Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V Upon completion of thi.docx

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Display competence in the art of analyzing the logic of the
subject one is studying.
2. Determine the purpose of analyzing the logic of the subject
one is studying.
3. Compare and contrast the logic of college as it is and as it
should be.
4. Assess the logic of the four modalities of communication.
5. Appraise the criteria for evaluating an author's reasoning by
using the elements of thought.
6. Identify how one should assess one's progress in learning.
7. Describe the strategies for self-assessment.
8. Apply the generic model to various applied majors
Unit Lesson
This lecture continues with the discussion of rhetorical devices.
Downplayers
A downplayer is a word that is inserted in a sentence that
undermines something that is being discussed. Let’s take a look
at two
sentences that mean the same thing in their deepest structure,
but that have radically different connotations due to one word.
“Brent got a B on his exam.”
“Brent only got a B on his exam.”
By inserting the word “only,” the person saying sentence two
has downplayed Brent’s achievement. Most people would be
happy, or at least satisfied, with a grade of B on an exam.
However, the second sentence seems to diminish Brent’s
accomplishment by indicating that a grade of B on the exam
does not meet his or her expectations of Brent. You can think of
downplayers as using scare quotes “” in verbal language. Let’s

look at some more examples.
“Yeah, Ellen just got her ‘degree’,”
In this case, the person seems to indicate that Ellen’s degree is
not really a degree. The person is attempting to cast suspicion
on
Ellen’s accomplishment.
Friend #1: “I hear that the teacher for critical thinking is great.”
Friend #2: “Oh yeah, he’s a great ‘teacher’.”
It seems that Friend #2 does not think that the teacher for
critical thinking performs very well and has cast doubt on the
teacher’s abilities by downplaying
the teacher’s pedagogy. Be on the lookout for the use of
downplayers. Do not let anyone downplay accomplishments by
using
disingenuous words. Always remind yourself of the facts. If
Brent got a B on a difficult organic chemistry exam, then one
should
give credit where credit is due and not try to discredit his
accomplishment in a devious manner.
Ridicule
Ridicule occurs when someone tries to cast suspicion on another
by making fun of the person or personally embarrassing the
person in front of others. We are often told that this form of
interaction is a high school phenomenon, but most of us realize
that this form of interaction can occur at any time, and often in
the most inappropriate contexts.
Employee to Boss: “According to the research that our team put
together, it seems that a marketing campaign targeted towards
18-35 year old women would be in the best interests of the
company.”
Boss: “What do you know? You are just an intern.”
Whenever a person tries to humiliate another person, usually
while not responding at all to the situation at hand, this person

is
ridiculing another.
Natalia: “I really think that all people in the U.S. should have
free access to medical care…I mean, this is one of the most
advanced nations in the world and we should be able to create a
system that meets the needs of the populace.”
Bert: “That is ridiculous Communist propaganda.”
Here Bert does not respond to Natalia’s claim. Instead, he
brings up something totally irrelevant in order to connect
Natalia to
something that most people fear. Another example from our
current political climate is the continual claims about Barak
Obama
being a socialist. These claims are pure attempts to ridicule
without presenting any evidence. Yelling out that someone is a
socialist is just a form of name-calling. It is easy to see why
this method is so effective. It requires no grounding in factual
evidence or argumentation, and usually, if people yell loud
enough, they will drown out the dissenting opinion. All you
need to
do is examine the structure of the U.S. economic system, as
well as literature on various concepts of socialism, and you will
see
that these statements are unfounded. Bullies exist on and off the
grade-school playground, and dealing with them throughout
life takes quick wit and sharp reflexes. There is no best way to
deal with a ridiculer, and depending on your position in relation
to
the one who ridicules, you might just have to bite your lip and
let your boss vent. However, at least in your heart you will
know
that this rhetorical technique is a favorite of those who do not
think critically.
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is gross overstatement in order to reinforce a point.
This rhetorical technique is common practice for both young

and
old. Children are highly adept at expressing their mood and
current physiological situations using hyperbole. Here are some
examples.
Child to mother or father: “I’m starving!”
Hushed conversation at a baby shower: “That kid is so ugly you
would have to pay me to hold it.”
Hyperbole is an entertaining rhetorical device, and humans have
a lot of fun playing around with meanings and expressing
themselves through it. However, it is always good to remind
ourselves of the facts in a situation where someone is using
hyperbole to influence others negatively or in such a way that
the person believes that the hyperbole actually expresses what
you are going through.
Proof Surrogate
A proof surrogate is the use of language that implies that there
is proof for a claim that you are making without actually giving
examples of the proof. Proof surrogates are proof imposters.
Skilled manipulators know how to use specific sentence
introductions in order to make it sound like their positions are
the most rational and scientifically proven positions on the
issues.
Perhaps you have heard some of the following:
You can fill in the blank with anything after the proof
surrogate, because the proof surrogate has already done its
work. It often
conveys to the uncritical audience that the statement that
follows it is commonly accepted and proven fact. Students use
this

technique in many of their papers or in class discussions. The
one that tends to emerge the most is the “scientists have proven
that…” or “did you hear about that study where…” So long as
we do not know the scientists, the study, the outcomes of the
experiment, and whether the experiment is repeatable, we
should not fall into the trap of believing without evidence.
Many
times, it is not the case that “everyone knows that…” This form
of reasoning is dangerous. There were a lot of things that
“everyone knew” in the history of our country that we now
realize were hateful, dangerous, and ignorant. Pointing out that
there is another justified opinion is the first step in allowing
others to recognize a proof surrogate when it occurs. You can
go
further by asking the person to prove that “everyone knows
that…” is the case. It is usually difficult for surrogate users to
provide the evidence that they indicate is so prevalent.
The “It Is What It Is” Device
It has become popular in modern parlance for people to claim
that something “is what it is.” This is usually followed by the
statement “you know?” In full form it looks like this:
“It is what it is…you know?”
This statement has grown from occasional use to full blown
overuse in all aspects of life. If you analyze this statement for
meaning, it is a tautology. It says basically the same things as
“A = A” or “an apple is an apple.” However, there is a deeper
meaning to the statement that comes through when people use
it. What people really mean by the statement is that the
occurrence is something
that is uncontrollable. One is unable to control the outcome of a
situation and he or she claims that the situation, “is what it is.”
There also appears to be a coping mechanism that is contained
within the statement. Usually those who use the statement are
indicating that whatever “It” is, it is something that they should
not be complaining about, and that they need to learn to
synthesize in their lives. It could be that they found out that a

loved one has cancer or that their lover has decided to leave
them.
Upon venting their frustrations and fears, people tend to follow
up their descriptions with the “it is what it is” device. They
seem
to be saying, “I cannot do anything about it. Therefore, I need
to learn how to deal with it.”
When the philosopher or deep critical thinker hears someone
use such a statement, it can be quite frustrating. There is
perhaps
no more general statement in the English language than to say
that things “are what they are.” The concept of “being” is
widely
regarded as the most abstract of all concepts, and it is uniquely
united to the verb “to be” (I am, you are, she is, we are, you are,
they are). Analysis of the concept of being itself has a long
history that ranges from Aristotle to Heidegger and everyone
that
Heidegger has influenced up until our present day. In all
instances, being has remained one of the most slippery
concepts. If you
wonder what that means, try to think of a definition of being or
what it means to say, “I am” or “it is”.
The philosopher David Hume claimed that there was no direct
correlation between what he called the IS and the OUGHT.
What
Hume is saying here is that there is no relationship between the
way that things are and the way that they ought to be. For many
throughout the history of humanity, it has been thought that if
something was happening a specific way that this was the way
that it ought to be. For example, movement into new nations
was thought to be ordained by God, and when the invaders
realized their plans, they then claimed that this was God’s will
(the way something ought to be). On a different note, many
people throughout America justified racist laws and attitudes by
claiming, “well that is just the way it IS around here.” In the

realm of ethics, Hume claims that just because something is the
way it is, this does not mean that this is the way it ought to be
ethically.
It seems that those who ascribe to the, “it is what it is” mode of
thinking are submitting to the idea that this is the way that
things ought to be. Just because something is the way it is does
not mean that we should merely accept it. Of course, when used
to describe the loss of a loved one or something that lies totally
outside the control of the human, then the statement means
something like, “I need to learn how to cope with this and deal
with this.” However, when the term is used to describe
something that lies in the control of the human, or which results
due to the decisions of the human, then you should not submit
to the fatalistic idea that you must learn how to deal with this.
When we refer to things that are in our power we must be much
more detailed with what we say. If we allow ourselves to rest in
generalizations, then we will not be able to bring the details of
our situations to our minds. Using general terms to describe our
situations will not allow us to see with the insight necessary to
understand what is actually going on in our lives and the steps
that we can take to change those situations. Rather than
claiming
life “is what it is.”
The critical thinker expresses him or herself in detailed
propositions that represent the details of existence. In this way,
the
thinker is able to recognize those things that you can change
and not settle for the idea that the way things are is the way
they
ought to be. Why not state details of our realities rather than get
lost in the ambiguity of “it is what it is” thinking?
Read Benjamin Franklin’s “Aim for Personal Perfection” in the
Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center: Critical Thinking

database
from the CSU Online Library. As you read the article, write
down various questions that come to mind, especially after
reading
Chapter 8, “How the Best Thinkers Learn.” What topics in the
article would you agree with the author about? What topics do
you
share disagreement on?
Franklin, B. (2005). Aim for personal perfection. Ed. Mary E.
Williams. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press. Retrieved from
Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center database.
Question 1
Evaluate a mode of study that you do well and one that you
could improve on. Please explain
how you plan on improving that which you find to be weak in
your own study habits.
Your response should be at least 75 words in length. You are
required to use at least your
textbook as source material for your response. All sources used,
including the textbook, must be
referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have
accompanying citations.
Question 2

What are the characteristics of the mixed-quality student?
Which do you think are most
important?
Question 3
Describe the two ways that students normally study in a typical
college course.

Question 4
What are the characteristics of the high-performing student?
Which do you think are most
important?
Question 5
Describe the logic behind a subject that you have studied.
Answer questions about the underlying
assumptions, problems, and point of view of the subject.

Question 6
Describe the typical design of a college course and the
outcomes that result for students in these
courses. In addition, describe a situation in which you found
yourself falling into this style of
learning.

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