Concepts for Further Review

Personally, I think everything was discussed thoroughly, as to say none of the concepts are still cloudy or need further explanation.  However, I would have enjoyed more information into devices used to manipulate.  I am really interested in the way things affect people’s behavior and outcomes directly related to a single word or phrase.  This also extends to the marketing section of the text.  I would have really enjoyed further information on marketing tactics and ploys.  This is important for every consumer to know so they don’t fall into these tricky marketing traps.  Also, the difference between inductive and deductive arguments is not firm in my mind.  It’s not that it was not thoroughly explained or poorly explained, I just find it hard to remember, unlike other course concepts.  I think every concept was explained well, straightforward, and easy to grasp, with my personal exception of the inductive and deductive arguments. 

Highs and Lows

My favorite thing about this class was being able to write our posts on our own time.  Although some of the posts were more difficult to reach word count, it was still nice to be able to see other people’s posts and get ideas on what to write.  One thing I did not like was the 12 hour separation.  This was purely my own fault however, because some weeks I really procrastinated, leaving me to post my final topic a few minutes before midnight.  However, my least, least, least favorite part of this class was the group work.  It was extremely difficult to coordinate schedules, and get everyone’s motivation to the same level.  I think with an online class, there is a huge mixture in the dedication of the students, making it challenging to find committed group mates.  I think this class would be a lot better without the group work.  Each individual should write his/her own papers.  Also, instead of having to gather people to evaluate their arguments, students could view a video on YouTube or some other video site, which contains multiple course concepts and then evaluate and write about the general video. 

Semester Lessons

Throughout the course of this semester, I have learned a lot of valuable information from this class.  Some is from being in an online class, and the rest is content itself.  The most important thing I am taking away from this class is a greater value on self-reliance.  In other words, this class taught me to be checking updates and staying informed on class information.  Unlike a physical attendance class, the teacher is not in front of you, reminding you what to do and when it is due, like many on campus professors.  Content wise, I think the most important lesson of the class was learning how words can be used to manipulate our emotions, thoughts and decisions.  I knew this was happening in everyday life, but to put a name to the concepts and terms made them more real; for example, slanted questions, the many fallacies, and the various appeals.  Now that I have a name for the concepts stored in my brain, when I encounter them in real-life situations, I will more readily spot them.   

Mission Critical and Causal Arguments

The Mission Critical website is obviously under construction and definitely needs it.  The Mission Critical link (http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/itl/graphics/main.html) is the homepage, or “main menu” of the site.  This page is organized very nicely… with main topics such as, the basics, the analysis of arguments, and fallacies and non-rational persuasion.  Under these main topics are more specific sections such as parts of an argument and basic relations; which are then broken down further.  The causal argument tab (http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/itl/graphics/induc/causal.html) focuses on the ins and outs of causal arguments.  I like how this page goes into details with a specific example, the bicycle accident.  This page also has an associated page for exercises to help with understanding causal arguments.  Both of these links and pages provide invaluable information to a student in a Comm 41 course, or even any class that deals with critical thinking.  When studying for the final I will definitely be using this site to further my understanding of difficult concepts. 

Investigation!!!

This past week, our family fish tank broke.  There is a plastic piece that surrounds the glass at the top and cuts across the center at the top to support the glass pieces of lid.  The piece that goes across the middle snapped about a week ago, causing the glass lids to dip into the water.  We fixed the issue with the lid by placing a metal grate across the top.  However, this was just the superficial issue.  When my mother and I were looking at the fish tank yesterday, we realized the plastic did not snap due to its age or the weight of the glass covers.  By lifting the plastic piece up to its original place, we realized there was a gap of a half inch or so.  We then realized that the back piece of glass was bending outward!!! Yes, bending :/  !!! My mom ran to Petco to buy a new tank because of the safety issue.  During the transfer of the water and the fish, you could clearly hear the tank creaking.  After all the water was out of the broken tank, there was no more gap between the plastic support and the back of the tank.  So through our initial observation, we were misled to think that it was due to the age of the plastic or the weight of the glass tops.  However, after taking a closer look at the tank, we realized that the back glass was pushing out.   We then, after removing all the water, came to the conclusion that the snapped plastic was not causing the glass to push back but it was instead the other way around.  The glass’s outward force is what broke the plastic. 

Scorpio

The Moon's position in your solar ninth house urges you to expand your horizons today, dear Scorpio. Freedom is likely to be your catch phrase right now, although you're also especially interested in sharing the fun with someone special. Explore new fields of interest or things that excite and uplift your spirit, or you may need to battle a spell of restlessness.     (Cafeastrology.com)

I must admit, I looked through many horoscopes to find a favorite one.  This is probably what most people do.  Some of the predictions were depressing and some were very uplifting.  This one, for example, is very fitting to my life right now.  I am re-evaluating my relationship with my long-time boyfriend, and I am searching for freedom.  So freedom being my catch phrase is right on.  Also, it is very difficult, so I am still spending a lot of time with him, trying to share my new positive attitude and fun with “someone special.”  The prediction is also very true when it says I need to battle a spell of restlessness.  I have been very impatient lately and I need to work on my patience.  This prediction is falsifiable if I was perfectly content with my life and not soul searching, because if I were, there would be no need for “freedom” or needing to find things to “uplift” my spirits. 

Media's Power

What we see in the media has a great influence on our worldviews and our ways of thinking.  My experiences with the media have generally expanded my views because I am open to new ideas, and new perspectives.  For example, the recent uprisings of many suppressed peoples have taught me so much more about other countries and corrupt governments around the world.  I would not have been exposed to this material, outside of a classroom, had it not been for the media buzz surrounding the issues.  My grandfather, a very right-winged republican, only listens and watches FOX News.  The rest of the family knows that this is a biased channel and find him crazy; yet he doesn’t see anything wrong with only listening to and believing one source.  This is why it is important to switch between channels, media sources, and determine who is publishing or sponsoring these outlets so that we are not simply watching programs that contribute to “confirmation bias and narrow-mindedness” (Boss, pg. 358). 

Plagiarism

Personally, I am against plagiarism.  I think it is a way to cheat your way to a goal and an excuse for laziness.  Many people argue that they were desperate and had other things to do.  This is an invalid excuse because most, if not all, professors give ample notice for papers and due dates. 

Sadler argues that plagiarism is “detrimental to students, to professors, to the university, to the project of higher education, and even to the public perception of the value of higher education” for ten different and valid reasons.  His arguments are clear, credible, relevant, complete, and sound. 

Hunt, on the other hand, argues that plagiarism should be welcomed, more convenient and easier.  Hunt argues that the increase in plagiarism harms certain learning institutions which will improve them down the road.  His argument has the same qualities as Sadler’s, being that it is clear, credible, relevant, complete, and sound.  His argument made me think differently about plagiarism and the benefits it can bring to the educational system. 

Sensationalism

“If it bleeds, it leads.”  This is a slogan that describes the type of stories that make the newspapers and news channels.  Most news stories are told for their entertainment value; for example, the litter of kittens stuck in a storm drain being rescued.   People generally tend to prefer stories about true-crime, disaster, and heart-warming stories than national and inter-national issues.  Newscasters and reporters hone in on this human tendency and report on sensational stories that grab the audience’s attention.  A great example of this tendency can be seen from the weeks following the death of Michael Jackson.  The news outlets ignored other critical newsworthy issues to focus on the circumstances surrounding his passing.  This is damaging citizens perspectives of what really goes on in America; leading us to think certain events happen more frequently than they really do.  When people are asked to rank the number of deaths from certain events, their interpretation of these occurrences is skewed partly due to media reports.  For example, people tend to rank tornado deaths higher than asthma deaths. 

Loss Aversion

I think the concept of escalation of commitment or loss aversion is an interesting topic from this week’s reading.  This is when a company is overcommitted to a decision or strategy.  For example, a company has taken a business move that has cost them money, yet they stick to that plan because they are so determined to make it work, even though they are still losing money.  The best situation would be to cut their losses and move on to a different strategy.  This relates to a term in economics called sunk costs.  My teacher told her that her lecture on sunk costs helped one of her students ditch a negative relationship.  A sunk cost is something you cannot get back, in this example it was the 3 years the girl had been with her boyfriend.  She was better off cutting her losses than losing anymore happiness and wasting more time.  Companies should do the same, cut their losses to minimize the amount of damage a bad decision will create.      

Impressionable Children

According to Wootan, in Regulating Food Advertising to Children, she notes that, “studies show that food marketing attracts children’s attention, influences their food choices, and prompts them to request that their parents purchase products.”  She makes a good point in that companies have stronger ways to influence a child’s food choice than the parents do, which include cartoon characters, celebrities, and toy giveaways.  On the other hand, Liodice argues that it is our first amendment right to free speech and therefore, free advertising.  He cites the Surgeon General’s conclusion in regards to childhood obesity, “there is no simple or quick answer to this multifaceted challenge.”  I think Wootan has the stronger argument because it is simply immoral to advertise harmful things to children.  Liodice is on the defensive and claiming that everyone needs to do their part, but it can start with the food advertisers.  This will make everyone else’s efforts more effective when children do not have the desires to eat this food, or throw temper tantrums in the supermarket over cereal brands. 

Advertisements

It is impossible to go from one place to another and not see many different types of marketing strategies in the society that we live in.  This is also very true if you were to turn on the T.V. or open up an internet page; there are many advertisements throughout the many aspects of our lives.  Some effective advertising strategies are very effective and some not so much.  A few advertisements that are not effective at all for me are the pop up ones that appear in certain apps.  They are more of an annoyance than anything.  I am using the app for one purpose and those ads just get in the way; I do not even look at them, I just x out of them and keep doing what I was doing.  In the past week I’ve noticed that television ads really are the most effective.  I think this is because when watching T.V. we don’t necessarily have a certain objective.  Watching T.V. is an activity for entertainment, therefore we are more likely to just watch what is presented to us because we are in no rush. 

"UFOlogy"

Edward Condon, scientist and author of “Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects,” argues that UFOs do not exist.  He argues that there are many explanations for the phenomenon; such as, meteorites, balloons, hallucinations, and errors in our thinking.  On the other hand, scientist and author of “The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry,” astronomer J. Allen Hynek is a strong believer that some reports of UFO sighting are actually true sightings.  He thinks more research into the phenomenon will bring more answers.  And finally, scientist and author of “Physical Evidence and Unidentified Flying Objects,” Royston Paynter is a semi-believer.  Paynter is definitely skeptical but still thinks there may be a small possibility in the truth of UFOs. Paynter, like Hynek, believes more research should be done.  I think Royston Paynter’s argument was the best because it undermined each view brought up by the supporters of UFO sightings.  Also, I really liked Paynter’s final paragraph urging “the UFOlogical comminuty to adopt properly scientific standards of investigation.”

"In My Expert Opinion...."

One concept from the reading that interested me was section about Experts and Credibility. When a court allows an expert testimony, they are allowing someone to give their opinion to the jurors and the court.  This is very different from ordinary witness testimony because witnesses can only give factual information about what happened, and their opinions do not hold weight with the jury or the judge.  The criteria for a “qualified” expert are:

1.    Education or training from a reputable institute

2.    Experience in making judgments in the field

3.    Reputation among peers as an expert in the field, and

4.    Accomplishments in the field such as academic papers and awards

However, even if a person is qualified on paper under those four requirements, conflicting opinions and biases still exist in their field of expertise.  Therefore, it is important for important to evaluate their testimony and compare it to that of other experts in the same field. 

Knowledge v Wisdom

Wisdom and knowledge are two very different concepts when looked deeper into.  Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge and intelligence and to make decisions in the best possible way.  While on the other hand, knowledge is just learned facts.  As it is well-known, knowledge and wisdom are not completely independent.  Knowledge becomes wisdom only after it has been put to practical use.  In college, students inevitably gain knowledge; however, not all gain wisdom.  I think it is our interactions with fellow students, teachers, and staff which aid our wisdom.  Also, incorporation of our knowledge into our everyday lives builds and strengthens our wisdom.  Sandra Carey is quoted as saying, “Never mistake knowledge for wisdom.  One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life.”  So the question whether one acquires knowledge or wisdom at college is different for each individual and what they make of their experiences.  It is easy to say that the information age has just led us to being more knowledgeable, not wiser.  Knowledge is just a click away; through a cell phone or laptop. 

Definitions & Meanings

Words can be used in many different ways; knowing meanings and definitions is vital to clear, accurate communication.  There are denotative and connotative meanings.  Also, there are stipulative definitions, lexical definitions, précising definitions, and persuasive definitions. 

First, a denotative meaning is a ‘true’ definition, coming from a dictionary, or its lexical definition.  A connotative meaning is not so objective; it is subjective in manner.  According to the text on pg. 69, “the connotative meaning of a word or phrase includes feelings and personal thoughts that are elicited on the basis of past experiences and associations.” 

Stipulative definitions are given to new terms, such as “decaf” Stipulative definitions may also be a combination of new terms with old terms, such as “laptop,” or a new term for an existing word, such as “homosexual” instead of gay.  “Stipulative definitions often start off as jargon or slang and are initially limited to a particular group of people” but have the ability to become the norm.  

Lexical definitions, on the other hand, come from the dictionary.  These definitions are not connotative, just denotative, and they are either right or wrong. 

Précising definitions are used to provide clarification.  These definitions go beyond a lexical definition, setting the exact parameters of the term at hand.  Précising definitions can be broken down into two sub-categories, theoretical definitions and operational definitions.  Theoretical definitions explain the specific nature of a term, while operational definitions “use a standardized measure for use in data collection and interpretation.” 

The last definition type is persuasive definitions.  Persuasive definitions try to influence others to see our point or sway to a certain side.  Persuasive definitions typically use emotive language to effectively sway people.  Emotive language is “language that is purposely chosen to elicit a certain emotional impact.”  An example of emotive language is in a definition of taxation, which is a form of ‘theft.’   

Rhetorical Devices

A rhetorical device uses “psychological persuasion, rather than reason, to persuade others to accept a particular position.”  There are four common rhetorical devices: euphemism, dysphemism, hyperbole, and sarcasm.  Two forms I have used within the past few weeks are hyperbole and euphemism.

A hyperbole is a form of rhetoric that uses focuses exaggeration.  As a student in Psych 01, the psychology department requires students to participate in 4 study hours.  Students are able to choose from a list of surveys, and experiments to fulfill these hours.  One study I participated on measured the psychological effect of various cognitive activities; one of which was a five minute speech in front of two emotionless people and a video camera.  It was so horrifying because public speaking is by far my biggest fear when it comes to school.  The experimenter gave me three minutes to prepare in a room by myself.  I briefly thought about the consent form, which said I could stop my participation at any moment without penalization.  After the whole ordeal was done with, I was at home telling my mom about my experience.  I explained to what had happened and how I had “seriously considered” running out of the study when I was to be preparing my speech.  This is the hyperbole because in reality I only briefly considered leaving. 

When using a euphemism, one replaces a term with negative association with a more neutral or positive one.  A new friend and I were having a conversation about life experiences and he/she mentioned to me that they were once a stripper.  He/she explained that it was a choice that he/she does not regret but an experience to learn from.  Going into further detail revealed that it was more than just stripping, occasionally leading to “taking it further.”  There are two euphemisms to this story.  The first is that we were using the term “stripper” instead of “prostitute.”  The second euphemism is the phrase “taking it further,” which was used to replace “sex.”  

The use of hyperboles frequently leads to more interesting stories, but in excess can diminish your credibility.  The use of euphemisms greatly reduces the awkwardness of conversations because terms like “sex” and “prostitution” are perceived in a very negative manner.  Also, through the use of euphemisms, the speaker can be less specific before approaching a topic head on to gauge ones reactions.   

Ride, Sally Ride :]

Sally Ride, famous astronaut, is an excellent critical thinker.  According to the text, the characteristics of a skilled critical thinker include: analytical skills, communication skills, being well informed and having good research techniques; having flexibility and tolerance of ambiguity; having open-minded skepticism and good problem solving; being attentive, mindful and intellectually curious, and engaging in collaborative learning. 

The text says that “she is able to clearly articulate and develop strategies to meet her life goals.”  This demonstrates the quality of flexibility and tolerance for ambiguity.  “Effective decision making includes setting clear … goals in our lives and developing a realistic strategy for achieving [those] goals.” 

“Ride was chosen to serve as Capcom for the first and second shuttle flights – the person on the ground who handles all the ground-to-staff flight communication.”  Holding this position is demonstrative of her effective communication skills. Also, she is “an excellent writer and speaker.”  Further on that theme, Ride formed Sally Ride Science, which sponsors girls’ camps that encourage development in science through leadership, writing, and communication skills.    

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence, or healthy emotional development, “is ‘the ability to perceive accurately, appraise, and express emotion; the ability to access and/or generate feelings when they facilitate thought; the ability to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and the ability to regulate emotions to promote emotional and intellectual growth.’” 

One requirement to having emotional intelligence is to have empathy, or the ability to empathize.  Empathy, as defined in the text, is “the ability to enter into and understand the experiences and emotions of others.”  This is the well-known idea of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.  Empathy is more complex than sympathy; sympathy is feeling sad or sorrow for someone but not truly feeling their pain or understanding what they are going through. 

Emotional intelligence allows us to be caring, empathetic, and aware of ourselves and others around us.  One’s inability to communicate or recognize these emotions negatively affects his/her behavior and decisions.  “Until we can tap into our moral indignation and empathy for victims – including our own victimization – we’re unlikely to be motivated to use our reason to come up with plans for taking action towards stopping… mistreatment.” 

Dawkins v Aquinas

The idea that evolution and a belief in God are compatible is not true to Dawkins ideas.  He refutes the first three claims made by Aquinas because they all arrive at the same issue, who started it? God, God is the one who made the first move, God is the one who caused everything, and God is the one who brought everything into existence according to Aquinas’ first three proofs.  However, the claims do not address who or what created God.  According to Dawkins, “They, [the proofs], make the entirely unwarranted assumption that God himself is immune to the regress.” 

The final proof is also challenged by Charles Darwin’s ideas of evolution through natural selection; this rules out the idea that “nothing that we know looks designed unless it is designed” [by God].    

I believe if Aquinas were still alive today, his beliefs might be different.  With Darwin’s findings and publications, Aquinas might reconsider his “proofs”.  I believe Dawkins argument is stronger than Aquinas, but that is strongly influenced by my non-religious upbringing and my education in a public school system.

Reasoning Strengths

Before pursuing a career, it is important to ensure you will have success and satisfaction within your position.  This might be common sense to everyone but to do this you have to actually identify your strengths.  However, figuring out your strengths may prove to be quite difficult.  To help evaluate strengths, you want to see what is easiest for you to do and what makes you happiest.

If I decide to pursue my legal career, both my skills in inductive and deductive reasoning would be utilized.  Deductive reasoning will come into play when there is no other possible suspect; the conclusion reached would be certain or definite.  For example, if a suspected drunk driver is pulled over and takes a breathalyzer and gets a BAC level of .20, then it is definite that the driver was operating the vehicle while intoxicated.  Inductive reasoning, on the other hand, would come into play when the conclusion is probable, or reasonable.  In an inductive argument, the decision is up to an officer, the judge, or the jury to weigh the probabilities presented.  For example, if an officer sees someone in a parked car with the keys in the ignition and suspects them to be drunk, gives them a breathalyzer, which they fail, the officer may then assume that the suspect was going to drive the vehicle. 

I believe I am strongest in inductive reasoning, or proving something probable.  This will be useful in trials because the standard of proof is “beyond a reasonable doubt.”  Knowing what your strengths are before starting a career will help you be more successful and satisfied with your position. 

Persuasive Wording

This week I chose to discuss the Effects of Question Wording on Responses.  This is important to me because I am in an Intro to Psychology class and in groups we had to design surveys to conduct.  Writing an efficient survey is more difficult than I first thought.  You don’t want to lead the participants to an answer or dissuade them from answering a certain way either.  To do this you must stay away from slanted questions.  A slanted question, as according to the text, is “a question that is written to elicit a particular response.”  For example, most people might be put off by the wording of the following question and therefore answer in a way inconsistent with their true values:

A slanted question:

“Do you believe there should be an amendment to the Constitution protecting the life of the unborn child, or shouldn’t there be such an amendment?”

A better phrasing for the same topic:

“Do you believe there should be an amendment to the Constitution prohibiting abortions, or shouldn’t there be such an amendment?”

The slanted question received 50% of the populations support whereas the second version received only 29%.  Although the topic of the question is the same, the emphasis of each is on different aspects, one on the right of a fetus, and the other on the rights of the mothers to have an abortion. 

So next time you participate in a survey, carefully read the questions and see if your answers are influenced by the wording of the survey. 

Antonia Novello vs Joe Camel

Dr. Novello, former United States Surgeon General from Puerto Rico :) , used cause-and-effect form of inductive reasoning when seeking a solution to the problem of increased smoking among children and teens.  First, she observed that the numbers of teen and children smokers increased dramatically upon the creation of Joe Camel, for Camel brand cigarettes which targeted youth in 1988. To figure out what she could do to stop this drastic increase, she needed to determine the relationship between Joe Camel and smoking rates.  She did this by evaluating the positive correlation between children and teens smoking and the Joe Camel advertisements.  Positive correlation is when the incidence of one event (children and teens smoking) increases when the second one (Joe Camel advertisements) increases. Using that example of cause-and-effect inductive reasoning, she sought a ban on cigarette and alcohol advertisements that targeted youth as well as increasing education on the harmful effects. 

Inductive Reasoning or Dangerous Reasoning?

Inductive arguments only determine that the conclusion is probably true, whereas, deductive arguments claim that the conclusion must be true. 

An example of my own inductive reasoning happened yesterday morning.  I was cleaning my room upstairs and I heard my little Chihuahua mix barking his head off.  He usually barks when people walk into the garage.  I muted my T.V. so that I could listen to what was going on, I then heard the door from my garage that leads into the house trying to open.  My heart jumped and I looked out of my window but didn’t see any cars so I started to get a little worried.  I walked downstairs thinking someone could be trying to break in or it could be my boyfriend.  He has, on many occasions, shown up through the side door to surprise me.  However, this day was different.  I had been texting him and calling him all morning but no response, so I assumed he was still sleeping.  I cautiously walked down the stairs and out the front door, all while thinking I may have to call the cops. Sure enough, as I looked around the corner, I saw the back of his car.  I instantly knew it was him trying to surprise me at the door and when I saw him I told him that I almost called the cops on him and we both had a quick laugh.   

Inductive reasoning breakdown:

Premise one:  Someone was trying to come in through my garage door.

Premise two: My boyfriend sometimes tried to come in through the garage door to try to surprise me. 

Conclusion: It is probably my boyfriend trying to surprise me by coming in the side of the house.

Since inductive reasoning only leads to a conlcusion that is PROBABLY true, my reasoning could have led me to great danger.  I generalized that the garage door trying to open was most likely my boyfriend but in the event that someone was really trying to break in, my generalization would have been a BIG mistake. 

Leadership

As defined by The Essential Guide to Group Communication text, leadership is “the exercise of interpersonal influence toward the attainment of goals.”  Four typical leadership styles are as follows: authoritarian, consultative, participative, and laissez-faire.  Authoritarian leaders control group activities without any input from other members.  The leader simply tells the group what is going to happen, thus frequently causing lower commitment to the task at hand.  Second is the consultative leader; this leader makes decisions based on the thoughts of the other members.  Many group members tend to get frustrated with this type of leadership because they feel their input is overlooked.  The next leadership style is participative.  This type of leader works with the other members to reach decisions through guidance, not control.  The last style of leadership is laissez-faire leadership.  This is when a group does not necessarily have an identifiable leader. 

The above four leadership styles each have their benefits and consequences.  However, as we all were taught from a young age, sharing is key!!  Sharing leadership in small groups happens spontaneously; a leader will emerge other than the known leader.  This is the best way to work in groups because the more skilled members in a certain aspect step up and lead the group in certain tasks. 

Capital Punishment

“Sister Helen Prejean maintains that the death penalty is a violation of human dignity and is contrary to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, ‘who taught us to not to return hate for hate and evil for evil’.”

First, let me say that I am not a religious person, so please forgive me if I make any mistakes.  I think that the death penalty should not be implemented in the United States.  Not only is it very costly, but it is not right for the state to end anyone’s life.  It seems weird to me that religious people would be more likely to support the death penalty because the scriptural passage mentioned above says not to return hate for hate.  Capital punishment is exactly that; what can be more hateful that killing another human being??? I understand that people would like to get revenge, but nothing can be done to change the past.   

Deductive argument:

Capital punishment is an act that returns hate for hate, i.e. killing a killer.

Jesus of Nazareth taught us that the return of hate for hate and evil for evil is wrong.

Therefore, capital punishment is wrong. 

Clouded Judgment

“Sherlock Holmes tells Watson that when it comes to the art of reasoning, many people rely on opinion and unsupported assumptions” rather than “undeniable fact.”  This is very true because when trying to reason, whether it is your experiences or the experiences of others, you subconsciously rule out some aspects and place emphasis on others.  Also, when gathering information about an issue, you may read reports or listen to stories, and this also removes you from the truth.  The purpose of these reports or stories may be to strictly provide information but perceptions vary from person to person and therefore, the information will not be an entirely accurate description of the issue at hand. 

This is a major issue when anyone asks for relationship advice.  My friend regularly tells me the bad things that go on in her relationship.  From arguments to rumors, I’ve heard it all! When she asks me for advice I cannot reason properly because I have only heard her side of the story.  Her interpretation of what happens is definitely different from his.  She leaves out the mean things she does and emphasizes the bad he does.  So the important thing to take away from Sherlock Holmes’ quote to Watson is that it is important to get your information from multiple sources to avoid reasoning that is clouded with and based on opinions and unsupported assumptions. 

Communication Apprehension

I must admit, I suffer from communication apprehension, the fear or anxiety associated with real of anticipated communication with another person or persons, just like roughly 20% of the population.  I, however, seem to have communication apprehension only when I am speaking to or in front of the entire class.  The text, The Essential Guide to Group Communication, lists some issues that communication apprehension brings to group communication.  First of all, group members see you as nervous or less dominant.  Second, you are seen as being less task oriented and less socially attractive.  Further, it is unlikely that you will be seen as a leader amongst the group and most importantly, your contributions are seen to be less valuable. 

There are a few simple ways to address these issues and improve your communication in groups if you experience this debilitating anxiety.  First, take a few deep breaths to help reduce your anxiety.  A second way to reduce your anxiety is to motivate yourself.  You can easily do this by telling yourself “I am going to be awesome and they’re going to appreciate what I have to say.” Another simple key to reducing your anxiety is to practice your speech or prepare yourself for the interaction.  This was you will have an idea of what to say and you will be able to maintain your cool.    

A Boyfriend Over Dignity?

When I read the question about having to stand my ground on an issue despite risking losing a close friend or a job, one issue immediately flew into my mind.  I have been debating sharing this topic with everyone but I finally decided to just go with it; this is anonymous, right? :)

Here goes nothing.  This past summer I was drinking with three, now ex, friends. As we all may know from experience or observation, reasoning and rationality and all else goes out the window for some people, and let me just say, I had never been that kind of drunk in my life.  However, this night was completely different than every other experience I have ever had.  To get to the point, I ended up totaling my car in the process of driving home and it turns out that night I had cheated on my boyfriend of 4 years. 

I’ve heard that girls who regret things in the morning pretend not to know what happened because they were drunk, but in this situation I really had no idea.  I knew right away that something was different and I had to tell my boyfriend I might have done something.  He demanded that I find out exactly what happened so I had to contact my friends I was with and ask what happened.  After the truth came out, that I had indeed cheated on him, he was understandably furious.  He wanted to literally kill everyone who was there that night because they all knew I was with him, they let the cheating happen and did nothing to stop me from driving home. 

However, I knew the blame was not solely on them; I do feel extremely guilty and responsible. I knew that if I let him get his revenge on them that I would never feel right about myself again.  I was facing losing my boyfriend or giving into him and losing my sense of morality.  I knew I had to stick up for myself despite the pressure he put on me to “get them back.”  This may seem like an easy decision to many but for me it wasn’t that easy.  I had become the bad person and he acted like everything would be okay if I just gave him the information.  I love him so much and the temptation of giving into him was there but my critical-thinking kept my opinions strong.  He could have gotten thrown into jail or even prison if he let his anger get the best of him and it would’ve been my fault.  Then, not only would I feel guilty about cheating, I would feel guilty for allowing those people to get hurt and for him getting into trouble.      

We are still together and dealing with the problems I created.  Thanks to standing my ground, he thanks me for preventing more problems and I will never feel that guilt I could’ve so easily brought upon myself.

I hope you are not too quick to judge; it took a lot of courage to publish this post.   

Obama on Same Sex Marriage

President Barack Obama’s position on same-sex marriage is inconsistent with his beliefs in equal rights and opportunities for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation.  This is because if he truly believed in equal rights for all people, he would not oppose legalizing same-sex marriage on any level, including the federal level.  He seems to be on both sides of the issue because he does not flat out say that gay marriage is wrong; neither does he say it is right.  He supports some benefits but not all, which is hypocritical because not allowing for all the same benefits takes away the equality, which he supposedly believes in.  If gays deserve all the rights that heterosexual couples enjoy, why can’t they have the recognition of being a married couple on a federal level? Although I believe he is inconsistent with his view on equality, I am not saying that his position is inconsistent with his religious views.  In response to Nava and Dawidoff, I believe Obama would mention that within his upbringing as a religious man, he is supporting gay marriage to the fullest extent possible.  Also, by giving his support to civil unions and equal rights he truly wants equality for all people. 

Introductory Post

Hello!
    My name is JLynnR and I am a Sophomore here at SJSU.  I was born and raised here in San Jose, by a mother from England, and a father from Puerto Rico.  I have two half siblings; my sister recently graduated from SJSU with a CHAD degree and my brother recently became completely blind.  He was able to see a little bit for the majority of his life but his condition changed, making his eyes deteriorate even further.  Therefore, a lot of my time is dedicated to helping him adapt to his further restricted abilities. 
    As for my education here at SJSU, I took public speaking last semester with Professor Choi and it was not my favorite class.  This is because I am a very nervous speaker when it comes to speaking in front of a class.  This fear of mine has been around since elementary school when we were to recite poems to the class.  However, my passion is not public speaking, it is the criminal justice system and the law.  I recently declared my major to Justice Studies, and I am waiting until I reach upper-division standing so I can take the courses required for the major.  I am not sure what career path I want to pursue once I complete my degree, but as long as I enjoy the classes and succeed, there will be plenty of opportunities. 

I look forward to getting a hang of this blogging thing.
   
- JLynnR