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1LifeandlogicUNITDoingtherightthingisnottheproblem.Knowingwhattherightthingis,that’sthechallenge.—LyndonB.Johnson(36thUSpresident)Itisonethingtobecleverandanothertobewise.—GeorgeR.R.Martin(Americanauthor)Eachdayweareconfrontedwithmanydecisionsbothsmallandlarge.Weweighthevariousfactorsinfrontofusandtrytomakegooddecisionsbasedupontheinformationwehaveathand.Yet,sometimes,evenwithadequatelyreliableinformation,thedecisionsthatwemakeare,uponreflection,stillagainstgoodjudgment.Whatcircumstancescancausepeopletomakebaddecisions?Dosmartpeoplemakewrongdecisionsaswell?Somepeoplebelievethatmenandwomenmakedecisionsdifferently,thatmenaremorelogical,whilewomenrelymoreupontheiremotions.Doyouagree?Whatdoyouthinkisthebest,calm,logicalwaytomakewell-informedandbalanceddecisions?Isitpossibletobuildskillssothatovertime,youcanbecomemoreeffectiveatdecision-making?PreviewSectionAPre-readingactivities1Thefollowingaresomestatementstotestyourreasoningability.Tellwhethertheconclusionsaftertheword“Therefore”aretrue(T),false(F),oruncertain(U).Writeyouransweronthelinebeforeeachstatement.1 Alloddnumbersareintegers(整数).Allevennumbersareintegers.Therefore,alloddnumbersareevennumbers.2 Therearenodancersthataren’tslimandnosingersthataren’tdancers.Therefore,allsingersareslim.3 Atoothpick(牙签)isuseful.Usefulthingsarevaluable.Therefore,atoothpickisvaluable.4 Threepencilscostthesameastwoerasers.Foureraserscostthesameasoneruler.Therefore,pencilsaremoreexpensivethanrulers.5 ClassAhasahigherenrollmentthanClassB.ClassChasalowerenrollmentthanClassB.Therefore,ClassAhasalowerenrollmentthanClassC.6 Afruitbasketcontainsmoreapplesthanlemons.Therearemorelemonsinthebasketthanoranges.Therefore,thebasketcontainsmoreapplesthanoranges.7 Takingthetrainacrosstownisquickerthantakingthebus.Takingthebusacrosstownisslowerthandrivingacar.Therefore,takingthetrainacrosstownisquickerthandrivingacar.8 AllthetulipsinZoe’sgardenarewhite.AlltherosesinZoe’sgardenareyellow.Therefore,alltheflowersinZoe’sgardenareeitherwhiteoryellow.2Workinpairsanddiscussthefollowingquestions.1Whyisitimportanttodeveloplogicalreasoningskills?2Toarriveatalogicalconclusion,whatfactorsdoyouthinkareimportant?2NewHorizonCollegeEnglishThirdEdition1IhadmyfirstdatewithPollyafterImadethetradewithmyroommateRob.Thatyeareveryguyoncampushadaleatherjacket,andRobcouldn’tstandtheideaofbeingtheonlyfootballplayerwhodidn’t,sohemadeapactthathe’dgivemehisgirlinexchangeformyjacket.Hewasn’tthebrightestguy.Pollywasn’ttooshrewd,either.2Butshewaspretty,well-off,didn’tdyeherhairstrangecolorsorweartoomuchmakeup.Shehadtherightbackgroundtobethegirlfriendofadogged,brilliantlawyer.IfIcouldshowtheelitelawfirmsIappliedtothatIhadaradiant,well-spokencounterpartbymyside,Ijustmightedgepastthecompetition.3“Radiant”shewasalready.Icoulddispenseherenoughpearlsofwisdomtomakeher“well-spoken”.4Afterabannerdayout,Idroveuntilweweresituatedunderabigoldoaktreeonahillofftheexpressway.WhatIhadinmindwasalittleeccentric.Ithoughtthevenuewithaperfectviewoftheluminouscitywouldlightenthemood.Westayedinthecar,andIturneddownthestereoandtookmyfootoffthebrakepedal.“Whatarewegoingtotalkabout?”sheasked.ThestoryofafallacyLoveandlogic:TextAUNIT1Lifeandlogic35“Logic.”6“Cool,”shesaidoverhergum.7“Thedoctrineoflogic,”Isaid,“isastapleofclearthinking.Failuresinlogicdistortthetruth,andsomeofthemarewellknown.Firstlet’slookatthefallacyDictoSimpliciter.”8“Great,”sheagreed.9“DictoSimplicitermeansanunqualifiedgeneralization.Forexample:Exerciseisgood.Therefore,everybodyshouldexercise.”10Shenoddedinagreement.11Icouldseeshewasstumped.“Polly,”Iexplained,“it’stoosimpleageneralization.Ifyouhave,say,heartdiseaseorextremeobesity,exerciseisbad,notgood.Therefore,youmustsayexerciseisgoodformostpeople.”12“NextisHastyGeneralization.Self-explanatory,right?Listencarefully:Youcan’tspeakFrench.Robcan’tspeakFrench.LookslikenobodyatthisschoolcanspeakFrench.”13“Really?”saidPolly,amazed.“Nobody?”14“Thisisalsoafallacy,”Isaid.“Thegeneralizationisreachedtoohastily.Toofewinstancessupportsuchaconclusion.”15Sheseemedtohaveagoodtime.Icouldsafelysaymyplanwasunderway.Itookherhomeandsetadateforanotherconversation.16SeatedundertheoakthenexteveningIsaid,“OurfirstfallacytonightiscalledAdMisericordiam.”17Shenoddedwithdelight.18“Listenclosely,”Isaid.“Amanappliesforajob.Whenthebossaskshimwhathisqualificationsare,hesayshehassixchildrentofeed.”19“Oh,thisisawful,awful,”shewhisperedinachokedvoice.20“Yes,it’sawful,”Iagreed,“butit’snoargument.Themanneveransweredtheboss’squestion.Insteadheappealedtotheboss’ssympathy–AdMisericordiam.”21Sheblinked,stilltryinghardtokeepbackhertears.22“Next,”Isaidcarefully,“wewilldiscussFalseAnalogy.Anexample,studentsshouldbeallowedtolookattheirtextbooksduringexams,becausesurgeonshaveX-raystoguidethemduringsurgery.”4NewHorizonCollegeEnglishThirdEdition23“Ilikethatidea,”shesaid.24“Polly,”Igroaned,“don’tderailthediscussion.Theinferenceiswrong.Doctorsaren’ttakingatesttoseehowmuchtheyhavelearned,butstudentsare.Thesituationsarealtogetherdifferent.Youcan’tmakeananalogybetweenthem.”25“Istillthink