Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V

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 rationa