Please see both files attached
PHIL110 Critical Thinking – SPS CUNY Unit 10 Discussion Assignment Take a Break! This assignment first asks you to ‘Take a Break with Elmo and Big Bird’ Now that we’ve established our context, let’s have some fun with Elmo, Big Bird and Deductive Propositional Logic. Let’s remind ourselves of a couple rules of deductive logic: • An argument is deductively valid if and only if the truth of its premises guarantees the truth of its conclusion. • Or alternatively stated: An argument is deductively valid if and only if there is no way for its premises to all be true and its conclusion to be simultaneously false. • The following table represents some of most used symbols, feel free to copy and paste them: Conjunction & Disjunction ∨ Negation ~ Conditional ⊃ Biconditional ≡ Let’s now consider the following set of propositions: • Elmo is red. • Big Bird is green. • Either Elmo is red or Big Bird is green. • Big Bird is green and Elmo is red. • It is not the case that Big Bird is green Once we know the truth-value of the first two sentences (whether they are true or false), we can figure out the truth-values of the others. For this assignment, complete the worksheet below and add it to the Discussion Forum. Then read and comment on at least three students’ post by reviewing the completeness of their Truth Tables. Worksheet (complete, then copy and paste the entire worksheet or the truth tables into the Discussion Forum as your post) Step 1. Represent these statements with variables and symbols. (For example E could stand for “Elmo is red,” and B for “Big Bird is green,” but feel free to change these variables per your own preference). Complete this table below: https://youtu.be/PzFXfvZuLK0 PHIL110 Critical Thinking – SPS CUNY Given Sentence Your Formal Representation Elmo is red. E Big Bird is green. B Either Elmo is red or Big Bird is green. Big Bird is green and Elmo is red. It is not the case that Big Bird is green Step 2. Complete the following simple table with four combinations of T and F, when T (stands for true) and F (for false): E B Step 3. Now complete the Truth Table for the rest of the sentences (T stands for true, and F stands for false). The color-coding will help you determine where some of the same information can be transferred over from the previous tables. Elmo is red Big Bird is green. Either Elmo is red or Big Bird is green. Big Bird is green and Elmo is red. It is not the case that Big Bird is green E B PHIL110 Critical Thinking – SPS CUNY Step 4. Interpret what this Truth table tells you. What’s your claim regarding Elmo and Big Bird’s colors using the truth table you constructed? Does the information (T and F) from your Truth Table align with reality? How is this process and constructing a Truth Table useful? End of the Worksheet Recommendations for Success and Grading Criteria: • Respond to the assignment with clear and detailed answers, organized thoughts. • Follow all assignment prompts and answers all prompt questions. • Incorporate relevant examples and evidence to support claims. • Write clearly and without errors a well-composed answer and post it on time. • Respond to other students with interesting comments and follow-up questions. Acknowledge all students who commented on your post. PHIL110 Critical Thinking – SPS CUNY Unit 4 Discussion Assignment Climate Change or Fake Science? Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. Many believe that it is disrupting national economies and negatively affecting people’s livelihoods. For this assignment, you will be reviewing the UN Climate Change Annual Report and State of Climate Highlights and practice your critical thinking skills by reconstructing arguments that employ inductive generalizations and statistical syllogisms using date from these reports. Step 1. Read the following and take good notes to yourself. • UN Climate Change Annual Report https://unfccc.int/resource/annualreport/ • 2017 State of the Climate Highlights https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/state-climate- highlights/2017 Step 2 Using the data from these reports, compose and post your response to the following discussion prompts: • Reconstruct or create one argument about climate change, using data from one of the reports that employs inductive generalizations. (Be sure to cite your sources properly!) Tell us what is an ‘inductive generalization’ (use the textbook or video as your resource) and why yours is a good example of it. • Reconstruct or create one argument about climate change, using data from one of the reports that employs statistical syllogisms. Tell us what is a ‘statistical syllogism’ and why yours is a good example of it. Then: • Evaluate your statistical generalization: Does it have an adequate sample size and is it a non-biased sample? Then: • Write your personal response on the topic of Global Climate change. • On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being extremely urgent and 1 being not so urgent), how urgent of a problem do you believe climate change is? Elaborate on your thoughts and use the document to provide reasons and evidence for your claims. https://unfccc.int/resource/annualreport/ https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/state-climate-highlights/2017 https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/state-climate-highlights/2017 PHIL110 Critical Thinking – SPS CUNY • What do you believe is the biggest obstacle (political, cultural, economic or scientific) that we must overcome? Explain yourself. • What do you personally do already, or what can you do in the future to ‘take action’? Step 3 Critical Thinkers’ Peer Response: Or maybe it’s fake science, and climate change is a hoax…? You’ve probably heard some opinions that claim the possibility of climate change being nothing but fake science. Before you respond to your classmates in this Discussion Forum, read a few of these views and begin to detect habits of good and bad thinking. Here are a couple to get you started or find your own (there are too many of these out there!): https://calthomas.com/columns/climate-change-hoax-exposed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_conspiracy_theory In your response to other students, use what you’ve learned so far about good and bad habits of Critical Thinking (reviewing the following handout as needed) and identify examples of good and bad questions, good and bad habits of thinking in regards to the Climate Change debate. https://calthomas.com/columns/climate-change-hoax-exposed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_conspiracy_theory PHIL110 Critical Thinking – SPS CUNY Handout for a Critical Thinker ‘s Peer Response Bad Questions: • Rhetorical Questions • Leading Questions • Loaded Questions • Obstructionist Questions • Framing Questions • Empty Questions Bad Habits of Thinking: • Self-Interest • Saving Face • Peer Pressure • Stereotyping and Prejudice • Excessive Skepticism • Intellectual Laziness • Relativism (Subjective or Cultural) Good Questions: • Direct • Useful • Open and Creative Good Habits of Critical Thinking • Be Curious • Be Self-aware • Be Healthy • Be Courageous • Be Reasonably Skeptical • Think for Yourself • Keep it Simple • Be Precise • Be Patient • Be Consistent • Be Open-Minded • Ask for Help PHIL110 Critical Thinking – SPS CUNY Recommendations for Success and Grading Criteria: • Respond to the assignment with clear and detailed answers, organized thoughts. • Follow all assignment prompts and answers all prompt questions. • Incorporate relevant examples and evidence to support claims. • Write clearly and without errors a well-composed answer and post it on time. • Respond to other students with interesting comments and follow-up questions. Acknowledge all students who commented on your post. PHIL110 Critical Thinking – SPS CUNY Unit 4 Discussion Assignment Climate Change or Fake Science? Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. Many believe that it is disrupting national economies and negatively affecting people’s livelihoods. For this assignment, you will be reviewing the UN Climate Change Annual Report and State of Climate Highlights and practice your critical thinking skills by reconstructing arguments that employ inductive generalizations and statistical syllogisms using date from these reports. Step 1. Read the following and take good notes to yourself. • UN Climate Change Annual Report https://unfccc.int/resource/annualreport/ • 2017 State of the Climate Highlights https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/state-climate- highlights/2017 Step 2 Using the data from these reports, compose and post your response to the following discussion prompts: • Reconstruct or create one argument about climate change, using data from one of the reports that employs inductive generalizations. (Be sure to cite your sources properly!) Tell us what is an ‘inductive generalization’ (use the textbook or video as your resource) and why yours is a good example of it. • Reconstruct or create one argument about climate change, using data from one of the reports that employs statistical syllogisms. Tell us what is a ‘statistical syllogism’ and why yours is a good example of it. Then: • Evaluate your statistical generalization: Does it have an adequate sample size and is it a non-biased sample? Then: • Write your personal response on the topic of Global Climate change. • On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being extremely urgent and 1 being not so urgent), how urgent of a problem do you believe climate change is? Elaborate on your thoughts and use the document to provide reasons and evidence for your claims. https://unfccc.int/resource/annualreport/ https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/state-climate-highlights/2017 https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/state-climate-highlights/2017 PHIL110 Critical Thinking – SPS CUNY • What do you believe is the biggest obstacle (political, cultural, economic or scientific) that we must overcome? Explain yourself. • What do you personally do already, or what can you do in the future to ‘take action’? Step 3 Critical Thinkers’ Peer Response: Or maybe it’s fake science, and climate change is a hoax…? You’ve probably heard some opinions that claim the possibility of climate change being nothing but fake science. Before you respond to your classmates in this Discussion Forum, read a few of these views and begin to detect habits of good and bad thinking. Here are