Page 95 Objective 3

2). Pertaining to page 195, complete objective 1, 2, 3, 6 or 7.

For this question, I have completing objective number 3. I found an advertisement for the TRUTH organization which is against smoking and tries to raise awareness about the harmful effects of smoking on a person’s body and entire life. This organization also has powerful commercials on TV as well as advertisements like the one I’m showing here in magazines. This particular ad is showing a man smoking and reveals what the smoke is doing to the inside of him. This is an appeal to fear because it shows a horrific image which is supposed to scare a person into quitting smoking. The organizations cause is good, even though they use appeal to fear. I think this ad shows how appeal to fear can sometimes be a good thing. This ad is showing people how bad smoking is for you in the attempt to get someone to stop and save their life.

Appeal to Emotion

1). Discuss the idea of Appeal to Emotion. There are different aspects of Appeal to Emotion, which type of Appeal to Emotion strikes you, and why?

Appeal to emotion is commonly used in advertising, politics, articles, and movies or television. It is a common way to try to get a person or group of people to believe something without having legitimate reasons behind it. The different kinds are appeal to pity, appeal to fear, and appeal to spite. Appeal to pity strikes me the most out of this chapter. It strikes me because it is the appeal to emotion I see most commonly in day to day life. Just walking across the SJSU campus I can see examples of it. There are people for Green Peace who try to stop you and talk about the horrible treatment to whales or other animals and use appeal to pity to try to get you to join their cause. Other times I see it on television. We’ve all seen the commercials asking you to donate just 5 cents a day to help the poor, innocent children they constantly show on the screen. While these both may be good causes, the organizations are still using appeal to pity to get their point across.

Discussion Question #3 (3/21 - 3/27)

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading, that has not already been discussed during this discussion week, that you found useful or interesting, and discuss it.

In this chapter, I found the section about checking for validity with diagrams very useful. I had never thought about using pictures or diagrams in the course before. The illustrations and explanations gave me the ability to organize claims into a visual drawing. For their example, “All good teachers give fair exams. Professor Z gives fair exams. So professor Z is a good teacher,” I was able to understand why “good teachers” circle belongs inside the “teachers who give fair exams” circle and why “Professor Z” is not a part of both circles, therefore making it weak. This was really helpful because I can learn best if I have a way to visualize and example or work it out on paper. Being able to draw a claim out on paper allows me to do that. I think applying this method to claims can help a lot of people that may struggle just trying to think about a concept without writing it out.

Discussion Question #1 (3/21 - 3/27)

1). Discuss one concept in Chapter 8 that you found useful. Please explain the concept and give a personal example or personal story.

In this chapter, I found the section about checking for validity with diagrams very useful. I had never thought about using pictures or diagrams in the course before. The illustrations and explanations gave me the ability to organize claims into a visual drawing. For their example, “All good teachers give fair exams. Professor Z gives fair exams. So professor Z is a good teacher,” I was able to understand why “good teachers” circle belongs inside the “teachers who give fair exams” circle and why “Professor Z” is not a part of both circles, therefore making it weak. This was really helpful because I can learn best if I have a way to visualize and example or work it out on paper. Being able to draw a claim out on paper allows me to do that. I think applying this method to claims can help a lot of people that may struggle just trying to think about a concept without writing it out.

Discussion Question #2 (3/21 - 3/27)

2). Discuss the usefulness of the first or second major course assignment. Use specific examples.

I found the second course assignment very useful. First of all, it taught me to really analyze what organizations were claiming, and what I should really believe. This was because when first choosing an organization to critique, I had to see which ones had the most claims and fallacies my group could argue against. I had to think critically about each statement made by each organization and think about how it may be a weak claim or fallacy. Secondly, the assignment taught me to work with others in a group more. For the first assignment, my group took a while to figure out what each person would do and how we would get it done. When it came to this second assignment, we had learned how to work with each other and what to expect from each other. Overall, the assignment went smoothly and illustrated the reasons behind learning to think critically.

Discussion Question #3 (Open Question)

3) Pick one concept from the assigned reading, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

I really liked the section on mistaking the person for the claim. I never tought about how I may reject a claim simply because I heard it from a person I don’t know, or don’t like. Also if I believe someone lies a lot, or exaggerates a lot, I may reject any of their claims, also. I would probably do this without even giving them a chance to reason and prove their claims. I would then be breaking the principles of rational discussion. I would not be willing to reason well with the person if I have already decided I won’t believe his or her claims. This opened my eyes and made me realize that I should give every argument I hear a chance to be proven to me before I make my judgements about it. Just because I believe a person doesn’t tell the truth often, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t give their argument a chance ever. I, then, would be the one not arguing effectively or correctly.

Discussion Question #2 (Advertisements)

2) Concerning Section C in Chapter 5, Advertising on the Internet. Please find a piece of advertising on the internet, provide a link on your blog, a screenshot, or include the advertisement in your post so the class can see what you are discussing. You should then relate the piece of advertising back to the concepts in Sections A & B in chapter 5 and discuss.

(Click Here to see it larger)

When browsing the web, I am constantly bombarded with advertisements. I learn to ignore most, but some really catch my eye because of how they claim so much, yet have no reasons behind them proving it. My example shows an ad with too many claims that are not justified. I personally reject this advertisement. It is making claims left and right that their products are salon quality. However, they never mention what “salon-quality” is? They can’t back up their claims with reasons. They also say their products are the same quality but without the same price. This leads them to say, “So you can afford to have salon-beautiful hair every day”. However, what is affordable in their eyes? Also, what makes supposedly salon-beautiful hair? In addition, who decides their shampoo is the same quality shampoo as salons? Did they poll people, or decide on their own? Personally, I have tried Tresemme shampoos and salon shampoos and see a big difference. Therefore, I can reject this claim because of my personal experience. I know the claim is false from my own experience.