The five common thinking errors (Non Sequtiurs, False or Vague Premises, Ad Hominum, Begging the Question, and Red Herrings) are very good to know and understand so that I can try to avoid using them. Non sequiturs, meaning "does not follow" in Latin, is a set of premises with a conclusion that doesn't follow. False or Vague Premises is when the conclusion follows the premises but one of the premises doesn't make sense. Ad Hominum in Greek means "against the person." This is when you don't agree with a person's idea, so you attak them instead of their arguement. Begging the question is when someone tries to prove a point, but in doing so, assumes already that it is true. Red Herrings are used to distract someone from the actual point. These 5 thinking errors are used by everyone in everyday conversation, so much for telling the truth.
Aristotle said there was a difference between wants and needs. He called wants percieved goods and needs real goods. This makes a lot of sense to me because i realize how much I use that I don't need. Sometimes I eat because I am bored and then I thik about kids who don't have food to start with. Instead of spending $100 at Dierbergs we should spend $40 at Aldi's and get the same food, then use the extra $60 for something else. I realize that food is a real need, but people take it overboard Another example is clothes. Pants are a nice thing to have, they keep you warm and cover you up, but do we really need to spend $80 on a pair of jeans? it is kind o rediculous if you think about it. Half the world is starving and we are driving BMW's while chugging down Gatorade instead of drinking a water bottle full of Kool-aid while waiting for the bus. American is to focussed on wants, and we have no consideration for other people's needs.
The three types of knowing are from Authority, through Experience, and through Reason. Knowing by Auhoity is whenever you learn from someone else. Going to school is an example of learning from Authorities. I learn English from Mr. Raterman, and physics from Mr. LaBoube. They know a lot more than me about the subjects, so I can learn from them as Authority figures. Knowing by experience is when you learn something all on our own. When I touched a burner and found out it was very hot I learned by experience not to do that. Learning by Reason is thinking and peicing together what we know in order to find out that which we do not. Knowing that Republicans favor a small government, and hat Georeg W. Bush is a republican, I can reason that George W. Bush favors a small government.
