The End(s) of Argument

The End(s) of Argument explores the complexity of information processing, misinformation, and reasoning in the digital age. It discusses cognitive load in web searching, understanding information disorder, online argument structures, reasonableness in belief formation, evidence evaluation, and critical literacy. The blog aims to enhance web literacy and critical thinking skills.

Information Processing Misinformation Digital Literacy Critical Thinking Argumentation Theory Cognitive Load Management Web Search Techniques Evidence Evaluation Reasonableness in Debates Online Information Disorder

The hottest Substack posts of The End(s) of Argument

And their main takeaways

Google Search's AI is (or should be) about cognitive load

239 implied HN points • 16 May 24
🕹 Technology AI Information literacy Search Algorithms
  1. Web searching is like a rummage sale where finding specific answers to questions can be challenging, requiring skill and effort.
  2. Traditional search skills like reading search result pages and using ctrl-f are important in reducing cognitive load while navigating online information.
  3. Google Search's AI should focus on helping users handle the cognitive load of information by summarizing search results effectively, though it's not a replacement for comprehensive answers.

The structure of #DiedSuddenly

99 implied HN points • 28 Apr 24
🚌 Education Analysis Evidence Critical Thinking
  1. Arguments on Twitter hashtags are part of ongoing debates that involve presenting evidence over time to strengthen a case.
  2. Building an argument involves linking grounds, examples, and backing to support a central claim.
  3. Examining the structure of an online argument can reveal weaknesses in the evidence presented and help move beyond misinformation.

Bike lock agitators and the license of reasonableness

59 implied HN points • 02 May 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Misinformation Protests Evidence
  1. People may misrepresent evidence to support their claims by portraying it as reasonable.
  2. Misinformation can have a significant impact by influencing public perception and shaping what is considered reasonable.
  3. Maintaining reasonableness in arguments requires honest representation of evidence and adherence to norms to keep the license of reasonableness intact.

The Tuscon LDS "ballot party" story and the varieties of evidence

39 implied HN points • 03 May 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics
  1. The story discusses the importance of different types of evidence in supporting claims, such as personal testimony, documentation, statistics, analysis, and reporting.
  2. The concept of friend-of-a-friend (FOAF) stories is explored, highlighting how stories can be passed through social networks and may lose credibility along the way.
  3. The post emphasizes the challenge of verifying unsourced testimony, especially online, and points out the time-consuming nature of debunking false claims compared to corroborating true ones.

Rethinking Information Disorder via Argumentation Theory Lens

139 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
🚌 Education Misinformation Disinformation
  1. Reading intent in information disorder is challenging because it's hard to know the motives of individuals and misleading content may vary in severity.
  2. Considering evidence within argumentation can help understand the validity of information. Fabricated evidence is invalid for any argument, while contextually misleading evidence may be valid for specific arguments.
  3. Assessing information disorder types involves evaluating the necessity of understanding the argument context to judge evidence validity, rather than solely focusing on malicious intent.
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30,000 registration mailers and the problem with the phrase "technically true"

19 implied HN points • 30 Apr 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Misinformation Evidence Political Discourse
  1. The importance of providing context when presenting facts. In the example of 30,000 registration mailers, key details like the mailers not conferring voting rights were crucial.
  2. The issue with the phrase "technically true" and how it can be misleading. Just because something is 'technically true' doesn't mean it's not deceptive when used selectively to support an argument.
  3. Highlighting the necessity of clear, undistorted evidence in making claims. It's crucial to ensure that the evidence presented truly supports the argument being made.

Get basic context first and the right questions will come to you

59 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
🚌 Education Information literacy Critical Thinking
  1. When faced with new information, it's better to first get basic context before diving into asking questions.
  2. Actively engaging with context and information before thinking about questions can help in understanding what truly matters.
  3. The SIFT approach emphasizes the importance of doing some initial research and noticing key details before formulating questions.

Propositional Attitudes and Flying Saucers

39 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
🚌 Education Teaching Learning Critical Thinking
  1. It's important to teach that there is a distinction between a claim and a position on that claim, to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.
  2. When evaluating the likelihood of a claim, it's essential to consider it in relation to other explanations rather than in isolation.
  3. Defending a claim involves defending the most reasonable position on that claim, considering all possible explanations in a broader context.

Reasonableness: An Introduction

39 implied HN points • 10 Jun 23
🚌 Education Beliefs Reasoning Misinformation Evidence Argumentation
  1. Two primary accounts of the relation between evidence and belief in misinformation research are naive and non-naive models, both with limitations.
  2. People's pursuit of reasonableness influences how they collect and share evidence to support their beliefs, aiming to seem rational to others.
  3. Beliefs are often maintained through a balance of evidence and perceived reasonableness, impacting how individuals process and adopt new information.

The open argument must be fed: The peculiar case of Fox News and the pleasant smoke

39 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Science Social Issues Climate change Public Health
  1. Open arguments drive much of our discourse, with events and information being interpreted as evidence to support or challenge ongoing debates.
  2. Arguments are not just about proving something true, but about enhancing or undermining the reasonableness of a position.
  3. Today's discourse often focuses on open-ended arguments where new events or information are used as evidence, shaping how we view and interpret the world.

The Summary Problem, or why AI in search is attractive

39 implied HN points • 17 May 23
🕹 Technology AI Search Information Platforms
  1. AI in search can help provide concise answers to specific queries, reducing cognitive load for users
  2. Platforms and users find AI attractive in search due to the potential of turning articles into direct answers, addressing user frustration and error
  3. Improving the user experience in search results, such as through summaries, snippets, and direct answers, remains a known but persistent challenge which AI aims to tackle

Evidence, Implicit Claims, and Warrants

19 implied HN points • 20 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Communication Debate Narrative analysis
  1. Enhancing the reasonableness of a position through argumentation is not about proving a claim, but making it more reasonable.
  2. Evidence is used to support claims by making them substantially more reasonable, reminding of their reasonableness, or providing means to enhance the reasonableness of positions.
  3. Warrants play a crucial role in connecting evidence to claims, ensuring their validity and relevance to the argument.

Smoke as Argument: Conspiracy Theory Edition

19 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Conspiracy theory
  1. Smoke can be interpreted in different ways based on existing arguments and beliefs. It can either be viewed as a sign of climate change and health hazards, or as a government plot to harm the population.
  2. The way people perceive smoke is often influenced by their existing beliefs and narratives. For example, in the Midwest, smoke was linked to conspiracy theories about intentional poisoning.
  3. Smoke serves as evidence that can be used to support various arguments - from climate change concerns to government conspiracy theories.

Position to Know

19 implied HN points • 11 Jul 23
🚌 Education Authority Expertise Opportunity Credibility Knowledge
  1. Facts are things generally undisputed by those in a position to know.
  2. Being in a 'position to know' entails having expertise or opportunity to understand a situation.
  3. When evaluating sources, it's crucial to consider what unique perspective or knowledge each person brings to the table.

McKeon on Reasonableness

19 implied HN points • 30 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Logic Online Discourse
  1. Distinguishing between explanations and arguments is key - explanations provide reasons for the speaker, while arguments aim for the listener to adopt a position.
  2. When explaining something to someone, the goal is for them to understand your reasons or beliefs, even if you're not trying to change their mind.
  3. The concept of 'reasonableness' in online discourse challenges the traditional debate about intent, emphasizing a broader goal of argument that encompasses expression, explanation, and persuasion.

Tropes turn patterns into evidence

19 implied HN points • 13 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Social Issues Media
  1. Tropes can transform patterns into evidence, serving as a guide for interpreting information.
  2. Tropes can be used to dismiss or manipulate evidence, particularly in contentious topics like climate change.
  3. Familiarity with tropes can influence how individuals perceive and interpret visual information.

Calculating inflation with ChatGPT

19 implied HN points • 20 May 23
🕹 Technology AI Inflation ChatGPT Information Retrieval
  1. Using Google search for calculating inflation can provide a cite-worthy and reproducible response in under a minute, making it superior to using ChatGPT for such tasks.
  2. Google search process requires less navigation knowledge, provides up-to-date information, and typically avoids providing initially incorrect answers, unlike ChatGPT.
  3. The process of search, like Google, offers an evaluable explanation of knowledge since it can lead to citing reliable sources, while ChatGPT offers disconnected simulations of traditional knowledge-building processes.

Teach Information Architecture If You Care About Trust

19 implied HN points • 10 Jun 21
🚌 Education Information Architecture Trust
  1. Teaching information architecture is crucial for building trust in online information.
  2. Engaging students in analyzing sources like NOAA and the IHO helps them understand the knowledge infrastructure and develop critical thinking skills.
  3. It is essential to introduce students to knowledge-producing organizations and processes, such as scientific agencies, to equip them for making informed decisions in the face of misinformation.

Propane vulture cannon

19 implied HN points • 14 May 21
📰 News Verification Fact-checking Trustworthiness Local news
  1. Town of Bunn reportedly installed a propane cannon on top of a school to fend off vultures.
  2. Using authoritative sources like Wikipedia to verify information from websites can help determine credibility.
  3. Teach students to approach information verification incrementally, from checking URLs to searching for news stories.

A blog for those teaching and learning web literacy

19 implied HN points • 11 May 21
🚌 Education
  1. The blog focuses on teaching web literacy to students through examples found on the internet and in emails
  2. It is aimed at educators but may offer insights to those studying misinformation as well
  3. The concept of 'taking bearings' in online literacy is mentioned, originating from the work of Sam Wineburg and Sarah McGrew

Example of a Point 2 Failure: Soviet Partners

0 implied HN points • 16 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Conspiracy Theories Assassination Cold War Geopolitics Intelligence Services
  1. Linking JFK's speech about cooperation with the Soviets to his assassination is not a solid motive, as both leaders had to balance public perception during the Cold War.
  2. The idea that immediate proximal causes, like the timing of Kennedy's speech, hold special significance in geopolitics is problematic. Context plays a crucial role in assessing causality.
  3. Failure in argument structure can occur when the evidence provided does not adequately support the underlying warrant. In this case, the connection between Kennedy's speech and ending the Cold War is not well-founded.

Using a "lens test" to escape a data void

0 implied HN points • 10 Jun 21
🕹 Technology Search Data Analysis Bias Information literacy
  1. Using a 'lens test' can help navigate through data voids by comparing search results for accurate sources.
  2. Avoid adding terms like 'misinformation' to search keywords as it may unintentionally bias the results.
  3. Over the years, search engine algorithms have improved in filtering out biased results and data voids, making it easier to find reliable information.

Let's talk about open claims, endless argument, and how social media works.

0 implied HN points • 03 Jun 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking Information literacy Misinformation Argumentation Social media
  1. Claims in discussions are not just statements; they play a focal role in an argument by trying to change attitudes.
  2. On social media, many posts share evidence that supports larger unstated claims, making it vital to understand the context of the information being shared.
  3. Misinformation often thrives when evidence is real but misused to back a claim it does not support, highlighting the importance of critically evaluating information and its context.

Two evidence-fitting modes

0 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🚌 Education Community
  1. Evidence-fitting can be divergent where communities map events to their own arguments, or convergent where communities shape their arguments to fit a central event.
  2. Divergent evidence-fitting involves matching a piece of evidence to existing arguments, while convergent evidence-fitting involves finding evidence to support a predetermined argument.
  3. The terms for these modes are borrowed from rumor literature, but the distinction between divergent and convergent evidence-fitting remains significant and observable.

Extending a Toulmin Diagram with Additional Backing

0 implied HN points • 04 May 24
🚌 Education
  1. In the realm of arguments, additional backing can be added to refine existing models.
  2. It's vital to assess how new evidence or language fits into argument structure models.
  3. Toulmin diagrams can assist in uncovering failures in an argument by highlighting alternative explanations.

Ancient aliens

0 implied HN points • 14 May 21
🚌 Education Research Debunking Teaching Investigation Mystery
  1. Theories about 'ancient aliens' have historical roots, but modern fascination often makes racist assumptions under the guise of explanation for ancient wonders.
  2. Online content surrounding ancient astronaut claims can lead to misinformation and often lacks credible sources, prompting critical evaluation.
  3. When encountering outlandish claims like astronaut statues in ancient structures, skepticism and fact-checking using diverse sources like Reddit, Wikipedia, and Atlas Obscura are essential to uncover the truth.

Stranger than fiction

0 implied HN points • 13 May 21
🚌 Education Fact-checking Critical Thinking
  1. When teaching web literacy, it's essential to highlight odd but true information that may seem false at first glance.
  2. To verify information online, checking the authenticity of the source, like official verification marks, and looking for consistent coverage from reliable news sources are crucial steps.
  3. It's not about proving something is true but about confirming if what you're seeing aligns with your assumptions and reactions, emphasizing the importance of verifying sources and information.

Tracked by solar key-rings

0 implied HN points • 17 May 21
🕹 Technology Security Conspiracy Theories Online Scams
  1. Be cautious of free key holders given out at gas stations, as some may contain hidden tracking devices.
  2. Verify the credibility of alarming claims before panicking. Many conspiracy theories have logical flaws upon closer inspection.
  3. Some urban legends, like the one about tracking devices in key rings, may have originated from a real event but have been perpetuated over time through misinformation.

Tropes and evidence

0 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🚌 Education Research Evidence Interpretation Critical Thinking Verification
  1. Tropes are narrative devices used in storytelling, which help people quickly interpret events based on surface similarities to past experiences.
  2. Tropes can sometimes lead to misinterpretations of evidence, influencing how people categorize information.
  3. Tropes serve as powerful interpretative shortcuts, but they can cause individuals to see connections or meanings that may not actually be present.