Learning From Experience

Here's some stuff on inductive arguments. First, a video of comedian Lewis Black describing his failure to learn from experience every year around Halloween:


Next, a stick figure comic offers a pretty bad argument. Why is it bad? (Let us know in the comments!)

There's another stick-figure comic about scientists' efforts to get as big a sample size as they can to improve their arguments.

Finally, some more thoughtful links.

• What are the benefits and dangers of generalizations?
• What makes stereotyping illogical?
• Beware: we often make snap judgments before thinking through things. Then when we do think through things, we just wind up rationalizing our snap judgments.
  

Quiz You Once, Shame on Me

The first quiz will be held at the beginning of class on Wednesday, September 30th. You will have about 25 minutes to take it. There will be a multiple choice section, a section on evaluating deductive arguments, a section on evaluating arguments, and a section where you provide examples of specific kinds of arguments. Basically, it will look like a mix of the homework and group work we've done in class so far.

The quiz is on what we have discussed in class from Chapters 6, 8, and 7 of the textbook. Specifically, here's what will be covered on the quiz:

• definitions of: logic, reasoning, argument, structure, sound, valid, deductive, inductive
• understanding arguments
• evaluating arguments
  
• deductive args (valid & sound)
• fancier deductive args
• inductive args

The quiz is worth 7.5% of your overall grade. Feel free to insult me in the comments for putting you through the terrible ordeal of taking a quiz.