08 Oct Despite our rational nature, our ability to reason well is often affected by psychological biases that interfere with the formation of good arguments.

Despite our rational nature, our ability to reason well is often affected by psychological biases that interfere with the formation of good arguments. Identify three such biases and explain how they negatively impact our ability to reason.

 

Question 2The advent of social media has changed the norms and modes of public discourse. In at least 200 words, explain the importance of (a) evaluating and fact-checking individual claims, (b) the benefits and negatives of instantaneous mass communication, and (c) the need for civility in online interactions.

 

Question 3Identify the fallacy: “Bob is trustworthy because he says so, and we can trust what Bob says because he’s trustworthy.”

 

                Fallacy of composition

 

                Begging the question

 

                Genetic falacy

 

                Appeal to authority

 

                Ad hominem

 

Question 4Identify the fallacy: “All banks have money. All rivers have banks. Therefore, all rivers have money.”

 

                Equivocation

 

                Ad hominem

 

                Slippery slope

 

                Appeal to ignorance

 

                False cause

 

Question 5Identify the fallacy: “You shouldn’t trust Bob. His best friend is a racist.”

 

                Appeal to popularity

 

                Appeal to ignorance

 

                Appeal to tradition

 

                Two wrongs make a right

 

                Guilt by association

 

Question 6Identify the fallacy: “Republicans are extremists who believe that government is fundamentally evil.”

 

                False dilemma

 

                Fallacy of composition

 

                Straw man

 

                Ad hominem

 

                Begging the question

 

Question 7Identify the fallacy: “You should buy Pepsi because Taylor Swift said so.”

 

                Appeal to authority

 

                False dilemma

 

 

 

                Equivocation

 

                Appeal to pity

 

                Fallacy of division

 

Question 8Identify two techniques that are often used to slant the news.

 

Question 9Compare and contrast “old media” with “new media.”

 

Question 10Define rationalization and explain how it is it sometimes applied.

 

Question 11What is a “defense mechanism,” in the context of poor reasoning?

 

Question 12What is good news-reporting supposed to look like?