Week 10/15: Ch. 4 Question 2

Condon argues that the study of UFO reports will not lead to scientific productivity. He mentions how nothing regarding UFOs has been discovered in the past 21 years, suggesting that scientists therefore cannot go forward with their studies. He also says how some “may have expected in the way of psychiatric problems” when they find “UFO” craft, and this would advance the social and behavioral sciences instead. He also mentions how the government isn’t in secrecy concerning UFO reports. 

Hynek argues that “investigations…have sought to disprove” the rigorous scientific studying of UFO reports which is why nothing has been really proven yet. He states how the reports can be managed by looking at the statistics by comparing “large groups of sightings of a particular category with a much larger population of the same category,” and by the thorough examination of “individual multiple-witness cases.” He mentions how UFO reports are global, suggesting that it’s not just the people of this country that have “witnessed” UFOs. 

I think Paynter makes the best argument. He argues that so far we really don’t know if UFOs are real, because we don’t have physical evidence. Nobody has really found legitimate evidence and so until someone does, we can’t be sure that aliens are real but according to Hynek, it’s still acceptable to believe in them. His article was also the easiest for me to grasp because he states his opinions simply and straightforwardly. It’s brief, but it’s the most powerful out of the three.

Week 10/15: Ch. 4 Question 3

The concept I found most interesting is the section on social errors and biases. This section explains different ways we perceive different groups of people. The section on the “one of us” or “one of them” error discusses how we tend to respect people who are similar to us as opposed to those different from us in terms of “race, sex, religion, political party, age, or nationality” (118). Sometimes, we just do that unconsciously. The section on societal expectations refers to how we expect certain groups of people to act and we conform to how they act. An example given in the book is the Salem witch trials where people of that time really believed in witchcraft just because most believed so.  The section on group pressure and conformity discusses how being in groups can influence our individual decisions. For example, if the whole group of friends you’re with wants to watch a chick flick while you want mystery, you’ll just settle for chick flick as well because that’s what everyone else chooses. Diffusion of responsibility refers to how we don’t take responsibility when it’s not our problem. In the book, Boss gives an example when an injured man on a busy street in Connecticut was ignored by bystanders after he was struck by a vehicle. He later died from his injuries.

Week 10/15: Ch. 4 Question 1

I think knowledge refers to a person’s intellectual capacity. You can gain knowledge from experience, your peers, the internet, books, etc. You can memorize or retain all the information your brain can handle and you're considered knowledgeable. A person can know everything about cars, for instance, and that makes him or her knowledgeable about that, but not necessarily wise. I think wisdom is when a person has the ability to use that knowledge and effectively apply it to everyday life. When I think of clever people, I imagine them being rational and fair,  considering every aspect of a situation before making decisions and acting upon them. I think I’m only acquiring knowledge at college and not wisdom. There are roughly four months to a semester and in that period of time, we’re bombarded with information we have to know. We’re given exams that basically test our knowledge or how much information we’ve retained, but we don’t necessarily have to put that knowledge to practice elsewhere. We acquire wisdom in college in terms of how we deal with things like communication, managing time, studying efficiently, etc. Also, I think the information age has just made us more knowledgeable.  When we look at health issues, for instance, people are definitely more informed about how to live healthy lifestyles by eating the right foods, exercising, not smoking, etc. Information is accessible everywhere, on Yahoo, Dr. Oz, Reader’s Digest, etc. But we still continue to make some wrong choices, therefore, only making us more knowledgeable, but not necessarily wise.

Week 10/1: Chapter 3 Question 3

The section I found the most interesting this week is definitions and the different types. First, there are different types of meanings. Denotative meaning is basically the dictionary definition. It gives the characteristics of an object, being, or an event. Connotative meaning is based on personal experiences or other associations. We can also define by stereotyping which is labeling people based on the group that they “belong” to. A stipulative definition is one that is given to a new term or a new combination of old terms. The examples given by Boss are terms like skyscraper or laptop. Stipulative terms usually come from slang or colloquial words. If it becomes part of everyday language, then it could be a lexical or dictionary definition. A lexical definition is “the commonly used dictionary definition” to widen vocabulary and decrease vagueness. It is either right or wrong and is not flexible like stipulative definitions. Precising definitions are definitions used to reduce vagueness. There are two types of précising definitions: theoretical definitions explain a term’s nature and operational definitions are definitions with standard measures for use in data collection and interpretation. Persuasive definitions are used to influence other people to agree with our view. They often use emotive language.

Week 10/1: Chapter 3 Question 2

I recently used a euphemism in describing a friend. Euphemism is using a more positive term rather than a negative one. She is pretty frank every time she speaks, as in she usually does not mind voicing her opinions which can sometimes be offensive. I was talking to her and she said, “People think I’m really mean. I don’t get it. I’m not mean!” I said to her, “Oh you’re just not afraid of being honest and telling the truth.” Although I meant that in a way, what I really thought was that she really could be too much sometimes with her words that they can cross the line and be insulting. Another type of rhetorical device I recently used is hyperbole. Hyperbole uses exaggeration to twist the facts. I actually feel like I use this quite a lot during school. Because of schoolwork and other stresses, I always complain exaggeratedly. I was talking to my sister about things I have to do for the next week and told her that I’m so tired all the time and I barely have time to do other things. In reality, I'm not that tired and I can still manage. I also do have time to do leisurely stuff too.

Week 10/1: Chapter 3 Question 1

Sally Ride exemplifies a good critical thinker by challenging herself, setting goals, being open-minded and being creative. From how her friends describe her, Ride seems to be a rational person who thinks before she acts and finds the reason behind things before acting upon them. She used her “research and inquiry skills” by thinking of her interests and communication skills and then decided to double-major in English and Physics. She also challenged herself by applying for NASA to become an astronaut. She did not have to be an astronaut to use her skills but she grabbed the opportunity. She also seems to set goals like the job, the report for NASA, and writing children’s books. She is curious too for taking on different activities. She also exemplifies “creative problem solving” by setting up the Sally Ride Science camps; this shows that she is willing to take risks and challenges and also shows her taking action to spark interest in science for girls.