Teacher Notes Section Description Learning Objective Time Spent
Teacher Notes Section Description Learning Objective Time Spent Introduction to Errors Lecture Brief lecture introducing students to the concept of logical fallacies or errors in thinking, including why and how we make them and how to avoid them. • Understand what logical fallacies are 10 min. Belief Check 1 Brief exercise in which students will try to avoid making any errors in thinking in the arguments they have been developing. • Be able to avoid making an error in thinking 10 min. Errors in Thinking Types Lecture and exercises detailing the various types of errors in thinking. • Identify various errors in thinking 10 min. Errors in Thinking Exercise Students read through a cartoon in which one character is making many errors in thinking. Students attempt to identify these errors and then discuss how the character could have avoided making these errors. • Identify errors in thinking in practice • Avoid errors in thinking 10 min. Belief Check 2 Students try to identify in errors in thinking people might have when being for or against the arguments they have developed. • Identify logical fallacies 10 min.
Evaluating Logic
In Review… Last week we learned… How to support our arguments… What good and bad evidence is… About the importance of our audience… How to use appeals to persuade… Why counterarguments are so important…
Introduction to errors Logical fallacies are errors in our thinking…. EX: Penguins are black and white. Some old TV shows are black and white. THEREFORE: Some penguins are old TV shows.
Introduction to errors They seem to be true but they are not.
Introduction to errors WHY? Biased Beliefs: Basing your beliefs off of what you already believe. Avoid changing your mind: Refusing to listen to other arguments because you don’t want to change what you believe. Believe what’s better for you: Believing only things that benefit you.
Introduction to errors WHY? Bias: The Indian cricket team is my favorite team, so I know they’re going to win this game. Avoid changing your mind: I don’t care what you say; I don’t think too many sweets is bad for me. Believe what’s better for you: I don’t like doing my homework, so I don’t think children should have to do homework.
Introduction to errors Each of these examples demonstrates an error in thinking… can we see why that person might be making that error? Bias Avoiding Changing Your Mind Believe What’s Better for You I’ve taken the same route to school every day, and made it on time. My friend says he knows a faster route, but I don’t think it could be faster than mine. He gets to school before me, but that’s probably just because he walks faster. I know my teacher said to write out my math work, but that takes so much more time. I don’t think it will help me learn math better. My teacher says it makes me think about how I’m solving the problem, but I just get confused when I have to write it all down. Every person I have met from that neighborhood is lazy. I’m sure you’re lazy, too, since you’re from that neighborhood, even though I have seen you work hard.
Introduction to errors WHY? Let’s come up with some examples of when we might have shown errors in thinking. Bias: Avoid changing your mind: Believe what’s better for you:
Introduction to errors HOW? Ignoring Information – Looking only at information that proves your point Twisting Information – Making evidence seem like it means something it does not Misunderstanding Information – Not understanding information
Introduction to errors Each of these examples demonstrates an error in thinking… can we see how that person might be making that error? Ignoring Evidence Twisting Evidence Misunderstanding I’ve taken the same route to school every day, and made it on time. My friend says he knows a faster route, but I don’t think it could be faster than mine. He gets to school before me, but that’s probably just because he walks faster. I know my teacher said to write out my math work, but that takes so much more time. I don’t think it will help me learn math better. My teacher says it makes me think about how I’m solving the problem, but I just get confused when I have to write it all down. I want a dog. I explained to my parents that a dog would help protect our home. They still said no. I don’t know why they want our home to be unsafe.
Avoiding Errors How to avoid Questioning ourselves (Bias): Always start by questioning yourself, specifically looking to see if you are letting your own bias sway you. Checking Evidence: Check the evidence that is provided. Remember that it should be accurate and relevant. Listening to counter arguments: Try to think of arguments that someone else might make against your argument. This helps with preparing you to defend yourself, but also to see if maybe you are not considering something that you should be. Checking for known errors in thinking: If you are familiar with known errors in thinking (like the ones we’ve learned today), you can often spot them in your own arguments more easily.
Belief Check We’ll use the arguments we’ve been working on throughout the course. Take out your arguments, pair with a partner and work on questioning yourself, checking your evidence, listening to counter arguments and checking for known errors in thinking. Share what you’ve learned with the class.
Errors in Thinking (Ignoring Information) Bandwagon – Believing in something because many other people do. Cherry-picking – Only presenting information that supports your argument, even if evidence against your argument exists Black-or-White – Giving only two choices when there can be more. Slippery Slope – Claiming that because A happens Z will happen
Errors in Thinking Matching 1. If we buy a cat, the cat will have kittens. Those kittens will grow up to be cats and also have kittens, and then our house will be full of kittens! 2. If you don’t eat spinach, you won’t get enough vitamin K in your diet. 3. Sunidhi Chauhan is the best singer ever! Everyone loves her. 4. I thought you were a good student, but you didn’t do well on that test. 5. Pirates are great at sailing and finding treasure. I want to be just like a pirate! 6. Not giving students breaks means they will spend more time learning and get more work done. Slippery Slope Bandwagon Cherry-picking Black-or-White
Errors in Thinking (Twisting Information) Strawman – Misrepresenting someone’s argument to make your own look better Exaggeration – Presenting something as more important or less important than it really is.
Errors in Thinking Matching 1. He gets higher marks on math tests than I do; he must be so much smarter than I am. 3. I know you don’t care about school because you love to play video games all the time. 2. If you run through the halls, you will fall and break your leg! 4. My opponent in this debate obviously doesn’t love India. He constantly goes on vacation to other countries. Why doesn’t he enjoy being in India? Strawman Exaggeration
Errors in Thinking (Misunderstanding Information) Cause/Relationship – Mistaking a relationship for a cause Numbers/Percentages – Confusing percentages with whole numbers Scope Shifts – Being unclear about what is or is not included in your argument
Errors in Thinking Matching 1. All that glitters is not gold. I was told this ring is gold, but it glitters, so it must not be gold. 2. Global temperatures have been rising over the years. So have the number of pirate attacks. Pirates must cause global warming. 3. Many more people are injured while jogging than skydiving, so obviously skydiving is safer than jogging. 4. Older people always have more money. Being old must help you earn more money. 5. Everybody loves someone. Therefore, there must be one person that everybody in the world loves. That person must be pretty great! 6. My father’s business is widespread throughout India. You can find his shops in over 20 different towns! Cause/Relationship Numbers/Percentages Scope Shifts
Errors in Thinking Do you notice any logical fallacies in this cartoon? Remember the logical fallacies we’ve learned. Either you are into sports or into books. Which do you prefer? Fear Tactics I like both! False Dilemma Exaggeration Bandwagon Emotional Appeal No True Scotsman
Errors in Thinking Do you notice any logical fallacies in this cartoon? Remember the logical fallacies we’ve learned. Well, you must not be a true sports fan if you like books! How am I not a true sports fan? I like playing and watching sports. Fear Tactics False Dilemma Exaggeration Bandwagon Emotional Appeal No True Scotsman
Errors in Thinking Do you notice any logical fallacies in this cartoon? Remember the logical fallacies we’ve learned. Well you definitely shouldn’t play. You’re a girl. You’ll get hurt playing sports. But I haven’t ever been hurt. My brother always gets injuries playing sports. Fear Tactics False Dilemma Exaggeration Bandwagon Emotional Appeal No True Scotsman
Errors in Thinking Do you notice any logical fallacies in this cartoon? Remember the logical fallacies we’ve learned. Well, if you really cared about your family, you wouldn’t play. Fear Tactics Why is that? False Dilemma Exaggeration Bandwagon Emotional Appeal No True Scotsman
Errors in Thinking Do you notice any logical fallacies in this cartoon? Remember the logical fallacies we’ve learned. Because you’ll never be successful at it! Everyone knows that no girls play sports well. I don’t think that’s true! Fear Tactics False Dilemma Exaggeration Bandwagon Emotional Appeal No True Scotsman
Errors in Thinking Do you notice any logical fallacies in this cartoon? Remember the logical fallacies we’ve learned. I think you’re making a few errors in thinking… Have you thought about it this way? Questioning bias Checking Evidence Looking at Counter. Arguments Checking for known errors in thinking
Belief Check We’ll use the arguments we’ve been working on throughout the course during our “Belief Check”. Try to think of logical fallacies that someone might make when arguing for or against the belief you have been defending.
In Conclusion… Today we learned… What errors in thinking are… Why people make errors in thinking… How these errors in thinking occur… How we can avoid errors in thinking… About different types of errors in thinking…
- Slides: 28