INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE We can use FACTS - a belief or statement is true

HUMAN PERSON if it is based on facts.

WEEK 2 OPINION

METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING • An opinion is a statement that reflects

someone's personal beliefs, feelings, or
 Truth lies at the heart of any inquiry
thoughts.
 Philosophers often grapple with the concept
of Truth Example: "I believe that summer is the best
season."
PROPOSITIONS
FACT OPINION
• Statements about the world or reality
• Verifiable Truth • Subjective Belief
• May or may not carry truth
• Independent of • Based on Personal
• Are usually shared as short statements or Personal Beliefs Views
sentences • Proven through • Not Necessarily
Evidence Evidence-Backed
FACTS CLAIM • Universally • Varied among
Which are observed Are not evidently or Accepted individuals
to be real or truthful immediately known to
be true
❖ Opinions are statements that go beyond
Ex. I know that the fish Ex. I know that my providing facts.
live in a water school is the best in
❖ Facts are statements that can be proven to
because fish DO live the city
be true or false based on evidence and
in water
Assert – forcefully or declare a person to agree reality.
with you. (States a fact or belief confidently and ❖ Claims persuades, argues, convinces, or
forcefully.) provocatively suggest something.

HOW DO WE KNOW IF SOMETHING IS TRUE? ❖ Arguments are a series of statements that

• We assume that everything we know about provide reasons to convince the reader or
this world is true. However, philosophers listener that a claim or opinion is truthful.
who pondered upon the origins of knowledge ❖ Fallacies are arguments based on faulty
doubted everything that there is to know reasoning.
about themselves and the world. ❖ Bias is disproportionate weight in favor of
• Philosophers questioned what they knew and or against an idea or thing, usually in a way
even analyzed their methods of knowing in that is closed-minded, prejudicial, or unfair.
order to understand themselves and the EXAMPLES OF FALLACIES
world much better.
Fallacy Characteristics
Ad hominem Attacking the person
A belief is true if it can be justified or
presenting the argument
proven through the use of one’s sense. instead of the argument
itself.
Appeal to Using the threat of force or ignore the funny dog
force an undesirable event to ones.)
advance an argument. Framing Focusing on a certain
Appeal to Using emotions such as pity aspect of a problem
emotion (pity) or sympathy. while ignoring other
Appeal to the The idea is presented as aspects.
popular (Ad acceptable because a lot of
populum people accept. (Framing bias is like
fallacy) looking at a picture from
Appeal to The idea is acceptable different angles. It's how
tradition because it has been true for the way something is
a long time. presented can affect how
Begging the Assuming the thing or idea to we think about it. For
question be proven is true; also known example, if you're told
as circular argument. about a "20% failure rate"
Cause-and- Assuming “cause-and- for a new product, it might
effect effect" relationship between sound bad. But if you're
unrelated events. talked about an "80%
Fallacy of Assuming that what is true of success rate," it sounds
composition a part is true for the whole. much more positive, even
(parts-whole) though it's the same
Fallacy of Assuming that what is true information.)
division for the whole is true for its
parts. (whole-parts)
Hindsight The tendency to see past
events as predictable, or
EXAMPLES OF BIASES
to ascribe a pattern to
Fallacy Characteristics historical events.
Correspondence Tendency to judge a Conflict of A person or group is
bias (Attribution person's personality by interest connected to or has a
effect) his or her actions, vested interest in the
without regard for the issue being discussed.
external factors or
influence. (Conflict of interest bias is
when someone's
Confirmation Tendency to look for and
personal interests or
bias readily accept
relationships might
information which fits
influence their decisions
one's own beliefs or
or actions. For example,
views and to reject ideas
if a judge has a financial
or views that go against it.
stake in a company that's
involved in a case, it could
(It's when we only see
be a conflict of interest
things that fit with what
because the judge might
we already believe. For
be tempted to rule in favor
example, if you think cats
of the company to benefit
are better than dogs, you
themselves.)
might notice all the cute
cat videos online and
Cultural bias Analyzing an event or
issue based on one’s
cultural standards.

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