration, death has become a dreaded and unspeakable issue to be avoided by every means possible in our modern society. Perhaps it is death that reminds of our human vulnerability despite all our technological advances.

4. Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you live bravely, excitingly and imaginatively; unless you choose a challenge instead of a competence.

5. There is nothing like the taste of fresh, hot brownies. Bake your with Bakelee’s Brownie Mix.

6. Not doubt you should have the right to allow a patient to die. No doctor is God.

7. Videos are a good way to entertain children. You can control what you watch, and there are many worthwhile films to choose from.

8. Since the 1920s, sperm counts have decline among American men. The underlying factors are uncertain, but the factors of stress and toxic chemicals are being considered.

9. If only one percent of car owners did not use their cars for one day a week, they would save 42 million gallons of gas a year and keep 840 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere.

10. Because of their greater use of prescription drugs, women turn up in hospital room more frequently than men.

CRCB Chapter 4

Summary

Efficient reading is the ability to read and comprehend necessary material in an appropriate amount of time. Comprehension is the primary goal, not saving time. Studying is more efficient when you are most alert, so schedule your study time accordingly. Keep track of your reading rates, so that you can plan your study hours. The keys to efficient reading are: Reading quickly when appropriate, skimming, regressing, subvocalizing and pacing.

Exercises

1. Which of the following statements is not accurate according to the excerpt?

Previous traumatic experiences, especially sexual abuse, are associated with most prostitutes’ choice of employment.

2. Which of the following statements is true according to the excerpt?

Almost nine out of ten Ranch prostitutes had earned their general equivalency diplomas or graduated from high school.

3. According to the excerpt, what is the reason why streetwalkers rarely become regular brothel prostitutes?

Brothels have lots of rules and mandatory confinement.

4. According to the author, the prostitutes she investigated ate the Mustang Ranch were

Women very committed to their families.

5. In your opinion, the author’s attitude toward the prostitutes at Mustang Ranch is

Accepting.

The author began by questioning many assumptions about prostitutes, such as drug use and previous trauma. She saw no pattern to support these assumptions. She found that many prostitutes are religious and driven by family values.

TFY Chapter 8

Summary

A viewpoint is the perspective that one has. Viewpoints are biases based on experience, often mistaken for reality. The experience may be individual or group based. Examples of group experience are ethnicity, religion or political. Literature requires a viewpoint, whether it is first person, third person or multiple viewpoints. Our biases can unconscious as easily as our assumptions and opinions, and it is just as necessary to be aware of them. For example, take the heated issue of “driving while black”. To a police officer, profiling may be a valuable tool for catching criminals, given the over represented demographic of young black males and crime. But to a young black male driving to work at the rate of speed of the traffic flow, somewhat over the speed limit, who is picked out by a police officer will likely feel a target. I have experienced a similar kind of bias while riding a motorcycle. There is nothing like being followed by a police car four feet behind you at freeway speeds to make you feel like a target, especially when the officer pulls you over. It is a chilling experience that makes you appreciate the viewpoint of the young black male. Today, in politics, the old paradigm of left, right and center is outdated. Viewpoints have become much more nuanced. Historically the two-party system has incorporated diverse viewpoints, but currently the ideological left and right wings of our major parties dominate opinion, much to the frustration of the public, whose viewpoint is closer to a more pragmatic center. When gathering information from the various media, beware of the viewpoints of the outlets. Even the most “objective” reporters have their own viewpoints and are often under pressure to present news that is sensational rather than relevant. The death of Ana Nicole Smith is an example of sensationalism. Is that story more relevant than our wars and economy?

Exercises

True or false:

1. Viewpoints can be either conscious or unconsciously assumed.

True

2. To be exterior to one’s own viewpoint is to see it objectively as one viewpoint among many.

True

3. Egocentrism means being absorbed in one’s personal viewpoint without being able to put oneself in other people’s shoes.

True

4. Religiocentrism means believing one’s own country is morally superior to any other.

False

5. Nations tend to become more ethnocentric during wartime.

True

6. Authors only tell their stories from one viewpoint.

False

7. Conservatives are prominent in the Republican Party.

True

8. Liberals are best known for their opposition to programs such as social welfare.

False

9. A newspaper editor implies the relative importance of a new story by the framing given to the story.

True
10. We communicate best when we ignore the viewpoints of others.

False

CRCB Chapter 14

Summary

The Internet is a powerful tool, once a luxury, now a necessity. You can learn about virtually anything, but you cannot trust every internet source. It is important to question what you read. Reading critically on the Internet requires the use of 2RCA – Relevance, Reliability, Credibility and Accuracy. To find a relevant source, you must first define your topic. You must understand your purpose in order to identify key words that you will use to find the best sources. If you use too many keywords, you will get too many possible sources, so keep the keywords to the essential ones. Once you have located several relevant sources, check them for reliability, credibility and accuracy. It is best to be an “open-minded skeptic”, keeping in mind that not everything printed is true. Facts can seem weird, but be true, or seem reasonable and be false. There are several websites that vet other site for accuracy, such as clearinghouse.net. Consider the source. Check for supporting documentation. Ask yourself if the site is up to date and is the site easy to navigate. When I look for information on the Internet, I often go to well-known websites that have solid reputations. I avoid site that make fantastic or outlandish claims and crosscheck new sites against established, reliable sites.

Exercises

Evaluate the website http/www.d-b.net/dti/

1. What is its title?

Clones-R-Us

2. What is the main idea of the article?

The main idea is to sell cloning to the public.

3. What do you already know about the topic?

I know that cloning is a very difficult process. There are many failures for every successful clone in mammals, because the implanting of DNA into an egg is very difficult, the clone grows to size many times grater that normal before birth and the biological clock of DNA is not reset by cloning as occurs in normal reproduction. Cloning of humans is unlikely to have occurred.

4. Explain why it would or would not be a good site to use as a source. Provide examples to support your conclusion.

I would doubt the reliability of this site for many reasons. First, it operates in several third world countries, where regulation would be nonexistent. Showing a baby implies that humans can be cloned, for which there is no documented proof. Fantastic claims are made, including a guarantee of quality, custom or “designer” cloning, fast delivery and no paperwork. This site is obviously a scam.

TFY Chapter 7

Summary

Evaluations are value judgments, not to be confused with facts. They can be open or hidden. Evaluations are done all the time, whether we are aware or not. We evaluate what we buy, what we want to eat, what career we wish to pursue and many other things. Words that indicate an evaluation are subjective rather than objective, words such as good or bad. The words can be emotional, such as fun or painful. We must guard against premature evaluations. One glaring, historical example occurred after the attacks on 9/11. When President Bush pressed Congress to allow America to go to war against Iraq, there was little skepticism for his claims of weapons of mass destruction. Congress accepted his word and voted to allow the war. Had the Bush administration allowed the inspectors to complete their job and evaluated the situation in Iraq based on the most complete set of facts available, war would likely have been averted. Instead, America is paying a steep price in treasure and American and Iraqi lives. We need to recognize manipulative evaluations. Ann Coulter attributes the entire belief system of the left to snobbery, from promoting immoral behavior to tree hugging, dismissing any other reason for leftists’ beliefs, in an effort to advance her own agenda. The skilled evaluations of experts are valuable to us, and we pay these experts for them. We trust their expertise to help us make wise choices. Those who use propaganda spread it to manipulate our opinions. Advertisements are a common form of propaganda. Every brand is the best, but how can they all be the best? You need to recognize when you are being propagandized. You will find evaluative words instead of facts.

Exercises

1. What evaluations does the author offer in her title and subtitle?

The author makes the claim that boxing is violent and brutal.

2. How does the author open this essay by finding irony in two situations?

The author finds irony in that Million Dollar Baby did not ignite a debate on the boxing violence. She also states that boxing, in another venue, would be a violent felony.

3. What three facts does she offer to support her evaluation of boxing as a brutal and violent sport?

The author cites a notorious quote from Mike Tyson, a boxing database and the stance taken by the AMA on boxing.

4. What contradictory evaluations does she describe in the last two paragraphs of this review?

The author says some moviegoers see Million Dollar Bay as a condemnation of boxing, while others see it as glorifying boxing.

CRCB - Chapter 9

Summary

PSR stands for preview, study-read, review. In the preview stage it is helpful to question yourself before reading. Ask yourself what the author wants to convey. Skim through for headings and develop questions on who, what, where, why and how. Predict what context of the text will be based on. In the study-read stage, look for answers from the preview stage. Read one complete section at a time, and be sure to question the material as you go. Monitor your reading to be sure you understand the material and can still concentrate. Keep in mind the questions you still have. At the end of each section, determine the main idea. I the review stage summarize what you have read, what you already know and what you still don’t know. Clarify confusing facts and check your understanding.

Exercises

1. Match the vocabulary words in Column A to their definitions in Column B:

A	B
PSR	Preview, study-read, review method of reading
Summary	Restate the original meaning of someone else’s writing in fewer and different words
Paraphrase	Explain the meaning of someone else’s words, phrases, or sentences in your own words

2. The most important time to question yourself is right before you begin to read.

False

3. Study-reading means

Asking and answering the questions you developed in the preview stage as you read.

4. If you don’t understand what you have just read, you should

Record your questions in a journal

5. An example of active reading is

Creating questions so that you are reading on purpose

6. Explain why it is a good idea to make a journal entry when you find a reading assignment confusing.

You can where you confusion started and develop questions.

7. What are the benefits of summarizing a reading?

Capture the author’s meaning

Omit unnecessary details

Use your own words

8. List the three steps of the preview stage.

Skim

Develop questions

Predict content

TFY - Chapter 6

Summary

The word opinion has more than one meaning because there are different types of opinions. There are opinions that are judgments that state what is good or bad, what should be and what should not be. An example of a judgment is the opinion that America should leave Iraq. Advice is a type of opinion, such as telling a friend not to gamble with the rent money. Opinions can also be generalizations, such as pit bulls are dangerous. Personal preferences are opinions too and do not require any supporting facts. One may simply prefer blondes to brunettes without offering any justification. Not all opinions carry equal weight, depending on how well they are supported. To say that the United States military should pull out of Iraq requires a weighing of facts, such as the level of Iraqi forces, and opinions, such as what would the consequences be. Public opinion polls are used to determine public opinion, but can also be used to manipulate opinion. Questions may presuppose and assume certain opinions. An opinion may be a thesis for an argument, called a conclusion. Such an opinion must be supported by facts, reasoning, other claims, and evidence.

Exercises

1. Expert opinion calculates the risk involved in bridging the gap between the known and unknown for a given situation.

True

2. Giving advice is not a way of giving an opinion.

False

3. The results of public opinion polls are equivalent to votes in elections.

False

4. Opinions in the form of judgments state what is right and wrong, bad and good.

True

5. Some opinions are based on generalizations such as stereotypes, as in the statement “All Chinese look alike.”

True

6. Responsible opinions are based on careful examination of the evidence.

True

7. Opinions are the same as facts.

False

8. Gossip is opinion sharing without any requirement for substantiation.

False

9. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion because all opinions carry equal value.

False

10. Prevailing sentiment refers to popular opinion that changes with the times.

True