Week 3

Long Passage and Argument Reading

Prompt reminder

How important is it to seek the opinions of others when making significant personal

decisions?

Example 1

1. Sometimes it is necessary to seek the help of others to gain first-hand info about your decision.

2. If you don’t take other people’s advice, you might mess up.

3. Therefore, seek others’ advice in order to make the best decision possible.

#1 does not smoothly lead into #2

• We need to revise 1, so that 2 follows naturally.

1. ________________2. If you don’t follow other people’s advice, you

might mess up.3. Therefore, seek others’ advice in order to

make the best decision possible.

Example 2

1. I live in Hinsdale.2. Therefore, I live in Illinois.

Any possible problems with this?There’s a Hinsdale in New Hampshire

Example 3

1. Some personal decisions have negative consequences for others.

2. Another’s opinion tells you how that person will feel about the consequence of your decision.

3. Therefore, you should seek the opinion of others before you make a decision.

#2 isn’t the right link between 1 & 3

Example 3

1. Some personal decisions have negative consequences for others.

2. ___________3. Therefore, you should seek the opinion of

others before you make a decision.

It is important to not to cause harm to others.

It is semi-important and to be your decision to seek opinions of others when making a personal significant situation. But it depends how serious or not the situation is. Therefore it is your decision to take the opinion or not. For example, there could be less serious situations like deciding on what game to buy, which is a dilemma where I would take a friend’s opinion. But there are other situations like making friends with people, which would be weird if you had your friends suggest them for you. But really all depends who the person is, because anybody could be different.

It is semi-important and to be your decision to seek opinions of others when making a personal significant situation. But it depends how serious or not the situation is. Therefore it is your decision to take the opinion or not. For example, there could be less serious situations like deciding on what game to buy, which is a dilemma where I would take a friend’s opinion. But there are other situations like making friends with people, which would be weird if you had your friends suggest them for you. But really all depends who the person is, because anybody could be different.

Challenge:

• Make a syllogism explaining why a person should be able to independently choose his or her own friends.

Sample

1. You should be friends with people you like.2. You know best who you like.3. Therefore, it would be a bad idea to let others

decide who your friends should be.

What would a parent find unacceptable in this syllogism?

They might change #1 to: “You should be friends with people you like who are also good influences.”

1. All people have different perspectives towards others

2. Different perspectives can lead to different likings and dislikings in others.

3. Therefore, only your own perspective can lead to likings and dislikings.

1. People have their own interests2. Friends share interests3. Therefore, you should choose friends based

on shared interests.

1. Friendships should be natural.2. Forced friendships are unnatural.3. Therefore, friendships shouldn’t be forced.

One more reconstruction

I believe that it is okay for others’ opinions, but when it comes to making significant decisions I think the decision should be decided by the person. I believe that because the outcome would only affect the person, not other people.

A possible syllogism

1. People’s opinions about a decision matter only if they are affected by the consequences of that decision.

2. A significant personal decision only has consequences for the person making it.

3. Therefore, others’ opinions have no relevance to significant personal decisions.

Let us now discuss farms.