w1 chapter+1+part+2

8/2/2019 W1 Chapter+1+Part+2

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The Basics (continued)

Chapter 1: Second of Two Parts



Divide the following statementsinto two groups

1. Does God exist? Yes! I was brought up as aChristian!

2. Turtles can walk backwards! I¶ve seen µem!

3. Does God exist? Yes! Something created theuniverse!

4. Turtles can walk backwards when they feellike it.

2© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.



Two items are arguments.

1. Does God exist? Yes! Something created theuniverse!

2. Turtles can walk backwards! I¶ve seen µem!

3. Does God exist? Yes! I was brought up as aChristian! [no argument]

4. Turtles can walk backwards when they feel likeit. [no argument]




Which are arguments?

1. I got sick because I didn¶t get enough rest over the weekend.

2. The governor should resign because everyonehas lost faith in his leadership ability.

3. Pine trees are called ³evergreens´ becausethey don¶t lose their leaves.

4. You are making a mistake wearing that outfitbecause it looks tacky.

5. Jennifer doesn¶t wear outfits like that becauseshe thinks they look tacky.




Only two arguments!

1. I got sick because I didn¶t get enough rest over the weekend.

2. The governor should resign because everyone

has lost faith in his leadership ability.

3. Pine trees are called ³evergreens´ becausethey don¶t lose their leaves.

4. You are making a mistake wearing that outfitbecause it looks tacky.

5. Jennifer doesn¶t wear outfits like that becauseshe thinks they look tacky.




What¶s the difference betweenthe following two statements???

1. ³There is a lot of smoke in here because thereis a fire out there.´

2. ³There is a fire out there because there is a lot

of smoke in here.´

Only # 2 is an argument!

A closer look«




1. ³There is a lot of smoke in herebecause there is a fire out there.´

2. ³There is a fire out there becausethere is a lot of smoke in here.´

Cause!Evidence!




Write two statements of the form³X because Y.´ Make only one an argument.

Example:

1. She just finished working out because she issweating.

2. She is sweating because she just finishedworking out.

Argument! Gives a reason for thinking she just finished working out.




Moral:

³X because Y!´ might be an ARGUMENT:

She just finished working out because she issweating.

Might also be CAUSE/EFFECT EXPLANATION:

She is sweating because she just finished

working out.




NEW DISTINCTION:

Objective vs. Subjective




DIVIDE INTO TWO GROUPS

1. Rice vinegar tastes better than white vinegar.

2. White vinegar removes lipstick stains; ricevinegar doesn¶t.

3. None of the Supreme Court justices iscompetent.

4. Nine authors collaborated on that article.

5. Microsoft shares are significantly overpriced.




Three claims are SUBJECTIVE!

1. Rice vinegar tastes better than white vinegar.

2. White vinegar removes lipstick stains; ricevinegar doesn¶t.

3. None of the Supreme Court justices iscompetent.

4. Nine authors collaborated on that article.

5. Microsoft shares are significantly overpriced.




³Subjective judgment´: true if you

think it is true

³This class is challenging!´

³Hillary is lots of fun.´

³That baby has a verylarge tongue.´

13

Â © B r a n d X P i c t u r e s / J u p i t e r i m a g e s

© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.



Objective judgment: it¶s truth is

INDEPENDENT of what you think.

³There are over 300 students in this class.´

³The Dow Jones went up yesterday.´

³There is life on Mars.´




Which of these is subjective?

1. ³That is a scary movie.´

2. ³That movie scared me.´





1. ³Tastes great!´

2. ³Less filling!´

Both!





1. ³Teach doesn¶t careif you wear abaseball cap in

class.´2. ³It is silly for Teach to

care if you wear abaseball cap in

class.´




And which of these issubjective?

1. ³These shirts are for sale.´

2. ³These shirts are on sale.´

Neither! Both are objective.




Once more: Which is subjective?

1. ³God exists.´

2. ³God doesn¶t exist.´

Neither.




Again:

Subjective judgment: its truth depends onwhat you think; if you think it is true, it¶s true for you, and you can¶t be mistaken.

Objective judgment: its truth depends onobjective fact, not on what you think.




Last concept:

³Value judgment´




A value judgment judges the merit or praiseworthiness or desirability of

someone or something.




Examples:

³The best looking car ever? That would not bethe Scion.´

³Bush was the best president since the one who

came before him.´

³It was wrong for you to eat all their cheese.´




More examples:

³Professor Stooler is one ugly dude.´

³The side-stroke is superior to the crawl.´

³You should honor your parents.´

³I don¶t deserve to be flunked!´




NOT value judgments:

³Susan cheated on the final.´

³Jennifer¶s field goal percentage is higher thanNicole¶s.´

³The Congressman lied to the grand jury.´

³John Kerry has an unusual chin.´




Unfortunately, there are borderlinecases:

³Greg is a dedicated father.´

³Charles could stand to lose some weight.´

³No normal human has a chin like Kerry¶s.´

The speaker might well be judgingsomeone¶s merits with these statements.




For now, we¶ll stick to casesmost of us will agree on.




Which is a value judgment?

A. That kid looks like hisbrother.

B. That kid is better

looking than hisbrother.





A. Secretary Rice is talland thin.

B. Secretary Rice is too

tall and thin.




And which of these is a value judgment?

A. Driving solo in the car-pool lane is wrong.

B. Driving solo in the car-pool lane is illegal.





A. This class is too difficult.

B. Teach didn¶t calculate my grade accurately.




One more: which of these is avalue judgment?

A. These exercises are useful and entertaining.

B. Most students think these exercises are usefuland entertaining.




ALL these are value judgments.Divide them into two groups:

1. Miller tastes great!

2. You should treat your brother better.

3. That was the best Super Bowl ever.

4. Stealing is wrong.




2 and 4 are MORAL value judgments!

1. Miller tastes great!

2. You should treat your brother better.

3. That was the best Super Bowl ever.

4. Stealing is wrong.




Which is a moral value-judgment?

A. Arnold¶s budget proposal is complicated.

B. Arnold¶s budget proposal is irresponsible.


My budgets are the

best!

The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc./Jill Braaten, Photographer




A. It¶s terrible to keep that dog penned up all daylong.

B. Brodie is one cute dog.





A. Cheating on your girl friend is wrong.

B. Hillary would make a fine president.





A. That plumber didn¶t do a very good job.

B. Forget it! This stuff is way beyond me!

Neither!




The $64,000 question:

Are moral value-judgments subjective?

Most university freshmen think so.




How many think bull-fightingis wrong?




Are moral value-judgmentssubjective?




It¶s a difficult question!




Think about a person whothinks dogs should be tortured.




Which thought seems moreappropriate to YOU?

1. It isn¶t bad for him to torture dogs.

2. His understanding of good and bad isscrewed up.




1. ³I t isn¶t bad for him

to torture dogs.´

This view isSUBJECTIVISM(If he thinks it isn¶tbad, then it isn¶t.)

2. ³H is understanding

of good/bad is

screwed up.´

This view implies thatquestions of good andbad are OBJECTIVE.




Review concepts

1. Argument

2. Argument vs. explanation

3. Premise/Conclusion

4. Issue

5. Objective/Subjective

6. Value judgment

7. Moral/ethical value judgment8. Interesting philosophical question: Are

moral/ethical value judgments objective?


w1 chapter+1+part+2

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