EXERCISE 4.2
Evaluating Statements
Consider each of the following statements and the context in which it is made. List what types of information are missing that would help you weigh the evidence and evaluate the claim being made. What further types of evidence would you need to accept or reject the statement?
1. On the label of a bag of cookies: “CONTAINS 45% LESS FAT and 0 grams of TRANS FAT!”
2. In a printed campaign flyer for mayoral candidate Mary Johnson: “My opponent, Joe Smith, has been accused of serious conflicts of interest in the awarding of city contracts during his term as mayor.”
3. In large print on the cover of a novel you see at the supermarket checkout: “‘This novel is a . . . wild and exciting . . . ride through the rough-and-tumble days of the Gold Rush . . . full of . . . adventure and excitement. . . . Memorable.’ — New York Times”