Overview of This UnitOverview of This Unit
Verbal 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 Defensiveness
Why 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 quiet
fresh frozenfresh frozen
jumbo shrimpjumbo shrimp
anti-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 work
I 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, 2. Language is, by its very nature,
incompleteincomplete
the hazy claimthe hazy claim
ungrammatical incompletenessungrammatical incompleteness
the incomplete comparisonthe incomplete comparison
the 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
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