Logical Fallacies, Thursday, Period 3

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

The box of pastries was back on Cindy's desk today (eclairs this time) as was a thermos of coffee and several small paper cups. "So, what is a logic fallacy anyway?" Cindy asked, handing out several sheets of paper to the students. "The simple answer is that it's a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning in someone's argument. By accident or design, fallacies may exploit emotional triggers in people, or take advantage of social relationships between people. People who know what they are doing can use rhetorical tricks to hide the fact that they are employing logical fallacies to make their arguments harder to rebut, including spreading the different bits of their fallacious logic over a lot argument, making it hard for their opponent to find a specific piece to object to. If you really need to win an argument, a logical fallacy is a good technique to use, but be careful because it can backfire. In most cases, I'd suggest letting the strength of your argument or ideals be the real test." She shrugged a bit. "That's not always possible, however, but the best reason to learn these fallacies is to make sure you're not accidentally falling prey to them, either while arguing or listening, and to point out when your opponent is."

She held up the two handouts she'd passed around. "Today, we're talking about two types of logical fallacy, the if-by-whiskey and the No true Scotsman fallacies. Both of these fallacies stem from the attempt of one interlocutor to define the issue under debate. They are both relativist fallacies; that is, a fallacy in which when one person claims that something may be true for one person but not true for someone else. In the first case, the if-by-whiskey example, the claim is dependent upon the beliefs of the people listening. It allows the person arguing to make a strong claim on both sides of an issue, while the person listening only hears him agreeing with whatever they support. Most cases of the if-by-whiskey argument are not as obvious as this one; the interlocutor will make his case, and if someone disagrees, they then carefully rephrase to come out on the other side as well."

"As for the No True Scotsman argument," Cindy continued, "uses a tautology to force an assertion to be right in the face of other arguments. It comes into play when someone makes a universal claim, which is then challenged by a counterexample. Rather than rejecting the original claim, the interlocutor denies the validity of the counterexample by saying that his claim only extends to a true example of something, thus making the counterexample appear to be lesser and wrong. So, look over these handouts, familiarize yourselves with the terms, and let's talk."

[OCD here]

Self Defense and Kickassery for Dummies; Thursday Fifth Period [2ndst. Class]

[notagoodslayer.livejournal.com]

One by one the students would be dropping by on their nicely simulated dojo, only to find Faith already there, stretching. Well, at least it was better than to be greeted by a completely uninterested glance. This time as well she kept it quiet until the time for her class actually started as well. Being as unresourceful as she was with words, she wasn't about to misuse the few ones she had prepared beforehand. Still, each student would get a small nod as a greeting, and then ordered to sit quietly on the tatami -no chairs this time, but the padded floor was pretty comfortable-, or to stretch as well; as long as they remained silent, it was fine for her.

Once the time for the class to start actually arrived, she got the group sitting in the tatami, and cleared her throat.

( Time for Class Number Two )



Being Marooned [Thursday, May 20]

[capt-maxfactor.livejournal.com]

"Oh, you came back!" Jack said, looking a little surprised as his class joined him again on the beach. "How terribly responsible of you. Today we're going to exploring our surroundings, savvy? Can't plan a very effective escape without knowing if there--just to pull an example from the air, you see--might be a secret cache of rum left behind by rum runners over by yonder tree."

There wasn't, but Jack remained hopeful that someday he'd find the secret hiding place for alcohol on the island that wasn't at Caritas. He was sure the squirrels were putting it somewhere.

"To that purpose and end, today you will pair up, take these maps that I drew myself," or bought from Turtle & Canary, but that didn't seem properly pirate-y, "and go searching for treasure! I've buried a lovely lunch for you at various locations around the island."

Assuming you liked pie, oranges, and beef jerky.

He made a shooing motion. "Go on now. Go away."

Anatomy of a Trial [Period 4, Class #2, 5-20]

[glasses-justice.livejournal.com]

( Opening Statements )

All-Sexuality Support Group Meeting, A Classroom, Thursday After Classes

[ancientbschamp.livejournal.com]

What Emmett and Gabrielle planned to do when they got to the classroom -- it's a little moot to explain now but the supplies included crepe paper streamers, green jello and Chinese-finger-cuffs -- was, well, a little moot when they found it had already been decorated.

With a bouncing, swaying, humming, chanting, rainbow-hued cacophony of flowers. Everywhere. The seats of the chairs were just barely visible.

"No, no, no, no," Emmett groaned.

"Oh, come on," Gabrielle told him, aiming a light swat at his arm. "What's wrong with a few flowers? They're pretty. And spontaneous! I'd think you of all people would appreciate spontaneity."

"They're gorgeous," Emmett said, stepping into the room and spinning around, then covering his ears. "But seriously, Rise and Shine and Give God Your Glory, Glory? I can feel my soul dying inside me as we speak!"

"Which god?" Gabrielle asked, then waved a hand. "Never mind. If it's so bad, why don't you teach them something else to sing instead?"

Oh, Gabs. Why would you ever give him that opening? Why?

Which is why when people showed up to ASS Group today, they'd find a classroom full of flowers singing It's Raining Men, with Emmett joining in on the hallelujahs. Gabrielle had gathered a few groups of flowers for herself and was trying to organize them into vocal sections -- what, you think that's weird? You should see her stoned out of her mind on henbane and trying to do this with stalagmites.

[OOC: Cowritten as always with the lovely and fabulous hazlehurstmiss. Lo, for there is OCD. Go forth!]

Laser Tag Adventures [First Period, Thursday]

[cuff-me-once.livejournal.com]

Today the Danger Shop was set to a simulation of a carefully-tended forest, if the students listened closely, they could hear the faint sounds of cheerful singing.

"Morning, kids, and welcome to the New York Botanical Gardens," Rick greeted them, cheerfully incongruous in his laser-tag vest. "More specifically, the native Forest, the largest remaining expanse of the woodlands that once covered New York. And today, we're doing some search and destroy."

"Now you may or may not have noticed that we're having a little greenery problem today. Of the talking, singing kind. It just so happens that our petally friends have agreed to help us out in class today. You don't want to know how I swung that." More specifically, Beckett was not going to want to know once that courier arrived at the precinct. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to hunt down every single one of the flowers that don't belong here. Like looking for a needle in a haystack full of needle-shaped hay."

"You can work on your own or in groups, and don't worry about actually hurting the flowers, they're only going to play dead when they feel the laser."

[OOC: OCD up.]

[Class Roster]