Entry 4:

Argument structure and Fallacies

Item 1:

[http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/are-ipods-to-blame-for-rising-crime]

“The Urban Institute, a research organization based in Washington, has released an interesting report that suggests that the proliferation of iPods helps account for the nationwide rise in violent crime in 2005 and 2006.

The report [pdf] suggests that “the rise in violent offending and the explosion in the sales of iPods and other portable media devices is more than coincidental,” and asks, rather provocatively, “Is There an iCrime Wave?”

The report notes that nationally, violent crime fell every year from 1993 to 2004, before rising in 2005 and 2006, just as “America’s streets filled with millions of people visibly wearing, and being distracted by, expensive electronic gear.”

v Fallacy post- hoc fallacy

v Analysis:

The rapid increase in iPods happens prior to a rise in nationwide violent crime in 2005 and 2006.

Therefore, proliferation of iPods is the cause of going up in violent offending.

àThis claim “the proliferation of iPods helps account for the nationwide rise in violent crime in 2005 and 2006” is supported by comparison crime rates between 2 phases 1993-2004 and 2005-2006. In the research, it is claimed that sharp development in iPods, presumably meaning that the proliferation of this plays a causal role in increase in violent crime:  “the rise in violent offending and the explosion in the sales of iPods and other portable media devices is more than coincidental”. However, the comparative evidence does not sufficient enough to support the conclusion.

Item 2:

[http://vietbao.vn/Khoa-hoc/Nha-may-dien-hat-nhan-dau-tien-du-kien-dat-o-Ninh-Thuan/10839571/188/]

Nhà máy điện hạt nhân đầu tiên dự kiến đặt ở Ninh Thuận

“ Vấn đề công chúng lo ngại nhất với loại hình năng lượng này là tính an toàn, gồm an toàn kỹ thuật và rác thải hạt nhân. Tuy nhiên theo ông Tấn, chúng ta hoàn toàn có thể yên tâm về mặt kỹ thuật. Các thiết kế tiên tiến trên thế giới đảm bảo rằng xác suất rủi ro là 10-6 (tức là 1 triệu lò phản ứng, mới có một lò có nguy cơ bị sự cố)”

v Fallacy of relevance: appeal to consequence

v Analysis:

If building the nuclear factory, we have to guarantee safety of the nuclear technique and nuclear rubbish

If safety is not guaranteed enough

------------------------------------------------

So we should not build nuclear factory

Item 3:

[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-kepnes/why-ill-never-return-to-v_b_1241016.html]

“While in Nha Trang, I met an English teacher who had been in Vietnam for many years. He said that the Vietnamese are taught that all their problems are caused by the West, especially the French and Americans, and that the West "owes" Vietnam. They expect Westerners to spend money in Vietnam, so when they see western backpackers trying to penny pitch, they get upset and treat them poorly. Those who are spending money, however, seem to be treated quite well. I don't know if this is true or not but based on what I had seen and the experiences I had heard, it did make some sense.”

v Hasty generalization

v Analysis:

The author just takes instances from TINY segment of society- stick up for 87 million Vietnamese people such as:

-       He said “Vietnamese people expect Westerners to spend money in VN”, so they:

+ have a good behavior to Westerners who are rich and willing to spend money

+ Meanwhile, to Western backpackers, Vietnamese have bad attitudes and even easily become angry and treat poorly to them.

à “The Vietnamese are taught that all their problems are caused by the West, especially the French and Americans, and that the West "owes" Vietnam”.