Running Head: EVALUATING TRUTH AND VALIDITY 1

Evaluating Truth and Validity

PHL/!"
Thi# $a$er i# %a#ed &n the in'&r(ati&n $r&vided in li#t 'r&( A$$li)ati&n li#t 1*+*,a+y+- in
.h+1* in The Art &' Thin/ing+ I have #ele)ted three #)enari&#0 a# in#tru)ted0 t& evaluate ea)h
EVALUATING TRUTH AND VALIDITY E1ER.I2E *
argu(ent %y u#ing the #te$ $r&)e## a# it i# e3$lained in the te3t+ I #ele)ted the '&ll&4ing
e3er)i#e#5 1- E3er)i#e N0 6Nu)lear $&4er i# a threat t& 4&rld $ea)e+ Nu)lear energy #tati&n#
generate nu)lear $&4er+ 2& nu)lear energy #tati&n# are a threat t& 4&rld $ea)e+7 *- E3er)i#e R0
6I' the 2&)ial 2e)urity #y#te( i# 'urther 4ea/ened0 the elderly 4ill have t& 'ear $&verty+
There'&re0 i' the 2&)ial 2e)urity #y#te( i# n&t 'urther 4ea/ened0 the elderly 4ill n&t have t& 'ear
$&verty+7 8- 6P&4er (u#t %e evil %e)au#e it )an )&rru$t $e&$le+7
Nuclear Power & World Peace
6Nu)lear $&4er i# a threat t& 4&rld $ea)e+ Nu)lear energy #tati&n# generate nu)lear
$&4er+ 2& nu)lear energy #tati&n# are a threat t& 4&rld $ea)e+7 In thi# $arti)ular )a#e I #ear)hed
'&r hidden $re(i#e# and t& en#ure that it 4a# #tated and 4a# )lear+ 9n)e that 4a# deter(ined the
ne3t #te$ in the $r&)e## i# t& #ear)h '&r err&r# that (ay a''e)t the truth+ In the very 'ir#t
#tate(ent0 6Nu)lear $&4er i# a threat t& 4&rld $ea)e70 thi# #tate(ent i# indeed 'al#e a# it i#
)urrently 4ritten+ I' the #tate(ent 4a# re4ritten in a (anner #& it read0 6Nu)lear $&4er u#ed t&
$r&du)e 4ea$&n# &' (a## de#tru)ti&n i# a threat t& 4&rld $ea)e+70 then thi# #tate(ent 4&uld %e
truth'ul+ There are (any di''erent u#e# &' nu)lear $&4er that d&e# n&t $&#e a threat t& 4&rld
$ea)e at all #u)h a# Nu)lear and :&le)ular I(aging and a# an alternative energy #&ur)e+
The #e)&nd #tate(ent i# a truth'ul #tate(ent #& it 4&uld %e u#ed t& argue the $&int that
nu)lear energy d&e# n&t $&#e a threat t& 4&rld $ea)e+ N&4 4e are at a $&int 4here the argu(ent
)an %e e3a(ined '&r err&r# in validity and lin/# the )&n)lu#i&n t& $re(i#e+ The $re(i#e i# that
nu)lear $&4er i# a threat t& 4&rld $ea)e0 the deter(inati&n that the #tate(ent and h&4 it i#
4ritten i# 'al#e+ ;y in#erting the '&ll&4ing #tate(ent0 6u#ed t& $r&du)e 4ea$&n# &' (a##
de#tru)ti&n70 thi# in)rea#e# the $&#iti&n '&r the #tate(ent t& %e de'ended+ 2& the )&n)lu#i&n that
nu)lear energy #tati&n# t& threaten 4&rld $ea)e <u#t %y )reating nu)lear energy )ann&t %e
EVALUATING TRUTH AND VALIDITY E1ER.I2E 8
de'ended a# the #tate(ent ha# %een revi#ed+ Unle## the#e $arti)ular nu)lear #tati&n# 4ere %eing
u#ed t& $r&du)e nu)lear 4ea$&n#0 then they 4&uld n&t $&#e any threat t& 4&rld $ea)e+ A# #tated
in #te$ '&ur &' the evaluati&n $r&)e##0 that i' the argu(ent i# 'la4ed t& the e3tin)t that the (&#t
#uita%le a)ti&n di#regard the argu(ent all t&gether and ad&$t a ne4 argu(ent+ ;y revi#ing the
'ir#t #enten)e in the #tate(ent0 a ne4 argu(ent 4a# devel&$ed+
Social Security System
In e3er)i#e r0 the argu(ent i# a%&ut the validity &' the #tate(ent that 6I' the 2&)ial
2e)urity #y#te( i# 'urther 4ea/ened ( the elderly 4ill have t& 'ear $&verty+ There'&re0 i' the
2&)ial 2e)urity #y#te( i# n&t 'urthered 4ea/ened0 the elderly 4ill n&t 'ear $&verty+7 Thi#
argu(ent 4a# analy=ed '&r any hidden $re(i#e# and #tated )learly+ A'ter the deter(inati&n 4a#
(ade that the #tate(ent (et the re>uire(ent#0 the ne3t #tage in the $r&)e## 4a# #tarted %y
#ear)hing '&r any err&r# that 4&uld a''e)t the truth+ All elderly )iti=en# in the United 2tate# d&
n&t re)eive any #&)ial #e)urity %ene'it# and the initial #tate(ent# re'er# t& 6all elderly7 (a/e# the
#tate(ent n&t very truth'ul5 al#& the #e)&nd $art &' the #tate(ent i# untrue %e)au#e the #tate(ent
in#inuate# that the )au#e &' $&verty i# a l&## &' in)&(e &r a )ut in 4age# $aid+ There are #everal
di''erent i##ue# that )&(e int& $lay 4hen #$ea/ing &' 4hat )au#e $&verty )&nditi&n#+ The
#tate(ent )an %e)&(e (&re truth'ul i' )hange# are (ade that 4&uld in)lude0 6I' the 2&)ial
2e)urity #y#te( i# )&ntinu&u#ly 4ea/ened0 then the elderly 4h& de$end &n the 'inan)ial #u$$&rt
&' thi# #y#te( (ay 'a)e $&verty )&nditi&n#+ Thi# #tate(ent add# validity t& the #tate(ent and
eli(inate# the a##u($ti&n that $&verty i# )au#ed %y the 4ea/ening &' the 2&)ial 2e)urity #y#te(+
Power is Evil
EVALUATING TRUTH AND VALIDITY E1ER.I2E
In (y la#t argu(ent the #tate(ent that 6$&4er (u#t %e evil %e)au#e it )an )&rru$t
$e&$le+7 Ha# t& %e analy=ed '&r hidden $re(i#e and that the #tate(ent i# #tated )learly+ Thi#
#tate(ent 4a# )&($letely %een analy=ed and )&n#idered t& (eet the re>uire(ent#+ A# the ne3t
#te$ in the $r&)e## )&n'ir(# that there are #&(e err&r# that a''e)t the truth &' the #tate(ent+ The
$art &' the argu(ent that in#inuate# 6all $e&$le7 are )&rru$ted %y $&4er i# a 'al#e #tate(ent and
)an %e #u$$&rted %y 'a)t that all $e&$le in $&4er are n&t )&rru$t+ A valid #tate(ent 4&uld #tate
that 6$&4er ha# the $&tential t& %e evil %e)au#e it )an )&rru$t a $er#&n7+ A'ter the evaluati&n
$r&)e## and #ear)hing '&r validity err&r#5 the #tate(ent )an %e revi#ed %ut even 4ith a revi#i&n
the #tate(ent )an #till have validity i##ue#+ There are #till #&(e i##ue# that are in >ue#ti&n and
(ay #till 'ail in )ertain area#+ The >ue#ti&n &' the u#e &' the 4&rd 6evil70 d&e# )&rru$t
ne)e##arily (ean that a $er#&n i# evil+ There are (any $e&$le 4h&( have d&ne thing# that are
)&n#idered )&rru$t %e that d&e# (ean that they are (ean #$irited &r evil+ A'ter )&ntinue#
evaluati&n I have de)ided t& thr&4 the )urrent #tate(ent &ut %e)au#e &' the a(&unt &' 'la4# in
thi# $arti)ular in#tan)e and )&n#tru)t a di''erent #tate(ent+ 6?hen $&4er '&r the u#e &' evil
d&ing#0 it (ay )&rru$t the individual inv&lved+7
References
EVALUATING TRUTH AND VALIDITY E1ER.I2E !
Ruggier&0 V+R+ ,*@1*-+ The art &' thin/ing+ A guide t& )riti)al and )reative th&ught ,1@th ed+-+ :
Pear#&n Edu)ati&n+