FactsPlusLogic
A Careful Look at Issues
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ATOMImprobable Events Happen Regularly
“Look at that! Things like that don’t just happen. There must be something behind it, and I’ll tell you what it is.” This type of argument is called the Argument from Incredulity. This type of argument may be valid for provoking a further look, but it is never conclusive. Often a further look reveals fundamental errors in supposing just how unlikely the event actual is.
Colmes Departs Hannity and Colmes
What I want from news commentary are ideas, either new facts or new ways of looking at facts that explain why events unfolded as they did. Hannity and Colmes succeeds at doing that through the guests they have on the show. Neither host contributes as much as they could to the process. Hannity is too often a preacher delivering a limited number of canned sermons. Colmes listens to what guests have to say and responds to it, but often fails to advance the subject by analyzing what was said.
Voting is a right, but not an unconstrained one. The right to vote is not granted to those under the age of eighteen. That age limitation shows that voting rights may be restricted when there is reason to doubt the potential voter’s good judgment. Resident aliens are excluded from voting on the grounds that their interests are not necessarily coincident with the interests of ordinary citizens. Convicted felons are another class of citizens whose judgment is reasonably called into question. The interests of convicted felons are likely to be contrary to the interests of citizens as a whole, who want to be protected from criminals.
Spin 102: Selective Emphasis
Most issues are complex. A fundamental of spin is to selectively consider the elements of the issue, ignoring the aspects that are not favorable to the conclusion the spin merchant favors. … A good exercise in unraveling spin is to map out an issue explicitly in spreadsheet style.
Naomi Oreskes, a professor of history, presents the case that Global Warming Denial meets the definition of “denialism” as propounded. Oreskes “History of Global Warming Denial” is presented in a an hour-long YouTube video.3 I recommend you watch it, but bear with me as I first point out some things to look for.
