Text Table of Contents #9:

How Good is the Evidence?

Factual claims are:

◦ Descriptive conclusion.

◦ Reasons used to support descriptive or prescriptive conclusion.

◦ Descriptive assumtions.

Accepting a factual claim requires establishing how dependable the claim is.

Accept as dependable when:◦ Undisputed (relatively) common knowledge.

◦ Concluded from a well reasoned argument.◦ Supported by good evidence within the argument.

Major types of evidence◦ Intuition◦ Personal experience◦ Case examples◦ Testimonials ◦ Appeals to authority◦ Personal observations◦ Research studies◦ Analogies

Evidence

Proving she is a witch

What is the argument?◦ Conclusion◦ Reasons◦ Assumptions

Test of reasoning? Fallacies? Evidence?