Lecture 2A: Identifying Argument Components Con't, Indicator Words, Arguers and Systems of Belief, Sidgwick's Insight

I.  Business:
A.  Purpose, grading, and quantity of homework.
B.  Subject Heading for HW and Reviews
C.  Reviews and Content.

II.  Homework Review
A.  Mini review of main concepts and methods.
   1.  Argument, premise, conclusion, heuristics for finding the conclusion and premises.

B.  Go through homework.
   1.  Note:  Each premise and conclusion should be a complete intelligible sentence.  This may require minor rewriting.  In doing so, try not to stray too far from the original meaning.

III.  Lecture:  Extended Arguments and Indicator Words (Ch. 4 Sec. 2)
Why do we have to learn this crap?
A.  Premise Indicator Words:  Since, because, for, as can be deduced from, given that, the reasons are.

B.  Conclusion Indicator Words: Consequentially, thus, therefore, so it follows, so, hence, we conclude that

C.  Rhetorical questions as conclusion indicators.
   Examples:
   1.  Do people really think that bombing civilian populations is a good way to get them on our side?  Polls show that US policy in Afghanistan has only harmed Afghani and Muslim perceptions of America.
   2.  Should we give up on Obamacare?  Many people are paying more than before and the website     was a complete failure.
   3.  Isn't it too early to judge Obamacare to be failure?  Every major government program from social security to medicaid had problems when they were first introduced but are now run fairly well.  We should expect the there to be a learning curve with any major policy shift.  Obamacare is no different.
   4*.  Some websites claim that potatoes cure cancer.  Are you kidding me?  If that were true, then we'd expect lower rates of cancer in Ireland relative to other populations.  But this isn't the case.

D.   Practice: Ex. 4B

IV.  Arguers, Audiences, Systems of Belief, and Sidgwick's Insight (Ch. 1 Sec. 3&4)
Why do we have to learn this crap?
A.  What elements make up a system of belief?
B.  How does a system of belief affect argument interpretation and construction?
C.  Specific vs. universal/general audience.   What are some examples of specific audiences?
D.  3 different types of audiences:  sympathetic, open, hostile.
   1.  Eg. p. 19 bottom paragraph.
   2.  Dangers of constructing for a sympathetic audience.
   3.  Eg.  New sports stadium.
E.*  What is Sidgwick's insight? And why is it important to identify the type of audience?
F.  Ami's insight: don't argue from facts, argue from shared values.
G.  Practice:   Ex. 1D Q. 1

More advice for debating: http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/06/the-neurochemistry-of-positive-conversations/


Homework: 
1.  Ex. 4B ALL
2.  What are your moral foundations?  From this page, click on the link that says self-scorable MFQ30
How are the results different from what you expected or are they what you expected?
3.  Constructing your own argument.   In premise-conclusion form, drawing from Sidgwick and Ami's insights, construct an argument for a hostile audience to your personal position on gun control or Obamacare.