1. Believe it or not: classifying statements
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2. ‘We should believe everything we read and hear’
Background
Discuss the statement:
‘We should believe everything we read and hear’
What factors influence whether or not you believe something?
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3. Classifying statements
Do you believe the following statements?
‘It is dark at night’
‘The Earth is roughly spherical’
‘Grass is green’
‘There is oxygen in the air’
‘Sea levels are rising’
‘England is a beautiful country’
‘Water is a gas at room temperature and pressure’
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4. Using a ‘Spectrum of truth’
Statements that you read or hear can be placed somewhere on the ‘spectrum of truth’.
Is it possible for statements to be placed at either of the extremes?
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5. Classifying statements
Can you come up with a ‘progressive’ classification system for statements like these?
‘It is dark at night’
‘The Earth is roughly spherical’
‘Grass is green’
‘There is oxygen in the air’
‘Sea levels are rising’
‘England is a beautiful country’
‘Water is a gas at room temperature and pressure’
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6. Classification system
These are possible classifications:
True
A statement of persuasion which cannot be known to be true or untrue at the time that it is made
A subjective statement – may be true for some people but not for others
Believed to be true from observations made by others
Believed to be true by direct and personal observations
Must be true and no observation is needed
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