| College students tend to wax enthusiastic about | | | | and then arbitrarily excuses himself (or his |
| the lessons they pick up in class. Curiously, this | | | | position) from following, or being subject to, the |
| very admirable trait, a thirst for knowledge, has a | | | | same rule.Finally, spin-doctors notoriously create |
| downside to it. When one learns at a rate best | | | | mind-fog by abusing langauge. Sometimes they |
| described as "alarming," which college students | | | | utter deliberately vague or ambiguous sayings. |
| often must do, little time exists to sit and sift | | | | Sometimes they simply make fine-sounding claims |
| through all that new material carefully. And this | | | | and offer no proof. You have heard this many |
| burdensome task would mandate yet more study | | | | times: "Our product delivers twice the chocolatey |
| time, which luxury few students can afford.This | | | | goodness and only half the calories!!" (And Joe |
| means that, for very practical reasons, they will | | | | Fried-potato, who happens to be wider than your |
| tend to accept readily the sermons that echo | | | | dining room, AGREES!!). The simple way to fight |
| from academic pulpits. Consumers of media | | | | mind-fog comes from asking questions that |
| information have nearly the same problem -- a | | | | clarify.For instance, in your criminology course, you |
| large flow of information thrust at them, and little | | | | might ask Professor Plumb, "Professor, you said |
| time to sort through it. Election years only | | | | something about a candlestick in a library. Precisely |
| magnify this problem, and political candidates can | | | | what did you mean by "candlestick," and did you |
| grind axes with the best of them. When a scandal | | | | mean to refer to this literally, or as some sort of |
| breaks out, the media blitz can sometimes blind | | | | symbol that stands for something else? Press the |
| even the more critical viewers. So we have done | | | | point, when you feel that someone tries to sell |
| some of the extra homework for these groups | | | | you something, as it were, under-the-table -- and |
| to help them make the best of this unhappy | | | | make them sell it over-the-counter instead. Make |
| situation. Here, we offer a clear-headed set of | | | | them say just what they mean, clearly and |
| rules to disperse the fog quickly, adding daylight to | | | | precisely.Once you have a clearer idea of the |
| the topic at hand.As a first step in adopting a | | | | nature of the claim he wishes to promote, you |
| cautiously critical posture, we would like to | | | | can toss it into the pool of "noted claims to |
| introduce the rule, "take careful notes and develop | | | | compare and contrast," first measuring that claim |
| a long memory by referring back to them now | | | | by itself, and then by checking it against the other |
| and again." Spin-doctors count on the fact -- a | | | | claims in the pool. Some claims will swim, while |
| most unhappy truth -- that most people do not | | | | others will plunge like the Titanic at an iceberg |
| remember what the sales script said that they | | | | party.Here, just below, we have collected a few |
| fed to the masses last week. This way, when | | | | of our favorite sayings popular on college |
| they later change the story, you can call them on | | | | campuses, most of which we have heard |
| it. If it's a political speech in question, "Tivo" it, so | | | | Professor Spin mumble more than once from his |
| you can play it back when later when spin | | | | academic pulpit. Not only do most of these refute |
| proponents deny that their guy ever said it in the | | | | themselves, but they also don't get along with |
| first place.Second, isolate the parts of the speech | | | | each other very well, as we will see. Our helpful |
| or lecture that seem to form the main points of | | | | and irreverent responses to these appear in |
| the argument. Often this or that advocate will | | | | brackets.1. No one can really know anything for |
| avoid stating the main points of his argument | | | | sure, when all is said and done. [Really? Are you |
| explicitly, only implying them. Make the implied | | | | certain?]2. All religions are equally valid [Most, but |
| parts explicit yourself by asking, "what | | | | not all, religions deny this] [But we are absolutely |
| assumption(s), does this depend upon that he has | | | | sure this is true anyway].3. We must tolerate all |
| not stated openly?" Then write them down. For | | | | views [except those which deny this][Which |
| instance, if one were to argue, "We had to attack | | | | includes most, but not all, religions] [but we are |
| his country because the guy is a tyrant," then | | | | absolutely sure that the dissenting religions are all |
| note that this assumes -- unless otherwise | | | | equally wrong][And, of course, we will not tolerate |
| qualified -- that we must attack all countries | | | | those dogmatic religions].4. There are no ethical |
| where tyrants rule. Given today's political climate, | | | | absolutes [And we mean absolutely none] [Note: |
| this would not promote a very promising course | | | | This claim contradicts #1, 2, and 3 also.]5. Slavery |
| of action. So stated, we would have to attack | | | | is wrong [Although this is true, we put it here so |
| almost everyone, starting with the I.R.S.So | | | | you would notice that it contradicts #1, #2, #3 |
| remember to make a list of the important claims | | | | and #4, which shows that claims 1-4 are false, |
| in question -- whether the speaker or writer has | | | | but popular enough anyway].6. Education is the |
| stated, implied, or simply assumed them.Third, | | | | key to solving the world's problems [Unless we |
| "Always examine a claim by itself first."This | | | | count all the logical problems created by educated |
| provides a fast and easy way to prevent | | | | people (see above) who say impossible things]. |
| reckless professors, for instance, from | | | | [Note: this also contradicts #1, #2, and #4.]7. Your |
| hoodwinking students into bogus philosophies (as is | | | | western views are too binary [You see, there are |
| their custom). For instance, consider the popular | | | | only binary views, and non-binary ones -- which is |
| claim, "There are no moral absolutes." This would | | | | itself a binary view -- oops] [hint: all views logically |
| mean that claims about morality necessarily have | | | | exclude some other views] [Which, of course, |
| exceptions. Evaluating this claim by its own words, | | | | shows that NOT all views are equally valid] [Some |
| however, quickly reveals that it provides to us an | | | | views, like "the earth is flat" are just goofy, and |
| example of a moral absolute. It allows no | | | | these are only "equally vaild" with other stupid |
| exception, while speaking to the topic of | | | | ideas].8. Religion is responsible for killing too many |
| morality.Ironically, then, the claim instances an | | | | people [which implies that murder is wrong, even |
| example of just what it denies. The claim cannot | | | | though this sounds like a moral absolute] [This also |
| be true on ITS OWN terms. Such claims would | | | | contradicts claims #1-4, and #7.] [And note that, if |
| play the roles of felon AND whistleblower all at | | | | this statement were true, it would render all |
| once. They represent a form of logical or | | | | religions equally bad, not "equally valid," whatever |
| propositional suicide, since they affirm by example, | | | | that might mean].9. Bible-thumping Christians are |
| and yet forbid by principle, the very same thing. | | | | too dogmatic. [It is written: Thou shalt not be |
| Look for these and you will find more than you | | | | dogmatic!] [And we are sure of this] [So, follow |
| imagine might suffuse popular chatter.Fourth, | | | | instead OUR dogma, even though it refutes itself] |
| compare and contrast these claims, assumptions, | | | | [Which means that BTC's should not be tolerated, |
| and implied assertions with one another, asking, | | | | contrary to #3 above] [And that their religion is |
| "Are these logically consistent with each other, or | | | | not "equally valid" with non-thumping religions, |
| do they get along like Larry, Moe and Curly when | | | | contrary to #2].We could go on, and have great |
| the ladder-swinging begins, and the paintbrushes | | | | fun doing it, but you get the point. This band of |
| start to fly?" Sometimes speakers will utter | | | | hired accusers failed to coordinate their |
| logically incompatible sayings within a very short | | | | testimonies in advance. And so many of the |
| span. So you will need to learn to identify them to | | | | views promulgated from academic pulpits turn out |
| note when this happens. Here, you will have | | | | just a little nuttier than Jif. Just because a |
| located spin, exaggeration, unwarranted claims, or | | | | confused-but-confident professor, politician, or |
| even outright lies. You might even get | | | | spin-doctor says it loudly and often -- this doesn't |
| two-for-one.For instance, when the U.S. invaded | | | | make it true. So when she says, "question |
| Iraq, it did so against the voice of the U.N. | | | | authority," you might want to take her at her |
| inspectors, who wanted more time. This shows | | | | word, and start by putting her own claims on the |
| that the U.S. (or at least the current | | | | chopping block first.In any case, by keeping these |
| administration) believes it proper to ignore | | | | five rules handy, you can arm yourself against all |
| whatever authority the U.N. might have when it | | | | manner of rhetorical shenanigans and verbal |
| deems it necessary. Yet when Iraq defied the | | | | skullduggery.Carson Day has written some 1.3 |
| very same U.N. authority (Saddam, as we say, | | | | gazillion articles and essays on all manner of topics. |
| "dissed" the U.N. inspectors) the Bush | | | | These aim to glorify God and offer people real |
| administration claimed that this provided grounds | | | | help to live wisely and well. You can visit Carson's |
| to invade Iraq. The "Okay for us, but not for | | | | websites at (The Omniblog, where Carson blogs |
| them" trick is called the fallacy of self-exception. | | | | everything) or (Carson's Day Trading Outpost). |
| One commits this error in reasoning when he lays | | | | Thanks for stopping by. |
| down a rule for everyone or every argument, | | | | |