Argumentation

** I. Assignment:﻿ **
// a. Answer the following questions in your wiki //

1. What is a "syllogism"? Think of an example and write it down.

A syllogism is type of argument in which two premise are tested against to reach a conclusion. Generally the first one is about a general idea and the second one in like an example about something specific related to the other. Finally the conclusion is inferred and follow the premises above. An example could be:

__Premise 1:__ In Venezuela there is only Catholic high schools. __Premise 2:__ Maria is studying at high schools in Caracas. __Conclusion:__ Maria studies at a Catholic high school in Caracas. Good

2. Now click on "logical fallacies" and mention the types of logical fallacies that exist. Write an example of each one.

**//* Slippery slope://** This is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either.

__// Example: //__ If the government think that delinquency and violence is increasing so they should ban all the sale of guns to people who has not work in security areas. *** //Hasty Generalization://** This is a conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence. In other words, you are rushing to a conclusion before you have all the relevant facts.

__// Example: //__ I know i just came here but all the people its so friendly that I know we are going to have a great relationship.

*** //Post hoc ergo propter hoc://** This is a conclusion that assumes that if 'A' occurred after 'B' then 'B' must have caused 'A.'

__// Example: //__ It is raining a lot so, a hurricane is coming.

*** //Genetic Fallacy://** A conclusion is based on an argument that the origins of a person, idea, institute, or theory determine its character, nature, or worth.

__// Example: //__ Mubarak didn't care about the egyptian people and what they really want so his followers didn´t care too.

*** //Begging the Claim://** The conclusion that the writer should prove is validated within the claim.

__// Example: //__ People who smokes in public places should be penalized.

*** //Circular Argument://** This restates the argument rather than actually proving it.

__// Example: //__ Drugs should be banned because they are unhealthy for people who consumed it

*** //Either/or://** This is a conclusion that oversimplifies the argument by reducing it to only two sides or choices.

__// Example: //__ We can either study or be no one in life.

*** //Ad hominem://** This is an attack on the character of a person rather than her/his opinions or arguments.

__// Example: //__ PETA's ideas aren`t true and not effective because all models in their advertisement used to wear fur in fashion shows.

*** //Ad populum://** This is an emotional appeal that speaks to positive (such as patriotism, religion, democracy) or negative (such as terrorism or fascism) concepts rather than the real issue at hand.

__// Example: //__ If you were a true Catholic you would go to the church every sunday.

*** //Red Herring://** This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposing arguments rather than addressing them.

__// Example: //__ The contamination by industries is unhealthy and it is awful to our world, but what are going to do all the employees to support their family?

*** //Straw Man//:** This move oversimplifies an opponent's viewpoint and then attacks that hollow argument.

__// Example: //__ People who steal hate dislikes people who achieved something in life.

*** //Moral Equivalence://** This fallacy compares minor misdeeds with major atrocities.

__// Example: //__ The boss of that companie treats terrible to there employees and doesn´t care about the will. He is just like Fidel Castro. Super

//** b. Fact or opinion. **//

1. Do the exercises. Please check your answers.

Good //** c. Read the text "Special Relativity" **//

1. Extract the arguments the author gives, paste them in your wiki. Explain if the arguments are in favor or against the relativity of time theory.

I think all the arguments below are against the relativity of time theory by Einstein. He gives some arguments to say that his theory its not valid and its surronded by controversy. He tries to explain why he believes that and why he thinks that lorentz theory have a better approach to reality. Good * Nearly a hundred years after its conception, Einstein's theory of special relativity is still surrounded by controversy and disbelief among those outside the physics fraternity. The reasons for this are many. Not least is the poor way in which the theory is taught and expounded.

* The ﻿special theory of relativity as expounded by Einstein in 1905 is based on the argument that since all attempts to detect motion through the aether fail, the assumption of a "privileged background" is superfluous. The idea that light travels at a constant speed against some background is subtly changed to the assertion that all attempts to measure the speed of light will result in the same answer

* For Einstein, it is the relative motion which causes both observers to see the other's clocks as having slowed. This effect results from the way in which he specifies that remote clocks should be synchronised. For Lorentz, the motion of the clock through the aether produces an actual slowing of the clock. When an atomic clock is placed in an orbiting satellite, its speed is affected by the reduction in gravity and by time dilation. The latter effect differs from that predicted by Einstein's special theory of relativity in that it is a real slowing and is not reciprocated by an apparent slowing of clocks on earth as seen by the satellite. However, since the satellite is undergoing centripetal acceleration as it moves on its circular path about the earth, the special theory of relativity is said to be no longer valid and the general theory is used to explain the result.

* I believe Einstein's theories of special relativity and general relativity to be wrong because they describe the universe as having a fourth dimension of time in addition to the three dimensions of length width and height.

* The fact that the equations of relativity are so strongly supported by experimental evidence is no grounds for accepting the validity of the theory. Those equations can and have been deduced from other theories. If the same equations can be derived from several different theories. Verifying the equations by experiment does not support a particular theory.