3. Intro to Argument and Informal Fallacies

03. intro to argument, informal fallacies from Justin Morris

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Week 2 Overview and Assignments

This week we looked at formal logical fallacies, and suggested the interaction between language and mathematics as the basis for epistemology. You are currently reading Chapters 7 and 8 on Reason and and the various Areas of Knowledge described in the TOK learner profile. Here is a basic summary of the points from this week:

1. Week 1's discussion of the Ways of Knowing introduction, as well as the "Knower" as comprised of memories (and the limitations therein). I introduced the "Knowledge Prism"

 2. Rational v. Empirical, and Plato's "Justified True Belief" model of knowledge. This will be our working definition, and will be clarified and expanded throughout the course.

 3. Formal Logic is comprised of prepositions that necessitate a particular conclusion. This is developed with a syntax that follows certain prepositional rules called the "Laws of Logic".

4. When those Logical rules are not followed, or the prepositions in a logical syllogism are incorrectly distributed, a fallacy is created.

5. There is a difference between informal and formal fallacies. Informal fallacies have more to do with topical argument and language than with structure and math.

6. Blog activity and discussion: Gun Control. I suggested in our decentralized Socratic Seminar that the problems of knowledge produced during Week 1's argue it out were focused exclusively only one area of knowing (Ethics). I suggested ways to expand the PoK to include other areas and ways of knowing to develop a truly ToK perspective. I am not so much interested in the ethics of Gun Control, but the theories of knowing behind the Gun Control debate, and the various factors involved.



 This week's Assignment:

TOK Chs. 7-8, p. 94-132

Team 1: 94-100
Team 2: 101-106
Team 3: 107-113
Team 4: 114-120
Team 5: 121-127
Team 6: 128-132


Argue it Out: Media Bias
 Philosopher Portrait: Rene Descarte
 Blog 2b: Identifying Formal and Informal Fallacies in Political Dialogue.

2b. New Blog: Fallacies in Political Rhetoric

TC TOK Forum

2. logic and epistemology, chs. 7, 8, p. 94-132

2. logic and epistemology, chs. 7 8, p. 94-132 from Justin Morris

1b. Definition of Knowledge

Week 1 Overview and Weekend Assignments

Excellent conversation. Look into the difference between "Subjective" and "Objective" truth claims. Also, consider our student-generated question: can there be knowledge without truth?"

A couple of assignment points:

1. You are blogging on the "Alatheia Forum" (http://www.tctok.us/p/alatheia-forum.html), posting your PoK questions on Violence, Identity and Culture (as well as one paragraph response to another TOK student PoK).

2. You are completing your team chapter readings with one page of outlined notes. Be ready to debrief on the topics and activities to explain the concepts to the class and points you found important/interesting.

3. You are completing an "Argue Out" on the topic: "Gun Control" (Also in the notes file here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/guxgfxlccqlvbm5/01.last. first.date.Notes.docx)further explanation of this assignment can befoundhere:https://www.dropbox.com/s/ti5x3dh93gti2yf/Argue%20Out%20Explanation.doc

4. You are submitting your Winter Assignment to the "Winter Assignment" Folder properly formatted (according to the name file "00.last.first.ID.date.winter").

Sorry about the buggy computer and/or typos today. Loftus and Palmer might beat me up for falsifying their experiment with my shoddy scientific integrity.

Here is a recording of the last part of the period (when I got my iPhone back from picture taking). http://www.evernote.com/shard/s109/sh/f9d172e1-e59a-4b26-92d1-0e6a880fd1e4/3abfe81bf26189a32cbbe7147 6976134

Thanks! Have a great Weekend!

1. Introduction to TOK, ch. 1-3 p. 1-41

Schedule of Classes, Week 1, 1/14

Hello Class,

Just as a reminder you should be close to completing your paper analyzing "Plato and the Platypus" using the prompt and suggested outline. If you are unsure if you are completing something correctly, we will have time in class to discuss clarifications and improvements. You are required to submit an essay this coming Monday, so do your best. Do not leave a section blank. Part of my goal is to assess your writing and understanding of knowledge issues prior to class. You will most certainly improve over the course of the year.

We will be meeting Mondays and Wednesdays. Mondays will be after school at 2:30 to 4:00 and Wednesdays at 1:30-3:00.


This may not accommodate everyone's after school commitments, but it is the only way to fulfill the hourly requirements in an after-school environment with my obligations and those of the majority of the class. Please email me if there is a significant conflict. It is suggested that you contact your coach and discuss the situation with him/her to see if a compromise can be reached should a sport conflict occur. We all need to be flexible.


Lastly, my goal for the course is to be completely paperless. All assignments will be completed via office suite on the iPad or PC. Projects and weekly assignments will be uploaded via managebac's dropbox and turnitin features. It is a requirement to create a personal dropbox account. If you do not already have a personal dropbox account, please click on the following link: http://db.tt/QmcxC9oU This will not only give you an account, it will add space to my own account. :) We will have time to smooth out all these features and more next week. Do not worry. Enjoy the rest of your vacation.