What did I learn? I learned a lot about myself. I found that the less response I felt from the group members, the more I tended to take over and try to do it myself. Not good. Each member of the groups I was in did participate and gave good input. However, my current experience is with a stable team, and that's different.
The experience took me back to the first group projects I worked on, and to the sense of ownership I had over my one part. I didn't want it changed. It was MINE! To give up control and allow changes to happen is very difficult. But I now feel that group projects work best when there is give and take among everyone involved. So, I can change your piece, you change mine, and we end up with a product that is better than either one of us could do alone. Unfortunately, that's difficult to achieve unless the work group has time to develop cohesion and and group vision.
Groups have development cycles, starting with forming - getting to know one another. From there, a storming period, where personalities and ideas clash usually occurs. Next, progression can occur to what is called norming. Here, the group interacts well and real working together can begin. Finally, the group hopefully reaches the performing level. This is where inventiveness and experimentation occur. The team trusts each other well enough to allow true collaboration.
So why was I surprised that these papers were so hard?
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Median, Mode, Average
These are interesting concepts that I remember from my beginning statistics class.
Median: If you have a bunch of numers in set (1,3,4, 3,2,5,4,2,3,4,5,3,6,3) and put them in order, you have one 1, two 2s, five 3s, three 4s, two 5s,, one 6. How many numbers do you have? 13. So, if you divide 13 by 2, you get 6.5. The seventh number from the top or bottom is smack in the middle. That is the median. The number that occurs most often (in this case, 3) is the mode.
So the average is left. That's when you add all the numbers up and divide by the number of numbers. So let's see, added together, 1 get 48 divided by 13 = 3.69 or round up to 4.
median = 7
average = 4
mode = 3
Depending on what your're talking about, using the right one can make a lot of difference.
Median: If you have a bunch of numers in set (1,3,4, 3,2,5,4,2,3,4,5,3,6,3) and put them in order, you have one 1, two 2s, five 3s, three 4s, two 5s,, one 6. How many numbers do you have? 13. So, if you divide 13 by 2, you get 6.5. The seventh number from the top or bottom is smack in the middle. That is the median. The number that occurs most often (in this case, 3) is the mode.
So the average is left. That's when you add all the numbers up and divide by the number of numbers. So let's see, added together, 1 get 48 divided by 13 = 3.69 or round up to 4.
median = 7
average = 4
mode = 3
Depending on what your're talking about, using the right one can make a lot of difference.
Monday, July 26, 2010
The Devil is in the Details
In Epstein's Chapter 13, NUMBERS, the Devil may be in concealed details, or details that aren't readily apparent. Having worked a bit with statistics, I can say that it is easy to accidently mis-lead someone by missing details.
Over the past year, I was trying to understand why there were more calls answered than cases about the calls concerning people who move within San Jose. There should have been about twice as many cases. I thought there was something wrong with the query I was using to get my figures or that the Customer Service group was not entering notes as they should.
In March this year, I was finally able to talk the technical team into changing the names for the notes to make them more descriptive. To my surprize, this seems to have fixed the problem. Now, we have about twice as many notes having to do with moving than we have calls. It turns out that notes were being entered, but they were in the wrong categories - so they didn't come up when I searched for moving statistics. Duh!
With statistics, you have to be sure you're measuring what you think you are.
Over the past year, I was trying to understand why there were more calls answered than cases about the calls concerning people who move within San Jose. There should have been about twice as many cases. I thought there was something wrong with the query I was using to get my figures or that the Customer Service group was not entering notes as they should.
In March this year, I was finally able to talk the technical team into changing the names for the notes to make them more descriptive. To my surprize, this seems to have fixed the problem. Now, we have about twice as many notes having to do with moving than we have calls. It turns out that notes were being entered, but they were in the wrong categories - so they didn't come up when I searched for moving statistics. Duh!
With statistics, you have to be sure you're measuring what you think you are.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Apple Polishing and Advertising
Apple Polishing is essentially a term meaning to give false praise in order to gain favor. Wise Geek.com lists synonyms such a brown-nosing toadying, etc. People who use this technique extensively are called sycophants. Their attitude is often obsequious (fawning or servile).
I remember "bring an apple for the teacher" as a phase I heard growing up. I kept expecting to see the teacher's desk covered in apples. Indeed, this is where the phase 'Apple Polishing' comes from (Wise Geek).
In advertising, the Apple Polishing is sometimes fairly open: "Victoria's Secret is THE destination for chic women's clothing, sultry swimwear, must-have shoes ..." In other words, shop here and you will be chic or sultry. Apple Polishing is even used in product names: "Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® - Low Fat, Low Calorie and High Fiber ...Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® Low Fat, Low Calorie and High Fiber Meals has taken eating smart to a whole new level of deliciousness" .saying Eat this food and you will be a Smart One.
The use of celebrities in advertising is more of a analogy. If you want to be like this person, use my product..but it is also a more indirect form of apple polishing, because it intimates you CAN be like the celebrity.
Finding one advertisement to speak to seemed impossible. Each one only seems to use apple polishing in one or two statement: And written or on-line adverts are not primarily words. But Apple Polishing seems to be everywhere.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-apple-polishing-mean.htm
http://dictionary.com/
http://eatyourbest.com
I remember "bring an apple for the teacher" as a phase I heard growing up. I kept expecting to see the teacher's desk covered in apples. Indeed, this is where the phase 'Apple Polishing' comes from (Wise Geek).
In advertising, the Apple Polishing is sometimes fairly open: "Victoria's Secret is THE destination for chic women's clothing, sultry swimwear, must-have shoes ..." In other words, shop here and you will be chic or sultry. Apple Polishing is even used in product names: "Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® - Low Fat, Low Calorie and High Fiber ...Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® Low Fat, Low Calorie and High Fiber Meals has taken eating smart to a whole new level of deliciousness" .saying Eat this food and you will be a Smart One.
The use of celebrities in advertising is more of a analogy. If you want to be like this person, use my product..but it is also a more indirect form of apple polishing, because it intimates you CAN be like the celebrity.
Finding one advertisement to speak to seemed impossible. Each one only seems to use apple polishing in one or two statement: And written or on-line adverts are not primarily words. But Apple Polishing seems to be everywhere.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-apple-polishing-mean.htm
http://dictionary.com/
http://eatyourbest.com
Monday, July 19, 2010
Analogies and Reason
An analogy is used to paint a picture and to create the impression that two things that may not be significantly alike, are similar. Normally, the comparison chosen is a good comparison. Say the suggestion had been made to take apples on a picnic. The argument might go like this: "Let's take oranges on the picnic. Oranges are like apples, they're both fruit." Yes, they are. But there's a reason we decided on apples. The task of the rebutter is to find the difference between the two items that is significant to the choice. "Oranges are messier on a picnic - and I don't have any moist towelettes."
The more unexpected and the more complex the reasoning chain, the more difficult it is to come up with an appropriate response. Sometimes, the receiver of an analogy can be at a loss for words, sorting through all the ways the two items are alike and different. "Historical analogies are a variety of analogy often used by politicians and diplomats to explain or make a prediction about a current or future event based on events in the past. The past event is used as a source, while the present or future situation is the target of the analogy." (http://www.diplomacy.edu/language/Analogies/analogies-in-diplomacy.htm retrieved 7/19/10)
"This is just like the time that Suzan was mad at her friend Jennifer. When Jenn tried to apologize, Sue really took advantage. You better stand your ground." This type of analogy refers to an event in the past that might have had very different antecedents and the players may have very different characteristics. None the less, it seems true because the memory is shared - and the circumstance may be similar on the surface. If you give the apology, will you be taken advantage of? How alike are the situations? Does Suzan feel the same way about you that she felt about Jennifer? How important is the relationship? This requires a lot of analysis.
The more unexpected and the more complex the reasoning chain, the more difficult it is to come up with an appropriate response. Sometimes, the receiver of an analogy can be at a loss for words, sorting through all the ways the two items are alike and different. "Historical analogies are a variety of analogy often used by politicians and diplomats to explain or make a prediction about a current or future event based on events in the past. The past event is used as a source, while the present or future situation is the target of the analogy." (http://www.diplomacy.edu/language/Analogies/analogies-in-diplomacy.htm retrieved 7/19/10)
"This is just like the time that Suzan was mad at her friend Jennifer. When Jenn tried to apologize, Sue really took advantage. You better stand your ground." This type of analogy refers to an event in the past that might have had very different antecedents and the players may have very different characteristics. None the less, it seems true because the memory is shared - and the circumstance may be similar on the surface. If you give the apology, will you be taken advantage of? How alike are the situations? Does Suzan feel the same way about you that she felt about Jennifer? How important is the relationship? This requires a lot of analysis.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Appeal to Emotion: Is Reason Involved?
Just about everyone has some things they respond to positively and some things they respond to negatively on an emotional level. Even sociopaths have some emotion. It's part of being human. This makes it easy to be swayed by emotional arguments.
The pity we feel for the child depicted in poor and dirty conditions or for the caged, abused animal are natural and protective of our species. If the right music is scripted behind the image, the response is stronger. We thrive when everyone does well - and nowadays society attaches similar emotion to animals - but the appeal to emotion tells us little about the person or agency presenting it. Only that they are willing to present the image to gain our attention, or to overcome some of the reluctance we might otherwise feel in supporting them.
My mother is quite analytical. In her youth, she went to some holy roller revival meetings. In spite of the fact that she was not drawn in, her eyes still shine when she talks about it. She found them entertaining. Others were caught up in the emotion drawn in by , the enthusiasm of the followers, the music,the miraculous healings and the general 'out of the ordinary' in the experience. Under the influence of emotion, people did things they never would have done in public including, (yes) rolling on the floor and talking in tongues. Was what these people experienced true? It was true for them. Did they benefit? I do not know.
When an agency or person presents an emotional appeal, it is wise (reasonable) to ask for other arguments - unless you don't mind supporting people / agencies that may or may not actually be working toward what you really want to support. But sometimes emotion is enough.
The pity we feel for the child depicted in poor and dirty conditions or for the caged, abused animal are natural and protective of our species. If the right music is scripted behind the image, the response is stronger. We thrive when everyone does well - and nowadays society attaches similar emotion to animals - but the appeal to emotion tells us little about the person or agency presenting it. Only that they are willing to present the image to gain our attention, or to overcome some of the reluctance we might otherwise feel in supporting them.
My mother is quite analytical. In her youth, she went to some holy roller revival meetings. In spite of the fact that she was not drawn in, her eyes still shine when she talks about it. She found them entertaining. Others were caught up in the emotion drawn in by , the enthusiasm of the followers, the music,the miraculous healings and the general 'out of the ordinary' in the experience. Under the influence of emotion, people did things they never would have done in public including, (yes) rolling on the floor and talking in tongues. Was what these people experienced true? It was true for them. Did they benefit? I do not know.
When an agency or person presents an emotional appeal, it is wise (reasonable) to ask for other arguments - unless you don't mind supporting people / agencies that may or may not actually be working toward what you really want to support. But sometimes emotion is enough.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Drawing Diagrams - An Interesting Way to Test Validity
I like the diagrams. I found the inclusion and exclusion circles Epstein's Critical Thinking particularly helpful. The concept: Everyone included in the circle has the quality the circle is talking about.
The little cartoon of Lee and Maria on p. 167 is a good example. The argument presented is
- Every philosophy professor reasons well (Large Circle)
- No philosophy professor is a politician. (Smaller Circle inside the Large Circle)
Therefore - No politician reasons well. (Small Circle outside the Large Circle)
But if you use that for an argument, you are saying that everyone who is not a philosophy professor does not reason well. Although it may be true of politician, we know it's not true of EVERYONE. No, that's not true. For that be be true, the Circle for everyone who is a philosophy professor and everyone who reasons well would be the same! So, instead you MIGHT be indicating that everyone who is not a politician. including philosophy professors, reasons well. HA!
Maria then amends the drawing to indicate that some politicians reason well by making the politician circle overlap the Large 'Reasons Well' circle. So, some do. I suppose, the smaller the overlap, the smaller the percentage included.
The little cartoon of Lee and Maria on p. 167 is a good example. The argument presented is
- Every philosophy professor reasons well (Large Circle)
- No philosophy professor is a politician. (Smaller Circle inside the Large Circle)
Therefore - No politician reasons well. (Small Circle outside the Large Circle)
But if you use that for an argument, you are saying that everyone who is not a philosophy professor does not reason well. Although it may be true of politician, we know it's not true of EVERYONE. No, that's not true. For that be be true, the Circle for everyone who is a philosophy professor and everyone who reasons well would be the same! So, instead you MIGHT be indicating that everyone who is not a politician. including philosophy professors, reasons well. HA!
Maria then amends the drawing to indicate that some politicians reason well by making the politician circle overlap the Large 'Reasons Well' circle. So, some do. I suppose, the smaller the overlap, the smaller the percentage included.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Square of Opposition
All of these TERMS! Contradictories makes sense. If one thing is true, the other can't be. So when you say "Some are" or "Some are not" you do not have a contrary. Fine, so far. Subcontraries are different. Something is a subcontrary when there is no way that both can be false. So, in spite of the fact that "some cats meow" and "some cats don't meow" might seem to be opposites, they aren't. so, subcontraries? Four kinds of statements.
The essential reasoning is: If All Cats meow, then obvously, some cats meow. If no cats don't meow, then some cats don't meow. If some cats don't meow, then some cats do meow.
Yes, It's confusing.
If Some cats don't meow, then all cats meow is false.
If some cats meow, then all cats don't meow is false.
This circle of reasoning was put into a square by the Aristotelians to try to make it clearer. It did help with understanding the concepts. Putting it to practical use may be an interesting exercise.
The essential reasoning is: If All Cats meow, then obvously, some cats meow. If no cats don't meow, then some cats don't meow. If some cats don't meow, then some cats do meow.
Yes, It's confusing.
If Some cats don't meow, then all cats meow is false.
If some cats meow, then all cats don't meow is false.
This circle of reasoning was put into a square by the Aristotelians to try to make it clearer. It did help with understanding the concepts. Putting it to practical use may be an interesting exercise.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
I Have a Problem with This....
Some of the examples used both in the tutorial on mapping arguments and in Epstein's book on Critical Thinking, bother me. For example, Epstein considers "All dogs bark" and "Dogs bark" to be equilivent. I do not. "All Dogs bark" means every single dog barks - or it's not really a dog. "Dogs bark" however, means that in general, dogs bark. There may be some exceptions, but if you see a dog you can expect that it will bark.
This problem got me in to real trouble in the tutorial, where I disagreed wtih the logic of the writer on several occasions. Burned feet at the beach were apparenly not a memory trigger for the author of the tutorial, whereas for me, they were my main memory. Thus, hot sand is a contradictory to my desire to go to the beach. What is logical, to some extent, depends on past experience - so how arguments are framed, and what is considered an argument may vary.
How does this relate to everyday life? I run in to the same problems when someone tries to give me directions. I find myself interrupting them "Do you mean that EVERY time I open this program I need to start with this window?" and then I need to know why.
So, we are having an offsite afternoon at work tomorrow, but the trip is somewhat optional. I said i was going and then realized I would need to stay back the first half of the experience to supervise those who where staying behind. Then, when my manager returned, I would leave and go to the event. Well, I'm still going, so that hasn't changed. However, I realized that I would not be there when luch was served. And the acceptance I had given was a general acceptance. Logically, there should be no issues. Practically however, there would be a problem. I have food allergies, so the lunch they were preparing for me was a special menu. In spite of the fact that I am going, as far as the food people are concerned, I am NOT going.
This problem got me in to real trouble in the tutorial, where I disagreed wtih the logic of the writer on several occasions. Burned feet at the beach were apparenly not a memory trigger for the author of the tutorial, whereas for me, they were my main memory. Thus, hot sand is a contradictory to my desire to go to the beach. What is logical, to some extent, depends on past experience - so how arguments are framed, and what is considered an argument may vary.
How does this relate to everyday life? I run in to the same problems when someone tries to give me directions. I find myself interrupting them "Do you mean that EVERY time I open this program I need to start with this window?" and then I need to know why.
So, we are having an offsite afternoon at work tomorrow, but the trip is somewhat optional. I said i was going and then realized I would need to stay back the first half of the experience to supervise those who where staying behind. Then, when my manager returned, I would leave and go to the event. Well, I'm still going, so that hasn't changed. However, I realized that I would not be there when luch was served. And the acceptance I had given was a general acceptance. Logically, there should be no issues. Practically however, there would be a problem. I have food allergies, so the lunch they were preparing for me was a special menu. In spite of the fact that I am going, as far as the food people are concerned, I am NOT going.
Monday, July 5, 2010
5th of July!
No assigned blog this week, and a HOLIDAY! What fun! I get to putter around and play a bit. I bought a new dremel device, so I'll probably begin a little sanding on one of my projects. AND I have orchids to repot.
Have a great day!
Have a great day!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Counter-Arguments - Raising Objections
I had a recent run-in with the technique Epstein calls "Raising Objections" in Chapter 7 of his book Critical Thinking.
The other weekend, I hired my brother to work in my backyard. He was doing a major overhaul, and working very hard. He sent me inside because I was in the way. The job as outlined was:
I went out a lunchtime the first day to offer him a meal and see how far he had gotten. Much to my horror, he had trimmed the jasmine not the way I had started, but clear back to the fenceline. It had lost it's hold and was falling over into my neighbors yard.
His argument,
At the end of the weekend I decided he had the stronger argument. It was done. The yard looked bigger. The weeds were gone. The stairs were fixed. The vine would grow back. I was dealing primarily with a difference in artistic taste.(and a desire to maintain harmony by informing the neighbors before going so far with any trimming). Everything else that he had molded into his vision was easily changed into something I liked. And the stairs are GOOD!
The other weekend, I hired my brother to work in my backyard. He was doing a major overhaul, and working very hard. He sent me inside because I was in the way. The job as outlined was:
- Clear the weeds
- Put down 2 layers of gold fill
- Fix the stairs
- Trim the overflow of my neighbors jasmine (i.e., it comes over fence onto my side. I had already begun trimming the jasmine and asked him to finish the job.)
I went out a lunchtime the first day to offer him a meal and see how far he had gotten. Much to my horror, he had trimmed the jasmine not the way I had started, but clear back to the fenceline. It had lost it's hold and was falling over into my neighbors yard.
His argument,
- You told me to trim the jasmine and you did not specify that I trim it in the same way you did.
- I told you I had already done part of the job and you could easily see how it had been done.
- You did not say that you were done with the area you had worked on.
- Besides, you have the right to trim it back to the fence line. If it falls over, that's the neighbors concern. They can prop it up if they like.
- Having the right to trim it to the fence does not mean I want to do it. I like it coming over the fence a little
- Besides, I do not want to irritate my neighbors.
- But your yard looks much bigger without it coming over, and it looks messy with it coming over all uneven.
- Besides, it's already done and it will grow back.
At the end of the weekend I decided he had the stronger argument. It was done. The yard looked bigger. The weeds were gone. The stairs were fixed. The vine would grow back. I was dealing primarily with a difference in artistic taste.(and a desire to maintain harmony by informing the neighbors before going so far with any trimming). Everything else that he had molded into his vision was easily changed into something I liked. And the stairs are GOOD!
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