This document provides information on critical thinking and logical fallacies as they relate to making ethical arguments. It defines critical thinking as evaluating evidence, considering multiple perspectives, and using sound reasoning rather than just having an opinion. Logical fallacies are faulty logic that weaken arguments, such as appeals to emotion, false authority, slippery slopes, and straw man arguments. Examples are given to illustrate different types of logical fallacies. The document emphasizes the importance of fair-mindedness and avoiding logical fallacies when evaluating ethical issues.
Virtue ethics is an approach to ethics which emphasizes the character of the moral agent, rather than rules or consequences, as the key element of ethical thinking.
Virtue ethics is an approach to ethics which emphasizes the character of the moral agent, rather than rules or consequences, as the key element of ethical thinking.
At the end of the lesson, you should be able learn:
1. recognize and recall a moral experience;
2. detect a moral dilemma;
3 .identify the three levels of moral dilemmas.
This presentation is all about the Ethical Frameworks or Moral Framework which helps us to determine how to solve a problem that might occur from our moral judgement and issues.
Deontological Theories And Moral AutonomyAswin A V
Deontological ethics or deontology (from Greek δέον, deon, "obligation, duty"[1]) is the normative ethical position that judges the morality of an action based on rules.[citation needed]
It is sometimes described as "duty-" or "obligation-" or "rule-" based ethics, because rules "bind you to your duty."[2] Deontological ethics is commonly contrasted to consequentialism,[3] virtue ethics, and pragmatic ethics. In this terminology, action is more important than the consequences.
The term deontological was first used to describe the current, specialised definition by C. D. Broad in his book, Five Types of Ethical Theory, which was published in 1930.[4] Older usage of the term goes back to Jeremy Bentham, who coined it in c. 1826 to mean more generally "the knowledge of what is right and proper".[5] The more general sense of the word is retained in French, especially in the term code de déontologie "ethical code", in the context of professional ethic
Chapter 3Evaluating Moral ArgumentsWhat Is Moral Reasoning.docxwalterl4
Chapter 3
Evaluating Moral Arguments
What Is Moral Reasoning?
Moral reasoningis ordinary critical reasoning applied to ethics.
Critical reasoning(also called critical thinking) is the careful, systematic evaluation of statementsand arguments.
Statements
A statement(or claim) is the assertion that something is either true or false. The following are examples of statements:“Murder is wrong.”“1 + 1 = 2”“Shakespeare wrote The Tempest.”
Statements and Arguments –1
When at least one statement attempts to provide reasons for believing another statement, we have an argument—a group of statements, one of which is supposed to be supported by the rest.
Statements and Arguments –2
The supporting statements are called premises.
The statement that is being supported by the others is the conclusion.
Identifying ArgumentsAn argumentis intended to prove something.All arguments share a pattern: at least one premise is required to support a conclusion.A cluster of unsupported claims is not an argument.The most reliable way to identify arguments is to look for the conclusion first.Look for indicator words:terms that often appear in arguments and signal that a premise or conclusion may be nearby.
Some words indicating a conclusion:
Therefore, consequently, hence, it follows that, thus, so, it must be thatSome words indicating a premise:
Because, since, for, given that, due to the fact that, for the reason that, the reason being, assuming that, as indicated by
Two Forms of Argument
A deductive argumentis supposed to give logically conclusivesupport to its conclusion.
An inductive argumentis supposed to offer probablesupport to its conclusion.
Common Deductive Argument FormsValid forms:Denying the antecedentAffirming the consequent Invalid forms:Affirming the antecedent(modus ponens)Denying the consequent(modus tollens)The hypothetical syllogism
Deductive Arguments
A deductive argument isvalidif the premises support the conclusion. That is, the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises. If the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true.
A deductive argument is invalidif the premises do not support the conclusion. That is, the conclusion does not follow necessarily from the premises. If the premises are true, then the conclusion may or may not be true.
A deductive argument is sound if it is valid and all its premises are true.
A deductive argument is unsound if it is invalid and/or any of its premises are false.
Inductive Arguments
An inductive argument is strongif it gives probable support to its conclusion. That is, if its premises are true, its conclusion is also likely to be true.
An inductive argument is weak if it does not give probable support to its conclusion. That is, if its premises are true, its conclusion is not more probable than not to be true.
An inductive argument is cogentif it is strong and all of its premises are true.
An inductive argument is not cogent if it is weakand/or any of.
At the end of the lesson, you should be able learn:
1. recognize and recall a moral experience;
2. detect a moral dilemma;
3 .identify the three levels of moral dilemmas.
This presentation is all about the Ethical Frameworks or Moral Framework which helps us to determine how to solve a problem that might occur from our moral judgement and issues.
Deontological Theories And Moral AutonomyAswin A V
Deontological ethics or deontology (from Greek δέον, deon, "obligation, duty"[1]) is the normative ethical position that judges the morality of an action based on rules.[citation needed]
It is sometimes described as "duty-" or "obligation-" or "rule-" based ethics, because rules "bind you to your duty."[2] Deontological ethics is commonly contrasted to consequentialism,[3] virtue ethics, and pragmatic ethics. In this terminology, action is more important than the consequences.
The term deontological was first used to describe the current, specialised definition by C. D. Broad in his book, Five Types of Ethical Theory, which was published in 1930.[4] Older usage of the term goes back to Jeremy Bentham, who coined it in c. 1826 to mean more generally "the knowledge of what is right and proper".[5] The more general sense of the word is retained in French, especially in the term code de déontologie "ethical code", in the context of professional ethic
Chapter 3Evaluating Moral ArgumentsWhat Is Moral Reasoning.docxwalterl4
Chapter 3
Evaluating Moral Arguments
What Is Moral Reasoning?
Moral reasoningis ordinary critical reasoning applied to ethics.
Critical reasoning(also called critical thinking) is the careful, systematic evaluation of statementsand arguments.
Statements
A statement(or claim) is the assertion that something is either true or false. The following are examples of statements:“Murder is wrong.”“1 + 1 = 2”“Shakespeare wrote The Tempest.”
Statements and Arguments –1
When at least one statement attempts to provide reasons for believing another statement, we have an argument—a group of statements, one of which is supposed to be supported by the rest.
Statements and Arguments –2
The supporting statements are called premises.
The statement that is being supported by the others is the conclusion.
Identifying ArgumentsAn argumentis intended to prove something.All arguments share a pattern: at least one premise is required to support a conclusion.A cluster of unsupported claims is not an argument.The most reliable way to identify arguments is to look for the conclusion first.Look for indicator words:terms that often appear in arguments and signal that a premise or conclusion may be nearby.
Some words indicating a conclusion:
Therefore, consequently, hence, it follows that, thus, so, it must be thatSome words indicating a premise:
Because, since, for, given that, due to the fact that, for the reason that, the reason being, assuming that, as indicated by
Two Forms of Argument
A deductive argumentis supposed to give logically conclusivesupport to its conclusion.
An inductive argumentis supposed to offer probablesupport to its conclusion.
Common Deductive Argument FormsValid forms:Denying the antecedentAffirming the consequent Invalid forms:Affirming the antecedent(modus ponens)Denying the consequent(modus tollens)The hypothetical syllogism
Deductive Arguments
A deductive argument isvalidif the premises support the conclusion. That is, the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises. If the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true.
A deductive argument is invalidif the premises do not support the conclusion. That is, the conclusion does not follow necessarily from the premises. If the premises are true, then the conclusion may or may not be true.
A deductive argument is sound if it is valid and all its premises are true.
A deductive argument is unsound if it is invalid and/or any of its premises are false.
Inductive Arguments
An inductive argument is strongif it gives probable support to its conclusion. That is, if its premises are true, its conclusion is also likely to be true.
An inductive argument is weak if it does not give probable support to its conclusion. That is, if its premises are true, its conclusion is not more probable than not to be true.
An inductive argument is cogentif it is strong and all of its premises are true.
An inductive argument is not cogent if it is weakand/or any of.
Why are we doing this again1) Generally speaking,.docxphilipnelson29183
Why are we doing this again?1) Generally speaking, humans are not very good at reasoning.2) The purpose of this class is to make you better at reasoning.3) Fallacies are specific examples of bad reasoning, and they are all around us.Thus, learning to recognize fallacies is likely to make you commit them less often, and consequently become a better reasoner.
Hasty generalizationHasty generalization: inappropriately generalizing from too few examples.Anecdotal evidence
Freewrite: Hasty Generalization
Is there reasoning behind prejudice? What is the motivating force of prejudice or racism (as a subcategory of prejudice)? Does a person’s limited experiences with another group lead them to unjustified conclusions about an entire race (in which case it’s a hasty generalization)? Or is it some deep-seated prejudice that goes beyond reason?
Generalization from an exceptional caseGeneralization from an exceptional case: Inappropriately generalizing from cases that are unique, or unusual.Biased sampleSelf-selection fallacy
AccidentAccident: Assuming a general claim applies to a specific case that could be unusual.Example: “In America we have the right to bear arms. So if I want to point a gun at a police officer, I should be able to do so.”
Weak AnalogyWeak analogy: a weak argument based on unimportant or irrelevant similarities between the things being compared.Example: “Going to SWC is like being in prison. After all, both the campus and the prison are buildings constructed by humans.”Example: “Corporations are like people. If people can be tried in a court of law, then so can corporations.”
Untestable ExplanationUntestable explanation: when someone provides an explanation that cannot even be tested in principle.Example: “Charlene is really good at helping people because she gives off such good vibes.”
Slippery SlopeSlippery Slope: the suggestion that something will progress by degrees to an exaggerated or undesirable outcome.
False cause/correlation is not causationFalse cause: assuming that because one event happened after (or around the same time as) another that it was caused by the other.In assuming that one event causes another, the person committing this fallacy can overlook:CoincidenceA common causeRandom variationRegression to the mean
False cause (random variation)“In our tests, we randomly selected men to drive a golf ball as far as they could. We then had them wear our magnetic bracelet and try again. On the second occasion the men hit the ball an average of ten feet further. Our bracelet can lengthen your drive as well.”
False cause (regression to the mean)“The girls were well below their average on Monday, so I made them do 50 sets of pushups. Guess what? Their average was much better on Tuesday. Pushups did the trick.”
Appeal to AuthorityAppeal to authority: giving the opinion of a non-authoritative source to support a claim.Example: “My smart friend says that Obamacare is bad for the country. So he mu.
9.5 Moral TheoriesAll moral claims are grounded in some moral th.docxransayo
9.5 Moral Theories
All moral claims are grounded in some moral theory. It is the nature of such claims that they are based on a system of beliefs about what is right and wrong, just and unjust.
The table below lists a handful of the moral theories you are most likely to encounter in ethical arguments today. It’s important to note that each one has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Moral theories give you general guidelines, but you still usually have to apply moral reasoning in individual cases to test them out. For example, none of these theories explicitly claim that killing is wrong. The theories are more about how you would ground your claim that killing is wrong.
Moral theories are also not mutually exclusive. The argument that killing is wrong could be grounded in all of these theories.
Whether they know it or not, everyone has a moral theory. It is inescapable. Even if their moral theory is that there are no morals, that still represents a moral theory. But not all moral theories are equal—some hold up to critical thinking better than others.
You may see wisdom in all of these perspectives, or you may strongly identify with a single one. Regardless, it's important for you to recognize the potential weaknesses in any moral theory you favor, and it's helpful for you to understand why others find legitimacy in the moral theories they employ.
Theory
Criticisms
Kantian Ethics
· Immanuel Kant put forth the categorical imperative, which states that you should only act on moral principles that you would be willing to turn into universal laws mandating that everyone act the same way.
· This is a version of the question, “How would you like it if everyone did that?”
Any two people who want to get married should be able to.
· This theory is so absolute that it sometimes goes against moral common sense.
It’s wrong to kiss my spouse because I would not like it if everyone kissed my spouse.
Utilitarianism
· The morally right course of action is the one that will produce the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people.
· The only thing that matters is the consequences of the action, not the intentions behind the action (the ends justify the means).
· Ignores people’s rights, duties, and intentions.
· Could be used to justify an act that most would consider morally wrong because it inflicts harm on one person unjustly, even if it brings great happiness to many others.
It’s okay to steal money from my neighbor and take my family on a vacation, because then my whole family would be happy, and only my neighbor would be harmed.
Ethical Egoism
· Doing whatever is best for your own interests or would make you happy.
· This is not necessarily the same thing as doing whatever you want in the moment, because that might not be in your best interests in the long term.
· Can be used to justify terrible actions.
Ethical Altruism
· Doing whatever is best for others or would bring the greatest amount of happiness to people besides yourself.
· Some.
Chapter 1 Introduction to Ethics and Social Responsibility F.docxtidwellveronique
Chapter 1
Introduction to Ethics and Social Responsibility
Five arms linked by fists wrapped around wrists.
Don Klumpp/The Image Bank/Getty Images
Learning Objectives
At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
•Explain why it is important to study ethics and engage in ethical debates.
•Describe the roles of argument and emotion in ethics.
•Describe the function of logic in an argument and characterize an effective ethical argument.
•Explain how ethical theory can be applied to moral questions.
•Discuss how individual decisions can have consequences in the broader society.
•Identify the three dominant ethical theories in Western philosophy: utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics.
•Identify the influential ethical theories that have been proposed as alternatives to classical theories.
People have worried about ethical questions—most simply stated, what is right and wrong—since the earliest of days. From the most basic, everyday concerns to the most important challenges a society can face, we confront these basic ethical questions all the time. In the following pages, we will look at many such moral problems, as well as some of the ethical theories philosophers have offered to solve them.
The study of ethics can be frustrating at times, largely because the problems dealt with rarely lead to a result that satisfies everyone. Hence, the arguments continue, new points are raised, old views are discarded, and we seem to go nowhere. But some of this frustration can be alleviated when we realize that as long as people debate questions of right and wrong, these disagreements will persist. At the same time, however, we will discover that our understanding of those disagreements can be deepened and our abilities to reason about them improved. We may not solve all the ethical problems we confront, but we can make progress by solving some of them, and making clearer what is at stake in the problems themselves.
1.1 Why Study Ethics?
You are standing in line at the movies, and someone cuts in front of you. Your child is sent home from school because what is written on her t-shirt is considered "inappropriate." You discover that your best friend is cheating on his wife. You are forced to pay taxes to support behavior you think is wrong. Your commanding officer punishes you for something you didn't do. Your boss promotes a co-worker who took credit for work that was, in fact, done by you. You have a little extra money and, on your way to play the lottery, pass a homeless woman with her child.
These situations illustrate some of the ethical situations we may confront that would force us to consider what we should do, and whether our response is good or bad, right or wrong, moral or immoral. The study of those problems constitutes the discipline of philosophy known as ethics. The study of ethics is ancient and can be found across all cultures and in all times that humans have lived in social groups. That people consider what is r ...
1.1 Why Study EthicsYou are standing in line at the movies, and.docxpaynetawnya
1.1 Why Study Ethics?
You are standing in line at the movies, and someone cuts in front of you. Your child is sent home from school because what is written on her t-shirt is considered "inappropriate." You discover that your best friend is cheating on his wife. You are forced to pay taxes to support behavioryou think is wrong. Your commanding officer punishes you for something you didn't do. Your boss promotes a co-worker who took credit forwork that was, in fact, done by you. You have a little extra money and, on your way to play the lottery, pass a homeless woman with her child.
These situations illustrate some of the ethical situations we may confront that would force us to consider what we should do, and whether ourresponse is good or bad, right or wrong, moral or immoral. The study of those problems constitutes the discipline of philosophy known asethics. The study of ethics is ancient and can be found across all cultures and in all times that humans have lived in social groups. That peopleconsider what is right and wrong, and what they ought to do, is fundamental to living in communities. Thus, another way of thinking aboutethics is that it is the study of "oughts" and "shoulds"—what ought I do, what should others do, what ought society do. Even though our focusin this text will be on the subject of ethics itself, we will also explore the long history of ethics and some of its important relationships withreligious traditions and legal and political doctrines before we reach the conclusion of our readings. Recognizing how our philosophical concepts—particularly ethical concepts—inform and clarify our understanding of religion, the law, and politics is important.
At the same time, we all have what philosophers call moral intuitions. Intuitions, in the philosophical sense, are views that we hold, and sharewith others, without any specific argument or reasoning involved. They tend to be immediate and spontaneous. Perhaps you see an animalbeing treated with great cruelty, and you immediately and spontaneously object to that treatment. This reflects your intuition that such crueltyis wrong; you don't hesitate to consider the evidence and arguments involved—you simply react. Such intuitions are often correct, and thestudy of ethics can help support them by providing deeper reflection on the issues involved and developing sophisticated arguments thatsupport these intuitions. It is also possible that such intuitions may be wrong, or at least may be considered by many others to be wrong. Aperson's intuitions may tell him any number of things: that stealing is sometimes okay, that violence can sometimes solve problems, thatwomen or people of other races or religions are inferior. Many of us may object to these intuitions. The study of ethics puts us in a strongerposition to be able not just to say that we disapprove, but also to explain why we disapprove and why such intuitions may both be wrong andlead to other immoral results. As we shall see, s ...
Rethorical Assigment # 5 – Response to visual media
This week we are watching a movie. It is called Recount. The movie talks about the presidential election in 2000 between the democrat candidate Al Gore and George W. Bush on the republican side.
Your assignment is simple. Choose one of the following thesis:
1. Al Gore rightfully won the election.
2. George Bush rightfully won the election.
That should be your lead sentence and then you will develop that central point, based on the movie. Just explain and give examples of the central idea. This assignment must be based on the movie, no research.
This is another 1-page essay. Double space, 12 Times New Roman, Align left. One single paragraph essay.
1st line: name
2nd line: Rethorical Assigment # 5 …
3rd line: leave it in blank
4th line: hit tab start writing until the end of the page.
1.1 Why Study Ethics?
You are standing in line at the movies, and someone cuts in front of you. Your child is sent home from school because what is written on her t-shirt is considered "inappropriate." You discover that your best friend is cheating on his wife. You are forced to pay taxes to support behavioryou think is wrong. Your commanding officer punishes you for something you didn't do. Your boss promotes a co-worker who took credit forwork that was, in fact, done by you. You have a little extra money and, on your way to play the lottery, pass a homeless woman with her child.
These situations illustrate some of the ethical situations we may confront that would force us to consider what we should do, and whether ourresponse is good or bad, right or wrong, moral or immoral. The study of those problems constitutes the discipline of philosophy known asethics. The study of ethics is ancient and can be found across all cultures and in all times that humans have lived in social groups. That peopleconsider what is right and wrong, and what they ought to do, is fundamental to living in communities. Thus, another way of thinking aboutethics is that it is the study of "oughts" and "shoulds"—what ought I do, what should others do, what ought society do. Even though our focusin this text will be on the subject of ethics itself, we will also explore the long history of ethics and some of its important relationships withreligious traditions and legal and political doctrines before we reach the conclusion of our readings. Recognizing how our philosophical concepts—particularly ethical concepts—inform and clarify our understanding of religion, the law, and politics is important.
At the same time, we all have what philosophers call moral intuitions. Intuitions, in the philosophical sense, are views that we hold, and sharewith others, without any specific argument or reasoning involved. They tend to be immediate and spontaneous. Perhaps you see an animalbeing treated with great cruelty, and you immediately and spontaneously object to that treatment. This reflects your intuition that such crueltyis wrong; you don't hes ...
Module 3 OverviewEgoism and Relativism; Pluralism and Pragmatism.docxannandleola
Module 3 Overview
Egoism and Relativism; Pluralism and Pragmatism
Welcome to Module Three. Is it wrong to smoke marijuana? Is it unethical to get an abortion? Recently, several states and municipalities have passed ordinances and ballot initiatives legalizing the use of marijuana. Also, some states have severely restricted access to abortion, whereas others have not. Are these actions right or wrong and ethical or unethical depending on physical boundaries or jurisdiction rule? This module will explore egoism, moral relativism, pluralism, and pragmatism in the context of real-world issues.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this module, you should be able to:
2B
discuss ‘moral sainthood’ and its role in ethics.
6B
describe pluralism and pragmatism as they relate to ethics.
6C
analyze the benefits and criticisms of cultural relativism as it relates to ethics.
7A
evaluate the different perspectives of egoism as it relates to ethics.
7B
discuss sociological and cultural relativism as they relate to ethics.
Module 3 Reading Assignment
Waller, B. N. (2011). Consider ethics: Theory, readings, and contemporary issues (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson. Chapters 2 and 6.
Supplemental Reading Assignments (Required):
Häyry, M. (2005). A defense of ethical relativism. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 14(1), 7-12.
Course Login Instructions
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Please register your Pearson Online
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s Student Access Code. You can find your Student Access Code in the AAU Course Registration e-mail that came with your text.
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NOTE: Bookmarking pages in this site, especially the resources you access with the link above, is not recommended.
Please view the Online Presentation for Module 3.
Egoism and Relativism; Pluralism and Pragmatism
Chapter 2 Lecture Notes: Egoism and Relativism
Egoism
Psychological egoism is the view that all of our behavior is selfish or self-interested as a matter of empirical psychological fact. Although several convincing examples can be given in support of selfish or self-interested behavior, psychological egoism, as a scientific theory, fails the test of falsifiability. If psychological egoism is a scientific account of human behavior, then one should able to state what would count as evidence against the position. But all acts that might count against the theory are immediately reinterpreted in terms of selfishness or self-interest. Thus, psychological egoists tend to espouse a belief and not an empirically testable claim. Additionally, the psychological egoist appears to conflate the notions of selfishness, self-interest, and satisfaction.
Ethical egoism is the view that we ought to always act in a way that is self-interested. Unlike psychological egoism, ...
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Explain why relativism and egoism pose a challenge to the possib.docxkendalfarrier
Explain why relativism and egoism pose a challenge to the possibility of rational discussion in ethics. Using the readings in our text and my Weekly Comments, show how these doctrines might be challenged.
Feminist Care Ethics might be seen as a challenge to Kantian Ethics. Explain with reference to the readings in our text and my Weekly Comments.
Feminist Care Ethics might be seen as a form of Virtue Ethics with the major difference being a disagreement about the nature of human excellence and the virtues necessary for acting ethically. Explain with reference to the readings in our text and my Weekly Comments.
Explain the Trolley problem and the differences in the ways that utilitarianism, Kantian deontology, and Virtue Ethics would address the problem. Base your answer on the readings in our text and my Weekly Comments.
Both Utilitarianism and Kant's deontological ethics sometimes lead to morally horrendous actions related to the sanctity of human life. Kantian ethics is able to avoid the morally horrendous actions that can be justified using Utilitarianism, while Utilitarianism can avoid the morally horrendous actions that accord with Kantian ethics. Virtue ethics, though, would not have the same sorts of problems addressing issues discussed in the text, such as torturing terrorists if it were necessary to save lives, the Trolley Problem, killing an innocent person to save the lives of others, lying or making a false promise to save the lives of others. Explain with reference to the readings in our text and my Weekly Comments, using specific examples of the types of cases that would provide problems for each of the theories.
Week 2: Ethical Relativism
Ethical Relativism is the claim that moral views are relative to the culture in which one lives or to the individual (also called Subjectivism). Many people declare themselves to be ethical relativists, but very few actually believe it to be true in practice. Often people are simply trying to avoid getting into an argument when they say that their ethical positions are just opinions. If it was true that you should avoid arguments about ethical issues, you would have to believe that there are good moral or possibly prudential reasons for not getting into arguments with others, that it was good for everyone to avoid conflict about controversial issues, which means that it is simply correct to be tolerant, making you opposed to relativism. Since you would be claiming that tolerance is a virtue that everyone should accept. In other cases, you may be concerned with ethnocentrism, the practice of imposing your views on others. But then, you would have to believe that being ethnocentric is morally wrong and that there are good moral reasons for not being ethnocentric. All of the people in the class took tolerance to be a moral virtue, some claiming that it is a result of cultural relativism. But you can’t derive a universal value from cultural relativism. And Daesh (ISIL, ISIS) and the Taliban .
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2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
1. “A man who makes an assertion puts
forward a claim--- a claim on our attention
and to our belief.”
–Stephen Toulmin
• You will be evaluating, discussing ethical issues
this semester based on learned ethical
frameworks.
• At the end of the semester, you will be using
these skills to make an ethical argument.
2. There is a lot of gray area with ethics and
no solid formula that works every time. It
takes a lot of critical thinking and sound
reasoning to consider all the nuances,
possible alternatives, and consequences to
stakeholders in ethical dilemmas.
What are the components of critical
thinking?
3. Critical Thinking is…
Asking probing or
critical questions
Making connections
and synthesizing
information
Evaluating the
credibility of evidence
Considering multiple
opinions,
stakeholders, and
solutions
Using fair logic and
reasoning
Critical Thinking is
not…
Criticizing everything
Just having an opinion
Being Vehemently One-
Sided
Merely comprehending a
text, opinion, or issue
Being logically unsound
or unfair
4. What counts as an argument?
Definition 1-- a chain of reasoning designed to prove something, consisting of
one or more premises and a conclusion. The conclusion is what we are
trying to prove and the premises are the considerations that are supposed
to prove it.
Definition 2 -- giving logical, fair and true reasons to change or influence the
way someone thinks, feels, or acts regarding a particular issue
5. Moral/Ethical Claims:
Ask the question, “How right or wrong is it?”
Judge human behavior by applying a code of conduct based
on a religious or philosophical belief system
6. Moral/ethical claims emerge from:
(1) matching an existing standard to a situation or behavior
(2) establishing a moral/ethical standard when none previously exists
(3) resolving conflicts between competing moral/ethical standards
(for example, between mercy killing or allowing someone to suffer)
Many other types of claims deal with ethical issues. Ethical arguments
MUST make ethical recommendations.
7. Identifying Ethical Claims
Try to identify if which of the following is an ethical
claim and which is not:
1. A mouse is not a human being. Therefore, there is
no scientific justification for experimenting on mice
in order to find out things about people.
2. It is argued, possibly with some justification, that
skinny models provide unhealthy images for
adolescents. But this does not mean that they
should be criticized for presenting this image. No
supermodel is chastised for smoking, a habit that is
far more likely to kill her, and her admirers, than
slimness. Nor do we persecute ballerinas, many of
whom are not just anorexic, but crippled.
8. Identifying Ethical Claims
Ethical arguments deal with “should’s” and
“ought’s.” They make moral
recommendations for what should or
should not be done in a situation.
We should not … because
What follows the “because” should be
based on sound reasons and evidence,
not emotion.
9. Logical Fallacies
While it may seem that emotion plays a
strong role in moral choices, it is
important to hone strong reasoning and
logical to examine ethical dilemmas and
make ethical choices.
10. Logical Fallacies
Essentially these are logical untruths or faulty
logic. The terms refers to inaccurate or
misleading information that weakens an
argument.
They can be used maliciously, relying on
audience ignorance of the issue, audience trust,
or the believe that the audience will not or
cannot look further into the evidence.
Ethical arguments are prone to fallacies of
distorting, distracting, and omitting evidence
especially when strong emotions and values are
involved.
11. Types of Fallacies
Emotion: Relying solely or unfairly on the
audience’s emotions – guilt, insecurity, anger,
fear, etc.
Authority or Trust – focusing solely on
character assassination or claiming authority
where none exists
Logic- Distorting, Distracting or Omitting
Evidence
13. Practice 1
My roommate said her philosophy class
was hard, and the one I’m in is hard, too.
All philosophy classes must be hard!”
What’s wrong here?
Two people’s experiences are, in this
case, not enough on which to base a
conclusion.
14. Generalization
Definition: Making assumptions about a whole
group or range of cases based on a sample
that is inadequate (usually because it is
atypical or too small). Stereotypes about
people (“librarians are shy and smart,”
“wealthy people are snobs,” etc.) are a
common example of the principle underlying
hasty generalization.
15. Practice 2
“Animal experimentation reduces our respect for
life. If we don’t respect life, we are likely to be more
and more tolerant of violent acts like war and
murder. Soon our society will become a battlefield in
which everyone constantly fears for their lives. It will
be the end of civilization. To prevent this terrible
consequence, we should make animal
experimentation illegal right now.”
What’s wrong here?
16. Problem 1: Since animal experimentation has
been legal for some time and civilization has
not yet ended, it seems particularly evident
that this chain of events won’t necessarily
take place.
Problem 2: Even if we believe that
experimenting on animals reduces respect for
life, and loss of respect for life makes us more
tolerant of violence, that may be the spot on
the hillside at which things stop—we may not
slide all the way down to the end of
civilization.
17. Slippery slope
Definition: The arguer claims that a sort of chain
reaction, usually ending in some dire consequence,
will take place, but there’s really not enough
evidence for that assumption. The arguer asserts
that if we take even one step onto the “slippery
slope,” we will end up sliding all the way to the
bottom; he or she assumes we can’t stop partway
down the hill.
18. Practice 3
Guns are like hammers—they’re both tools with metal
parts that could be used to kill someone. And yet it would
be ridiculous to restrict the purchase of hammers—so
restrictions on purchasing guns are equally ridiculous.
What’s wrong here?
Guns and hammers share certain features- having metal
parts, being tools, and being potentially useful for
violence.
However, these are not the ones at stake in deciding
whether to restrict guns.
Rather, we restrict guns because they can easily be used
to kill large numbers of people at a distance- a feature
hammers do not share.
19. Weak analogy
Definition: Many arguments rely
on an analogy between two or
more objects, ideas, or situations.
If the two things being compared
aren’t really alike in the relevant
respects, the analogy is weak.
20. Analogies Are Tricky
If you think about it, you can make an analogy of some kind
between almost any two things in the world:
“My paper is like a mud puddle because they both get
bigger when it rains and they’re both kind of murky.”
So the mere fact that you can draw an analogy between two
things doesn’t prove much, by itself.
21. Example Analogy: Abortion
Arguers frequently compare fetuses with adult human
beings and then argue that treatment that would violate
the rights of an adult human being also violates the rights of
fetuses.
The strength of these depends on the strength of the
analogy: Do adult humans and fetuses share the
properties that give adult humans rights?
1. Strong Analogy: If the property that matters is having a
human genetic code or the potential for a life full of
human experiences, adult humans and fetuses do share
that property.
2. Weak Analogy: If the property is being self-aware,
rational, or able to survive on one’s own, adult humans
and fetuses don’t share it.
22. Practice 4
“We should abolish the death penalty. Many
respected people, such as actor Ryan Gosling,
have publicly stated their opposition to it.”
What’s wrong here?
While Ryan Gosling may be an authority on
acting, there’s no particular reason why
anyone should be moved by his political
opinions.
23. False appeal to authority
Definition: References to respected sources or
authorities and explaining their positions on the
issues are often used appropriately to strengthen
an argument.
However, a false appeal to authority tries to get
readers to agree with a conclusion simply by
impressing them with a famous name or appealing
to a supposed authority, who really isn’t much of an
expert.
24. Practice 5
“Same-sex marriages are immoral; 70% of
Americans think so.”
What’s wrong here?
While American majority opinion might be relevant
in determining what laws we should have, it
certainly doesn’t determine moral vs. immoral.
Ex. At one time a substantial number of Americans
were in favor of segregation, but their opinion was
not evidence that it was moral.
25. Ad populum – “To the people”
There are many versions of the ad populum
fallacy.
What they all have in common is that the
arguer takes advantage of the desire most
people have to be liked and to fit in with
others.
One of the most common versions is the
Bandwagon Fallacy, in which the arguer tries
to convince the audience to do or believe
something because everyone else (supposedly)
does.
26. Practice 6
“Caldwell Hall is in bad shape. Either we tear it down
and put up a new building, or we continue to risk
students’ safety. Obviously we shouldn’t risk anyone’s
safety, so we must tear the building down.”
What’s wrong here?
The argument neglects to mention the possibility
that we might repair the building or find some way
to protect students from the risks in question—for
example, if only a few rooms are in bad shape,
perhaps we shouldn’t hold classes in those rooms
27. False dichotomy
Definition: The arguer sets up the situation so
it looks like there are only two choices. The
arguer then eliminates one, so it seems that
we are left with only one logical option: the
one the arguer wanted us to pick in the first
place.
Remember, often there are really many
different options, not just two, and those
options are more complex.
28. Practice 7
“Feminists want to ban all pornography and punish everyone
who looks at it! But such harsh measures are surely
inappropriate, so the feminists are wrong: porn and its fans
should be left in peace.”
What’s wrong here?
The feminist argument is made weak by being overstated.
In fact, most feminists do not propose an outright “ban” on
porn or any punishment for those who merely view it or
approve of it; often, they propose some restrictions on
particular things like child porn, or propose to allow people
who are hurt by porn to sue publishers and producers—not
viewers—for damages.
29. Straw Man
Definition: In the straw man fallacy, the arguer
sets up a weak version of the opponent’s
position and tries to score points by knocking it
down.
It is appropriate to anticipate and respond in
advance to opposing views.
Just as being able to knock down a straw man
(like a scarecrow) isn’t very impressive,
defeating a watered-down version of an
opposing argument isn’t very impressive
either.
30. Cherry-Picking
also known as “card-stacking”
Ignoring 1) evidence that disproves your
argument 2) opposing arguments, or valid
points or concerns of opposing argument
in order to make yours more appealing
All arguments (ethical issues included)
should be fair-minded and truthful.
31. Fair-mindedness
“Opinions about ethical issues are often so strongly held
that many people find it difficult to give any
consideration at all to opposing views. Yet on matters of
great importance to our lives … we should be prepared to
understand the views of those who disagree with us, and
to attempt to judge between opposing views in an
unbiased way.”
What does it mean to be fair-minded? How would you
define it?
32. Fair-mindedness Cont.
Having a lack favoritism toward a particular side
Assessing your own moral viewpoint according to the
same standards by which you assess those of others –
you must be self-critical.
Making judgments without preference to one’s own
interest, advantage, or feeling.
Making thoughtful choices about the
appropriateness of personal emotion in the
situation
We cannot separate emotion from ethical choices, but
we can choose when our own feelings are helpful or
hurtful, or when they are misplaced or wrongly
influenced.
33. Final Practice: Visual Ethical Arguments
With your group…
1. Decide what is logically flawed in this ethical
argument for vegetarianism. You may be able to
find several things.
2. Discuss what some potentially logical reasons
might be for an ethical argument for
vegetarianism.
34.
35. Avoiding Logical Fallacies in Ethical
Arguments:
1. Identifying or using valid reasons (ones you have good
reason to believe are both true and relevant to the issue
at hand)
2. Making sure reasons provide factual and logical evidence
for your conclusion or thesis
3. Verifying that only the most important or relevant
aspects of the issue have been addressed (that is, that the
premises and conclusion focus on what is really important
to the issue)
4. Avoiding premises that are so emotional, zealous, or
sweeping that they cannot be supported with sound logic.
5. Checking for fair acknowledgement and representation of
multiple opinions or courses of action.