ufos_ufology_science_bermuda_aliens_alien_abdcutions_paranormal_prophecy

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UFOs – Unidentified Flying Objects
Ufology – is a neologism coined to describe the collective
efforts of those who study reports and associated evidence of
unidentified flying objects (UFOs).
Ufologist – A ufo investigator is called a ufologist
Ufo Sightings- Some eye witnesses to the UFOs
Roswell Incident- called the Roswell UFO crash
1947
UFO Conspiracy – Worldwide UFO cover Ups and
related theories
Alien- An extra-terrestrial being is called an alien

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The Nature and Scope of Logic
Note: The examples are reprinted from With Good Reason: An Introduction to Informal
Reasoning by S. Morris Engel (St. Martin’s Press, 1986). Many of the explanations come from
the same source.
Logic is the study of argument. Not “argument” in the sense of a quarrel,
but an “argument” in the sense of a piece of reasoning in which one or more
statements are offered as support for some other statements.
There are two components of an argument: the premise(s) and the conclusion(s)
conclusion- the statement being supported in the argument
(generally preceded by words like therefore, hence, consequently etc.)
premise- the reasons given in support of the conclusion
(generally preceded by words like because, for, since etc.)
“This is so (conclusion) because that is so (premise).”
“This is so and this is so (premises), therefore that is so (conclusion).”
Exercises: Distinguish between the premise(s) and conclusion by marking them.
* There are no UFOs in the area. We haven’t seen one all day.
* All Democrats oppose capital punishment; Senator Wellstone opposes it;
he must be a Democrat.
* Since all rational beings are responsible for their actions, and since all
human beings are rational, it follows that all human beings are
responsible for their actions.
* Tom must have left already. He doesn’t answer his phone.
* Smith ought to exercise more. It would be good for his condition.

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Many types of communications are not arguments. Questions are not
arguments, nor are announcements, complaints, compliments, or apologies. Such
communications are not arguments because they make no effort to persuade by
offering reasons in support of their claims. This does not mean that such passages
are bad arguments; it simply means that they are not arguments at all. They fulfill
other legitimate, and often necessary, functions.
Exercises: Label whether each of these are “arguments” or “non-arguments”.
* Back in the 1980s there was an actor named Gary Coleman. I believe he
was a short guy. I think he was popular for a couple of years. What
happened to him? “Argument” or “non-argument”?
* The main issue is life is not the victory but the fight. The essential thing
is not to have won but to have fought well. (Baron Coubertin, founder of the
modern Olympics. “Argument” or “non-argument”?
* You shouldn’t have legislation against a thing that the majority of the
population does. And today the majority speeds. Speeding should be
legalized. “Argument” or “non-argument”?
In the context of argument, an element is “suspect” if it is made to carry
more weight that it is capable of doing. We need to ask such questions as: Are the
facts cited in support of a conclusion sufficient as such in support? Are they
relevant? Are the illustrations apt? To what degree? Is the wording clear so that
we know what the author intends? The following exercises will consider “suspect
elements”.
Exercises: Read each quote and briefly answer the question that follows.
* In a press conference on May 13, 1982 President Reagan said the
following regarding missiles carried by submarines and bombers: “You are
dealing there with a conventional type of weapon or instrument, and those
instruments can be intercepted. They can be recalled if there has been a
miscalculation.”
Was Reagan referring to the submarines or missiles when he said
“they”?

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What did his critics contend? What do you think Reagan claimed?
* When on September 27, 1984, a terrorist zig-zagged an explosive-laden
truck around concrete barriers and set off a blast that once again killed
many people at the still unfinished and poorly secured American embassy in
Beirut, President Reagan responded as follows to critics: “Anyone that’s
ever had their kitchen done over knows that it never gets done as soon as
you wish it would.”
Is this an apt illustration? Is the analogy meaningful? Inappropriate?
* You shouldn’t have legislation against a thing that the majority of the
population does. And today the majority speeds. So speeding should be
legalized.
Is it really the case that we should not have legislation against
something the “majority does”? Would this apply if the majority
were prejudiced?
An argument’s structure may be misleading or deceptive because it has
missing components. Such arguments may appear sounder that they are because
we are unaware of important assumptions made by them and on which they rest.
Such assumptions need to be dug out, if hidden, or made explicit, if unexpressed.
It will be easier to find missing components of an argument if we remember
that many arguments consist of a statement of a general principle, the citing of a
case of it, and a conclusion which infers that what is true of the general principle is
true of the case in question. Consider this classic example:
All men are mortal. (the general principle)
Socrates is a man. (the case)
Socrates is mortal. (the conclusion)

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Exercises: Supply the missing elements in these arguments. If you can, identify
which “part” of the argument was missing (i.e. general principle, case, or
conclusion).
* These are natural foods and therefore good for you.
* “Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look; such men are dangerous.”
* This must be a good book; it was chosen by the Book-of-the-Month-Club.
* The speaker criticizes free enterprise; he must be a communist.
* We do not want a democracy in this land, because if we have a democracy
a majority rules. (Rev. Charles Staley)
A question to consider: Is logic an art or a science?
This is enough for now. Try to have this done for the next class session, and
we will discuss the examples.