American Philosophical. AssociationGeneral Discussion Digest for Monday December 14, 2020

 

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Dec 14, 2020

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started 15 hours ago, Jacob Andrews (0 replies) Order of teaching formal logic    1.  How far do you recommend taking students in a... Jacob Andrews

1.	Order of teaching formal logic
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Dec 14, 2020 9:13 AM Jacob Andrews
How far do you recommend taking students in a semester of formal logic (say, for non-majors)? And what order do you each topics in? The book I use (Gensler) recommended teaching modal logic before quantificational (I try to get to both in an intro semester, though I've been rethinking this as we're all pretty exhausted by the end!). Although I was hesitant at first, I've come to really like that approach, for two reasons: it lends itself to interesting philosophical arguments, and it's symbolically easy to learn. #1 is obvious: there's always a handful of students that are interested in phil religion questions like the problem of evil and free will / omniscience and enjoy using modal logic to deal with those. #2- I realized in the middle of class one day that the modal operators are syntactically just like the negation sign: anywhere it's legal to put ~, it's legal to put a box or diamond (and vice versa), and anywhere it's illegal to put ~, it's illegal to put a box or diamond (and vice versa). So there's no new syntax to learn, just new meaning and new inference rules.​​ I always have students who really struggle figuring out where to put the modal operators and they tend to find this tip very helpful. ------------------------------ Jacob Joseph Andrews Upper School Latin Teacher and IT Administrator – Covenant Classical School PhD Candidate, Philosophy – Loyola University Chicago https://jacobjandrews.wordpress.com/ ------------------------------
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BLAST FROM THE PAST: KNOW YOUR OPPONENT, THEN MAKE A STAND. (UPDATED)

 

As Donald Trump continues an agenda of Persecution, many Americans are missing the True Dangers that will become a reality if he gets his way.

To Defeat this Assault on the CONSTITUTION, AND COMMON DECENCY, THE FOLLOWING MUST be ACKNOWLEDGED AS TRUE:

1)  Donald Trump is a Symptom of the REAL PROBLEM, NOT THE CAUSE.

2)  Many of his Supporters consider "RIGHTS" TO BE GUARANTEES THAT PROTECT ONLY
THEM.

3)  Often, these same Supporters will claim that anything they do or say must be allowed by
Law, SO THEY CAN FULFILL A DIVINE MISSION THAT MUST TAKE PRECEDENCE
OVER EVERYTHING ELSE.

4)  "THE ENDS JUSTIFIES THE MEANS" is an essential part of the Fanaticism that grips many
Americans, when it comes to certain issues.

5)  THERE ARE THOSE WHO BELIEVE RELIGIOUS FAITH ALONE IS ENOUGH TO SET LEGAL GUIDELINES THAT MUST BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT QUESTION.

6)  CONTRARY TO WHAT THEY MAY SAY PUBLICLY, SOME AMERICANS WOULD
GLADLY LIVE IN A TOTALITARIAN STATE, AS LONG AS IT IS SET UP TO GIVE THEM
POWER AND PRIVILEGES OVER EVERYONE ELSE.

7)  TO MANY AMERICANS, SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES ARE NEGOTIABLE, AND CAN BE ACCEPTED OR REJECTED REGARDLESS OF THE POTENTIAL OUTCOMES.

8)  History, to some Americans, should BE REWRITTEN OR IGNORED, DEPENDING ON THE
POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE IMAGE IT CREATES.

9) PERHAPS THE MOST DANGEROUS OF ALL: THE IDEA THAT THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE BEYOND

THE RULE OF LAW, AND WHOSE ACTIONS CANNOT BE QUESTIONED, OR PROSECUTED....

...WHICH LEADS  US TO THE FOLLOWING.

10) THE RULES OF LOGIC AND DEDUCTIVE/INDUCTIVE REASONING DO NOT CHANGE JUST

BECAUSE THE INDIVIDUAL HAS  MD, PhD, JD etc. after their name. ALONG THE SAME LINES,

THOSE WHO ARE REFERRED TO AS SCIENTISTS, PHILOSOPHERS, ENGINEERS, MINISTERS,
RESEARCHERS etc., ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM HAVING THEIR OPINIONS AND/OR JUDGEMENTS
TESTED AND DEBATED. NO ONE SHOULD BE GIVEN A FREE PASS AS "BEYOND ALL REPROACH."

THIS INCLUDES SOME JUDGES, WHO EXPECT THEIR "DECISIONS" TO BE ACCEPTED BECAUSE THE 

TERM "HONORABLE" IS ADDED TO THEIR RESUME. SORRY, BUT IRRATIONAL AND/OR INVALID
ARGUMENTS DO NOT BECOME "GREAT WISDOM" JUST BECAUSE YOU PUT ON A BLACK ROBE. 
WE WILL LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

BLASTS FROM THE PAST: 10/19/2016. TRUMP MAKES HIS FIRST ACCUSATION OF ELECTION FRAUD. (BEFORE THE ELECTION.)

The original title was- MESSAGE TO ALL PROGRESSIVES: DON'T YOU SEE IT, EVEN NOW? PART 4.

Since the NEWS MEDIA CONTINUES TO IGNORE THE FACT THAT DONALD TRUMP MADE ACCUSATIONS OF ELECTION FRAUD IN 2016 AND 2018 WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE, I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THEY ARE DOING "DUE DILIGENCE" TO UNCOVER THE TRUE NATURE OF THE BOGUS ASSERTIONS HE MAKES NOW. (ALSO THAT THE FRAUDULENT RETURNS IN 2016 AND 2020, WHICH WORKED IN FAVOR OF TRUMP, ARE CONVENIENTLY IGNORED. OF COURSE, WITH SENATE DEMOCRATS CONTINUING A TRADITION OF DOING NOTHING TO AID THEIR OWN CANDIDATES DOESN'T HELP.)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

THE ARTICLE.

The most amazing thing about Donald Trump claiming the Presidential Election is Rigged, is not that it is completely unexpected, but that anyone who really studies the problem couldn't see it coming.

-  Donald Trump, and his Lackeys, realize that all the Misogynists, Bigots, Xenophobes, Homophobes, Religious Zealots etc., in the Country do not represent a Voting Majority.

-  That his Platform of ... well... Hating everyone who is not on the FAR RIGHT EXTREMIST LIST OF PEOPLE ALLOWED TO LIVE IN THE U.S. WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING TARGETS OF PERSECUTION OR PREJUDICE, doesn't appeal to many undecided voters.

-  That Sound Bites Laced with Simplistic and Bombastic Drivel, that represent a profound inability to meet even the Most Minimal Levels of Intellectual Depth and Psychological Stability, do not indicate qualities that Most Americans would expect in their President.

So, as he sees the Election Slipping Away, Donald Trump plays the only Card he has left, given his limited abilities to convince Most Reasonable People that he is the Person who should sit in the White House. It is a Strategy that fits in perfectly with those who already support him, for it requires none of the following:

-  An understanding of the Rules of Logic.

-  The Ability to separate Gossip, Rumor, and Innuendo
    from Factual Data.

-  The Understanding that you do not start any Investigation,
    be it Science, Law, Politics., etc with a CONCLUSION, and
    then try to Shape the Evidence to Support it. BAD EVIDENCE
    DOES NOT CHANGE THE TRUTH, NO MATTER
    WHAT YOUR AGENDA IS.

- The REALIZATION THAT BASELESS ASSERTIONS ARE
      MEANINGLESS, NO MATTER HOW OFTEN YOU REPEAT
      THEM.

      For more information, you may want to read my article-  THE
      FALLACY OF PROVING A NEGATIVE.

       Date-  10/19/2016.

BLASTS FROM THE PAST: 12/3/2016. HOW PROUD ARE YOU NOW? DONALD TRUMP- A SHILL?

 

DONALD TRUMP USES AN ELECTED OFFICE TO PROMOTE THE LATEST "GET RICH QUICK" SCHEME ON THE INTERNET.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF CHANGES FROM THE FIRST TWO I REPORTED ON.

-  THE REPORTING "NEWS SERVICE" IS CNN. FOX HAS BEEN REPLACED.

-  THE "CLIENT" IS NOW CALLED INTERNET PROFIT.

I HAVE REPRINTED PARTS OF THIS "ARTICLE" SO YOU CAN COMPARE THEM TO THE 

FIRST TWO.

SOME OF WHAT YOU READ BELOW IS PRACTICALLY IDENTICAL TO THE OTHER TWO

NEWS "REPORTS." THIS INCLUDES THE DISCLAIMER.

President-Elect Trump releases his new Program to help Americans earn wealth

      By Michael Pearson, Faith Karimi and Joe Sutton, CNN

CNN) — Speaking before a packed auditorium Donald Trump revealed the secret economic plan behind his "Make America Great Again" initiative. "It's no secret that the Average American is earning less today than they were before the 2008 recession." Stated Mr. Trump. "The reason is simple. There are people who know how to make money very easily, and they've rigged the system for themselves without sharing their secrets with people who really need it."

"I'm going to change all that" Mr. Trump added...

Mr, Trump says the best opportunity available is a new program called Internet Profit which teaches regular people to take advantage of this massive internet opportunity quickly and easily, and even places them with real online companies that pay them for their time comlpeting simple tasks.

"Heather Smith is absolutely changing the world with her Internet Profit program" he said. "Normally, rich people keep the secrets to their wealth to themselves. But Sara, she has found an amazing opportunity, and she is sharing it with everyone. That's incredible."

Trump has not hidden his affection for Ms. Smith. He has recently been praising her on social media for her efforts to teach regular people how to create amazing wealth in their spare time.

We investigated the claims made by Mr. Trump and Ms. Smith, and what we found is nothing short of amazing. This LIMITED TIME PROGRAM is only available through this SPECIAL PROGRAM - Trump is sharing his secrets for a DRASTICALLY REDUCED sign up fee.

These statements have not been evaluated or endorsed by Donald Trump or the Trump companies.

The use of CNN, CNN.com and any and all trademarks belonging to or relating to CNN are used for entertainment purposes only. This information was not written, reviewed or approved by any employee or representative of CNN or any of its affiliates. CNN does not endorse or approve any of the comments made in this advertorial.

Internet Profit is not affiliated with Donald Trump, or any of the Trump companies. Any and all quotations attributed to Mr. Trump in the above advertorial do not represent the opinions of Mr Trump in any way. These products and services not affiliated with Donald Trump or any of the Trump companies. This piece is purely for entertainment purposes only.