Question 1

An opponent of reparations argues, "Paying reparations portrays current African Americans as victims in need of rescuing. Reparations would perpetuate the dependency of African Americans on welfare, food stamps, and other government assistance. Reparations would only foster more negative racial stereotypes."

Accepted Answer

The answer of An opponent of reparations argues, "Paying reparations...

Question 2

A potential problem with public opinion polls is that respondents may give an answer that they think is politically correct or socially polite, rather than what they really believe. This tendency is known as:

Accepted Answer

Social desirability bias is the tendency for respondents to give answers they believe are socially acceptable or desirable, rather than their true beliefs, in order to avoid being judged negatively or seen as unpopular. This can skew the results of a public opinion poll and make it difficult to accurately gauge public opinion.

Question 3

In order to know what issues important, and what arguments are to make, on a controversial issue, an arguer must use:

Accepted Answer

Invention is a method of generating ideas through brainstorming, research, and other means. This is the most relevant method for determining what issues and arguments are important on a controversial issue. While logos (logic) and deduction (drawing conclusions based on premises) are important in constructing arguments, they are not as useful in determining what arguments are relevant in the first place. Cognition (the mental process of acquiring knowledge and understanding) is a broad term that includes multiple methods and is not specific enough to be the best answer. Brainstorming is a part of the invention process, but not the only component, so B is the best answer.

Question 4

Which stock issue addresses whether there is a feasible, workable, viable plan of action for changing the status quo?

Accepted Answer

The stock issue of solvency specifically addresses whether there is a feasible plan of action to solve the problem or change the status quo. It considers whether a proposed solution has the ability to effectively address the issue at hand. Significance looks at whether the problem is worth solving, inherency looks at whether the problem exists in the first place, and comparative advantage assesses whether the proposed solution is better than alternative solutions.

Question 5

Which type of value dispute can be likened to divvying up pieces of a pie to determine which value receives a larger slice?

Accepted Answer

Value balancing involves determining which values should take precedence over others in a situation where there is a conflict between them. It can be likened to divvying up pieces of a pie to determine which value receives a larger slice. Value hierarchy refers to the order of importance of values, while value consistency and compatibility refer to the cohesiveness and compatibility of values, respectively.

Question 6

Taking into account all of the criteria that should be used in evaluating factual claims, which source of evidence below has the greatest expertise or best source qualifications?
a. "Around the year 2030 … we will be in a position where we set off an irreversible chain reaction beyond human control, that will most likely lead to the end of our civilization as we know it."
Greta Thunberg, Swedish climate activist, aged 17, who organized the "School Strike for Climate Change" and was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, in a speech presented in 2019.
b. "If you ask me how scared I am of climate change ruining the planet, I have to say it is near the bottom of my worries. If science is right … we'll find ways to scrub the atmosphere as needed. We always find ways to avoid slow-moving dangers."
Scott Adams, Dilbert creator/cartoonist (2015, December 5). https://blog.dilbert.com/2016/12/05/the-non-expert-problem-and-climate-change-science/" change-science/
c. "Climate change is taking an increasing toll on the nation's environment, health and economy, and the damage will intensify over the century without swift action to slash greenhouse gas emissions."
Tony Barboza, (2018, November 24). Climate Report Warns of Bleak Future. Los Angeles Times, p. A-1.
d. "The consensus that humans are causing recent global warming is shared by 90%-100% of publishing climate scientists according to six independent studies by co-authors of this paper."
Cook, et. al. (2016). Consensus on consensus: A synthesis of consensus estimates on human-cause global warming. Environmental Research Letters, 11(4), 048002.
e. "I've starred in a lot of science fiction movies and, let me tell you something, climate change is not science fiction, this is a battle in the real world, it is impacting us right now."
Arnold Schwarzenegger, actor and former governor of California. (2015, July 6), as cited in Time Magazine. http://time.com/3966610/arnold-schwarzenegger-climate-change/

Accepted Answer

The answer of Taking into account all of the criteria...

Question 7

Select a specific controversial issue in the public domain and write a policy claim, a value or judgment claim, and a factual claim associated with that issue.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Select a specific controversial issue in the...

Question 8

You and a friend are arguing about what the greatest sport in the world is. Your friend says soccer is the greatest sport in the world. What value criteria would you use to champion another sport (your choice) as the greatest in the world?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You and a friend are arguing about...

Question 9

Select a specific policy position that you advocate and explain how the issues of significance, inherency, and solvency apply to that policy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Select a specific policy position that you...

Question 10

How are value and policy claims interrelated? Provide a specific example of how the two are intertwined.

Accepted Answer

The answer of How are value and policy claims interrelated?...

Question 11

The abortion controversy involves competing values. Identify the competing values with which pro-life and pro-choice advocates identify. Is there a rational approach to reconciling their differences?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The abortion controversy involves competing values. Identify...

Question 12

Explain what the backfire effect is and provide a specific example of how an arguer might prevent or minimize its effect on an audience.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain what the backfire effect is and...

Quiz 12: Effective Advocacy