Appeal to Emotion

The idea of the appeal to emotion in chapter 10 of Epstein book, "Critical Thinking," is to use the human sense of emotion of fear, pity, vanity, spite, and feel-good of oneself to get the viewers to agree or accept what is being advertised or shown to them. Take for example the emotion appeal of fear, this is commonly use in commercials and adds that would want you to think twice about something or want you to stop doing or using something. A few examples are advertisement for anti-smoking, or anti-tobacco companies, and even anti-drunk drivers. Also, advertisements for things such as abortion, or unprotected sex also uses scare or fear tactics of the emotion of appeal to hopefully prevent their viewers from doing, what they would think, would be the wrong thing to do. Emotion appeal of fear is also a way that many politicians use to try to manipulate viewers for their own benefit. Take for example the campaign going on right now with Meg Whitman and John Brown for the seat of Governor of California. You can see that they try to use the fear tactic by bashing each others in their adds about all the bad things that each opponent have done in the past, and then asking you as the viewer if you would REALLY want someone like that governing your state.

Page 195 Number: 3

http://best-photoshop-tutorials.blogspot.com/2009/06/40-brilliant-anti-smoking-ad-campaigns.html

I had found an advertisement website for anti-smoking campaign. These advertisements use the emotional appeal of fear. The fear of what happens if one smokes or keeps smoking. It is an advertisement protesting against the nicotine and tobacco company and the people who use. It is portraying how harmful cigarettes are to, not only our own personal health, but also to those around us. This form of emotional appeal, in my perspective works very well, because it relates smoking to death. One of the fear that many have, or the fear of being ill or sick. It also a good argument, because there are statistical and scientific research over the years that helps prove to many that smoking does harm to your body and others around you. Although these advertisements are in picture form, but it is a very profound and strong of advertisement, seeing how dramatic each advertisement is and adamant about not smoking. An emotional appeal is an appeal, a form of claim or argument that touches on the premises of human sensibility and emotions. I believe these advertisement did a good job in pointing that out.

Interpersonal Dimensions of Group Evaluation

In a group environment, where team members agree upon or decide to meet regularly there will tend to be some disagreements or conflicts. The main goal or focus in these types of group environment, is to be able to recognize when the conflicts is no longer a conlfict of the project itself, but of personalities. Therefore, that is why groups like these needs to plan in their group a periodic performance evaluation. Assessing where they stand and their progress to their goals, the cohesiveness of the group, and the problems that the exists in the group and how to resolve it.

Group Evaluation is a tool that group members can use to do this. There are three different dimensions to this: Informational, Procedural, & Interpersonal.

Interpersonal dimension is the last of the three dimensions in the group evaluation. It is where the group focuses on the relationships of each individual team members that are there. Because in any event, if there is conflict within the group between team members, it will present to the group a sense of uncomfortableness. Which, in return will strain the group, leaving them unable to be productive towards their project.

Things to address that would help the group are:
1. Positive reinforcement - For example, in my previous group projects from previous semesters, we found that in order to make group members to feel confident and not left out; We would often praise each team members on the things that they do right. This gives them confidence - a form of positive reinforcement.
2. Solidarity - Example: From a previous group project, the team leader had planned out for us parts of the projects that we will do with each other, and others for individual work. This helps bring out each individuals creativity and sense of individual accomplishment.
3. Cooperativeness - Example: In my previous groups when we came together, we had first created a list of rules or values that all of us agreed upon. This is considered our group culture - this is what we use to remind ourselves our responsibility as a group and what is to be expected.
4. Respect Towards Others - Example: Before, we initiate that we are a group, we take time out to learn about each other, to find out how compatible we are. After, we agree upon being in the same group, we use our created group culture and rules to guide us in being respectful to each other.

Chapter 7 - Refuting an Argument

To refute an argument, is to counter it or prove it being false. There are three ways that an argument can be refuted: 1. Refuting directly, 2. Refuting indirectly, and 3.Attempts to refute that are bad arguments.

I would like to talk to you about refuting directly.

Refuting directly - is when you have a direct, straightforward argument to counter an argument.
Example:
Argument: It is useless and impossible for someone to learn any martial arts by sitting here, trying to catch flies with chopsticks.
Direct Refute of Argument: It is not useless or impossible for someone to learn martial arts by trying to catch flies with chopsticks. In fact, I have done it, and I have learned a form of martial arts that is important, patience.

There are a few fundamentals for direct refuting an argument. According to the book, these are:
1. Show that at least one of the premises is dubious.
2. Show that the argument isn't valid or strong.
3. Show that the conclusion is false.

Contradictory of a Claim - Chapter 6

According to the book, a contradictory claim is a claim that has an opposite type of "truth-value" or a negative/negation of a claim.

Examples of a claim:
John is eating
Thao will be going to the mall or she will go to the movies.
Mom will pick dad up from the airport, or he will take a taxi home.

Examples of contradictory of a claim:
John is not eating
Thao will not be going to the mall, and she will not be going to the movies.
Mom will not pick dad up from the airport, and he will not take a taxi home.

Basically a contradictory of a claim is the opposite of the original claim. It doesn’t matter of the original claim is a negative form or positive, it will turn to the opposite of it.

For example, if in my original claim, my first part of it is negative and my second part of the claim is positive; the contradictory of that claim is that my negative part of the claim will turn into a positive one, while my positive part of the claim will turn into a negative one.

Concealed Claims - Making It Sound Nasty or Nice

Within a Concealed Claim, the argument can be a slanter, or a loaded question; or it can make it sound nasty or nice. It can also can downplay or up-play the argument or the players. I rather like the explanation of how it can make an argument or player sound nasty or nice, from the book. It reminds me a lot of politicians and their play with words to either win our hearts or blind us from the truth. Or sometimes, to either soften what they want to be soften in their favor. I realize this might be a strong sense of opinion in my part, but it is how i perceive it. Making it sound nasty or nice is a form where one uses either one of these styles, euphemism and dysphemism.

Euphemism - by definition, from the book, is a word or phrase that makes something sound better than its original description or claim.

Dysphemism - by definition, from the book, is a word or phrase that makes something sound worse than its original description or claim.

When I was little, my family had a family friend whose daughter was crazy, due to lots of drug abuse. We all knew that she was crazy or there was something wrong with her. One time, I remember one of my aunts gossiping about their family, and they were talking about how they feel sorry the family because they had a crazy child. But, instead of using the word crazy, the re-phrased it. They said,"How unfortunate that the family had a 'Special' child. Poor thing, there is something wrong with her head." - This I believe, will suffice as a euphemism.

An acquaintance I knew, was very peculiar in his manners and characteristics. There wasn't anything wrong with him per-say, he just has a lack of socializing skills. He is blunt, can be abrupt, and speaks very little, unless needed. But, in all a gentle human being. This did not fit well with one of my female friends (She is a much older lady friend). I had heard her says, "Oh, that man is a brute of a man. He is rude, cocky, and has such ugly manners.Very mean, he is. I'm sure if could rip your heart out with his glare, he would! " - This is an example of a Dysphemism.

Advertisement & Internet

Advertisement is a form of marketing, which is used to entice customers to buy products. The world of advertisement use to rely on news paper ads that are then sent to customers personal home and through television, but now, among everything else, its also through, via the internet. Advertisement through the internet or not, according to the book, advertisement is also a for of argument. An argument of persuasion. Where the premises may be true or it may be false.


One can look at an advertisement, and may or may not believe the claim. For example, I had seen an advertisement on television and online regarding a facial product line, called Meaningful Beauty. In the advertisement it said, it is a product made from a rare type of melon found in France, and it helps reduce wrinkled skin, and tighten pores, and makes your skin look even tone and healthy. It even claims that Cyndy Crawford uses this product for herself on a day to day basis. The advertisement also claimed that, if this product were to be bought outside, it would cost hundreds of dollars, but if you order from them, then they will reduce the pricing to just a payment of $39.95, and satisfaction guarantee or your money back. I was excited to see if there product really works, since I have been looking for a facial product line for myself and nothing I have tried so far had worked. Therefore, I had gone ahead and ordered the product to try it out.

The result was that it did not work. Not only did it not work, but the product itself had cause my skin to be irritated when using it. When I had tried to return the product, I was charged an shipping and handling fee, which was not mentioned when I had originally ordered it.

Below is the link to thier website:
http://www.meaningfulbeauty.com/