How To Argue Arguing is one of those things most people do but few people do well. Many do not understand what a logical argument even is or how to do it correctly. Yet arguing is an essential skill of critical thinking. How we argue reflects how we think, how we evaluate our own conclusions, and how we challenge the beliefs of others. Even the very purpose of arguing is often misunderstood. The beauty of a logical argument is that it is, well… logical. Likewise, if two people have come to different conclusions about a factual claim, then one or both must be wrong. Keep in mind, this only works if the arguments are about factual claims, not subjective feelings or value judgments. An excellent example of this is the abortion debate. Structure of a Logical Argument Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, our arguments all follow a certain basic structure. Premise1: If A = B, Premise2: and B = C Logical connection: Then (apply principle of equivalence) Conclusion: A = C Examine your Premises
Bacon Wrapped Media - 11 Funny Facts I Learned From The Movies For More Fun Movie Facts, Click HERE About the author: Prasad View all posts by Prasad Military’s robotic pack-mule gets smarter but can’t shake fart noise By Stephen C. WebsterMonday, September 10, 2012 16:33 EDT The U.S. military’s experimental robotic pack-mule has been getting smarter, faster and more agile, but it still sounds like a beast with constant flatulence. Picture the scene. You’re walking through a warzone when suddenly shots ring out. That may someday mean the Marines have arrived. Until then, enjoy this video of the AlphaDog, a robot developed by DARPA meant one day to carry up to 400 pounds of soldiers’ gear. DARPA still wants to add visual and audio recognition. This video was published to YouTube on Monday, Sept. 10, 2012. Copyright 2012 The Raw Story <a style="color: #336699; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" href=" Stephen C. Stephen C.
How Mathematics Can Make Smart People Dumb - Ben O'Neill Mathematics can sometimes make smart people dumb. Let me explain what I mean by this. I don't mean that it is dumb not to be good at mathematics. After all, mathematics is a highly abstract and challenging discipline requiring many years (decades even) of study, and there are plenty of very smart people who have little understanding of it, and little ability to use it. What I mean is that mathematics quite often bamboozles people into accepting very silly arguments — arguments that are so silly that if you stated them without draping them in mathematical negligee, you would instantly become an object of ridicule to all those people who flunked out at basic algebra back in high school. The danger of mathematical arguments is that a person can sometimes follow an absurd path of reasoning without being alerted to its absurdity, due to the fact that their mind is so lost in the verbiage of mathematical equations that their common sense fails to penetrate it. But wait a minute. Notes
Jing Known types According to Bumi, there are, at least technically, eighty-five distinct types or "degrees" of jing, although only the main three have been mentioned: Positive jing, corresponding to advancing or attacking. Negative jing, corresponding to retreating or evading. Positive jing Positive jing is an aggressive expression of chi. Negative jing Negative jing is mostly exercised in airbending, reflecting the Air Nomads' pacifistic lifestyle and their philosophy that all life is sacred; they assert that fighting is only to be used as a last resort when conflict cannot be avoided.[2] Airbenders are more mobile fighters compared to earthbenders and possess a highly dynamic fighting style; to "avoid and evade" is recognized as a typical airbender tactic.[3] Neutral jing Neutral jing is stated to be the key to earthbending. As highlighted, someone who has mastered neutral jing is someone who waits and listens before striking. Quotes "I don't understand. Trivia References External links
Joyride: How to steal fuel in broad daylight What happens when someone tries to steal fuel from a car's tank in public during broad daylight? Logic says passers-by will tell them to stop, and have-a-go-heroes will be morally obliged to stomp their heads in, but logic doesn't always translate to reality. We discovered this first hand recently when, returning to one of our cars, we found the tank empty. We figured if it had happened to us then surely it must be happening to other people. We gathered together all the necessary equipment: some hoses for siphoning, a drill-powered pump, an electric screwdriver, an 850-watt hammer drill, 30m of electrical extension cable, a petrol can for capturing the liquid bounty, and headed into the heart of the city. We began our experiment just around the corner from Picadilly Circus and Leicester Square. For our last test, we upped the ante. Did the public respond? Check out our other Joyride videos: Fernando Alonso vs an ordinary bloke and Stunt Driving with Terry Grant
Animal Sleep Most animals have a daily pattern of rest and activity. Some animals are more active during the day (diurnal) and some are more active during the night (nocturnal). How much time do animals spend sleeping? Well, it depends on the animal: References: This table was adapted from four sources: Aserinsky, E., Eyelid condition at birth: relationship to adult mammalian sleep-waking patterns, In Rapid Eye Movement Sleep, edited by B.N.
Game Theory 101: Game Theory Made Easy Top 20 Logical Fallacies - The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe Introduction to Argument Structure of a Logical Argument Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, our arguments all follow a certain basic structure. They begin with one or more premises, which are facts that the argument takes for granted as the starting point. Then a principle of logic is applied in order to come to a conclusion. This structure is often illustrated symbolically with the following example: Premise1: If A = B, Premise2: and B = C Logical connection: Then (apply principle of equivalence) Conclusion: A = C In order for an argument to be considered valid the logical form of the argument must work – must be valid. Also it is important to note that an argument may use wrong information, or faulty logic to reach a conclusion that happens to be true. Breaking down an argument into its components is a very useful exercise, for it enables us to examine both our own arguments and those of others and critically analyze them for validity. Examine your Premises Ad hominem Straw Man
Lefthandedness Being left-handed is like being in a secret club. We have our own bizarre initialization rituals, such as learning how to write "the wrong way." We pay our dues every day, in terms of the extra effort that we must make to live in a right-handed world. When we encounter another lefty, we immediately have something in common. The club is shrouded in secrecy, because we rarely mention the topic to our right-handed friends. For fun, I started making a list of the aspects of everyday life that are geared towards right-handed people. We have to use special "lefty" scissors. Back to Lucas' writings.
A new energy source: Major advance made in generating electricity from wastewater Engineers at Oregon State University have made a breakthrough in the performance of microbial fuel cells that can produce electricity directly from wastewater, opening the door to a future in which waste treatment plants not only will power themselves, but will sell excess electricity. The new technology developed at OSU can now produce 10 to 50 more times the electricity, per volume, than most other approaches using microbial fuel cells, and 100 times more electricity than some. Researchers say this could eventually change the way that wastewater is treated all over the world, replacing the widely used "activated sludge" process that has been in use for almost a century. The new approach would produce significant amounts of electricity while effectively cleaning the wastewater. The findings have just been published in Energy and Environmental Science, a professional journal, in work funded by the National Science Foundation.
A Visual, Intuitive Guide to Imaginary Numbers Imaginary numbers always confused me. Like understanding e, most explanations fell into one of two categories: It’s a mathematical abstraction, and the equations work out. Deal with it.It’s used in advanced physics, trust us. Just wait until college. Gee, what a great way to encourage math in kids! Focusing on relationships, not mechanical formulas.Seeing complex numbers as an upgrade to our number system, just like zero, decimals and negatives were.Using visual diagrams, not just text, to understand the idea. And our secret weapon: learning by analogy. It doesn’t make sense yet, but hang in there. Video Walkthrough: Really Understanding Negative Numbers Negative numbers aren’t easy. But what about 3-4? Negatives were considered absurd, something that “darkened the very whole doctrines of the equations” (Francis Maseres, 1759). What happened? Rather than saying “I owe you 30” and reading words to see if I’m up or down, I can write “-30” and know it means I’m in the hole. Uh oh. Wrong. or