Week 14: Formulating assertions and counter-claims

Question 1

“declarative sentences that claim something is true about something else.”

Answer 1

assertions

Question 2

There are four common types of assertion enumerated by Tiongson. These are the following:

Answer 2

1. Fact
2. Convention
3. Opinion
4. Preference

Question 3

a claim or statement which can produce objective proof/evidence through direct experience, testimonies of witnesses, verified observations or results of research. Since this type of assertion can be easily checked through consulting various sources, people usually agree on the truth it provides.

Answer 3

fact

Question 4

this is referred to as “a way in which something is done, similar to traditions or norms.” These assertions solely rely on existing laws, rules, usage, customs and historical precedent available. Unlike facts, there are differing interpretations on varying beliefs, thus verifying the truth convention assertions can be crucial. Often, these statements are said to sound “factual” primarily because the truth of it depends on what is socially accepted.

Answer 4

Convention

Question 5

statements such as this one are based on facts. While facts can be proven to be objective, opinions are hard to prove as this would have to rely on reliable and sound proofs. Tiongson said, “The more ambiguous an opinion is, the more difficult it is to verify.” These statements commonly leave room for discussion and disputes

Answer 5

Opinion

Question 6

while opinion is based on facts, preference relies on personal choice. These are completely subjective assertions that cannot be objectively proven.

Answer 6

Preference

Question 7

“claims made to rebut a previous claim.” This point of view is in contrast to previous claims made by the author.

Answer 7

counterclaims