Overview
Create a post (~150 words) that responds to the following vignettes. Then, post on the work of another student, assessing their conclusions about each.
For at least three of the vignettes below, assume that the reporting is accurate, and respond to each central claim with: a) accept the claim, b) reject the claim, or c) proportion our belief to the evidence. Be sure to explain your reasoning. The question is not what you believe, but what we should believe about the claims based on principles of proper reasoning.
1. A group of neuroscientists at MIT publish a report that TikTok diminishes the intellectual capacity and attention span of teens. A group of social media influencers denounce the report as propaganda from "boomers".
2. Your neighbor, Ted Gonzalez, says that Covid-19 is nothing more than a flu and a media hoax. He personally knows three people that got it and it wasn't that bad. Meanwhile, official estimates by the CDC place the deaths due to Covid-19 at over 600,000 in the U.S. alone.
3. Mary believes that Ghosts are real. She knows it "in her guts". And, Shmee Anders, a professor of communications at BYU, has published a book alleging the existence of Ghosts, as has the producer of "Ghost Hunters".
4. Mayor Chelmsford, quoting prominent infectious disease specialists, believes that masks save lives. He claims that his mandate - that masks should be worn at all times - will also save lives, which is why he signed the bill allowing police to fine violators.
5. Marshal Blackstone, a political analyst for CNN, believes that Trump cooperated with the Russians to plan the January 6th storming of the capitol. The other analysts at the news desk were not so sure.