Overview of This UnitOverview of This UnitVerbal Strategies of Verbal Strategies of

Supportiveness and Supportiveness and DefensivenessDefensiveness

Why Argue About Pointless Why Argue About Pointless MattersMatters??

Why do we Misunderstand?Why do we Misunderstand?

Defensiveness and SupportivenessDefensiveness and Supportiveness

EvaluationEvaluation ControlControl StrategyStrategy NeutralityNeutrality CertainCertain SuperioritySuperiority

DescriptionDescription Problem SolvingProblem Solving SpontaneitySpontaneity EmpathyEmpathy ProvisionalProvisional EqualityEquality

Overview of This UnitOverview of This Unit Verbal Strategies of Verbal Strategies of

Supportiveness and DefensivenessSupportiveness and DefensivenessWhy Argue About Pointless Why Argue About Pointless

Matters?Matters?Why do we Misunderstand?Why do we Misunderstand?

Factual v. Verbal DisputesFactual v. Verbal Disputes Factual disputes involve propositions Factual disputes involve propositions

about facts and are settled only by about facts and are settled only by getting more factual informationgetting more factual information

example:example:Dave: Lincoln was born in Indiana. I learned

that in the third grade.Carl: No, he wasn’t. He was born in

Kentucky. I says so in my college textbook.

Factual Dispute ExamplesFactual Dispute Examples

that two Soviet cosmonauts died in outer that two Soviet cosmonauts died in outer space in 1965space in 1965

that John F. Kennedy was shot by Lee that John F. Kennedy was shot by Lee Harvey OswaldHarvey Oswald

that the plurality of scientists has the that the plurality of scientists has the aquarian astrological signaquarian astrological sign

Verbal DisputesVerbal Disputes Verbal disputes involve statements that Verbal disputes involve statements that

people think involve controversies over people think involve controversies over objects named by their words, when objects named by their words, when they really involve arguments about the they really involve arguments about the words themselveswords themselves

Cannot be resolved by investigating Cannot be resolved by investigating factsfacts

Statements that Involve Statements that Involve Verbal DisputesVerbal Disputes

Analytic statements, tautologies, and Analytic statements, tautologies, and definitions: the meanings for wordsdefinitions: the meanings for words

Contradictions, paradoxes, and Contradictions, paradoxes, and oxymoronsoxymorons

Attitude axiomsAttitude axioms Metaphysical statementsMetaphysical statements

Analytic Statements, Tautologies, and

Definitions

the meanings for words

Analytic Statements, Tautologies, and

Definitions

statements that assert

that one term may be

substituted for another

the meanings for words

Analytic, Definition, and Tautology Analytic, Definition, and Tautology Proposition ExamplesProposition Examples

Samuel Clemens is Mark TwainSamuel Clemens is Mark Twain A yard is three feet longA yard is three feet long The law is the lawThe law is the law All bachelors are unmarriedAll bachelors are unmarried

Standard for Verbal DisputesStandard for Verbal DisputesIf no sense experience could verify or falsify a If no sense experience could verify or falsify a

statement, then it is simply not about the statement, then it is simply not about the world we experience with our five sensesworld we experience with our five senses

Contradictions, Paradoxes, and Contradictions, Paradoxes, and OxymoronsOxymorons

Contradiction: a statement that Contradiction: a statement that always must be falsealways must be false

Oxymoron: a contradiction in termsOxymoron: a contradiction in terms Paradox: a statement that declares Paradox: a statement that declares

itself in contradictionitself in contradiction

Contradictions and OxymoronsContradictions and Oxymorons

statements that must be false due to statements that must be false due to their very constructiontheir very construction

a noisy quieta noisy quietfresh frozenfresh frozen

jumbo shrimpjumbo shrimpanti-abortion protestorsanti-abortion protestors

original copyoriginal copy

ParadoxesParadoxes

The statement

in this square is

false

ParadoxesParadoxes

The statement

in this square is

false

Paradox of the Barber

Attitude AxiomsAttitude Axioms

statements that reveal how the speaker statements that reveal how the speaker feels about thingsfeels about things

Example:Example:The worst day of fishing is better than the The worst day of fishing is better than the

best day of workbest day of workI love what you do for me--ToyotaI love what you do for me--Toyota

Metaphysical StatementsMetaphysical Statements Statements about things that cannot Statements about things that cannot

be observed in this lifebe observed in this life Examples:Examples: There is a God in heavenThere is a God in heaven There is life after deathThere is life after death There are seven astral planesThere are seven astral planes The Jones house is hauntedThe Jones house is haunted

Some Examples: Verbal or Factual?Some Examples: Verbal or Factual? Bigfoot existsBigfoot exists My Grandmother is in heaven.My Grandmother is in heaven. All humans are born equal.All humans are born equal. God created Himself.God created Himself. ““Nothing ever dies. Science tells us that. Nothing ever dies, it just Nothing ever dies. Science tells us that. Nothing ever dies, it just

changes form.” -- Shirley MacLainechanges form.” -- Shirley MacLaine Abortion kills babies.Abortion kills babies. A: “The human embryo, even at the age of 14 days, hasA: “The human embryo, even at the age of 14 days, has

developed fingers and toes. My philosophy teacher told developed fingers and toes. My philosophy teacher told me that.” me that.”B: “That’s not true. At that point the embryo doesn’tB: “That’s not true. At that point the embryo doesn’t even have limbs. You can look that up in any even have limbs. You can look that up in any competent biology textbook.” competent biology textbook.”

Overview of This UnitOverview of This Unit Verbal Strategies of Self DisclosureVerbal Strategies of Self Disclosure Overcoming Superstitions About Overcoming Superstitions About

LanguageLanguage Why Argue About Pointless MattersWhy Argue About Pointless Matters??

Why do we Misunderstand?Why do we Misunderstand?

We forget that:We forget that:1. Language creates a social reality1. Language creates a social reality

Whorf-Sapir hypothesisWhorf-Sapir hypothesis

Why Are There Why Are There Misunderstandings?Misunderstandings?

We forget that:We forget that:2. Language is, by its very nature, incomplete2. Language is, by its very nature, incomplete

the hazy claimthe hazy claimungrammatical incompletenessungrammatical incompletenessthe incomplete comparisonthe incomplete comparisonthe non exclusive claimthe non exclusive claim

weasel wordsweasel words

We forget that:We forget that:3. Language reflects culture3. Language reflects culture

Take a Break!Take a Break!

We will resume in 10 minutesWe will resume in 10 minutes