Unit 6-7- What are the assumptions?
Task 1- Identify the value priorities assumed by the writers:
1. College students need to be more focused on safe practices when going out and partying. For
many students, one of the more popular reasons for enjoying college is the excitement of attending
parties, meeting new people, and consuming alcohol without being under the watch of a parent or
authority figure. Unfortunately, this focus on freedom and excitement often leads to dangerous
situations such as overconsumption of alcohol, physical fights among peers and sexual assaults. It
is best to make sure that students focus on safety when enjoying their college years.
Conclusion: Students need to be more focused on safe practices when enjoying their college years.
Reason: Focusing on freedom and excitement often leads to dangerous situations such as
overconsumption of alcohol, physical fights among peers and sexual assaults.
Value assumption: Students’security is preferred over their excitement/Freedom.
2. Online schooling is starting to become a popular alternative to the traditional classroom. Online
schooling certainly has some benefits, but the downsides outweigh the advantages. For example,
children who use online schooling miss out on the social interactions with other children that
traditional schooling brings. These interactions are just as important to a child’s development as
the lessons they receive in school. Students who don’t experience this contact with their peers run
the risk of becoming antisocial and isolated. Children enrolled in online schooling also do not
experience an interpersonal connection with multiple teachers. When students have a variety of
teachers, students gain from the different viewpoints they encounter while working with those
teachers. Traditional schooling provides a variety of teachers who can inspire a love of learning
much better than any program on a dim computer screen ever could.
Conclusion: Children shouldn’t use online schooling.
Reason: missing out on the social interactions with other children that traditional schooling brings;
do not experience an interpersonal connection with multiple teachers
Value assumption: tradition is valued over novelty.
Social harmony is important than autonomy.
Social interaction is more important than flexibility.
Team spirit is more important than individuality
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3. Commercial advertising should be allowed in university corridors and classrooms. In past years,
senior university administrators have been calling for more university-business linkages; funds are
sorely needed. We must expect that corporations will want to benefit from these arrangements by
promoting their products. Second, everyone is bombarded with commercial advertisements on
streets, in buses and metros, everywhere. What difference does it make if the ads are seen after
people step into the university building? In any case, interviews show that most students and staff
hardly notice the ads in our buildings.
Value assumption: Generosity is valued over material success.
Conclusion: Commercial advertising should be allowed in university corridors and classrooms.
Reasons:
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Commercial advertising provides the necessary funding for the school.
People are familiar with ads on streets, in buses and other public places.
Interviews show that most students and staff hardly notice the ads in our buildings.
Value assumption: sustainability is more important than comfort.
4. Using the Internet causes people to become depressed and isolated. A research study conducted
with a group of family members found that there were negative psychological effects after the
family got access to the Internet. Although they did socialize on the Internet using electronic mail,
the participants were found to spend less time with their family and friends. Most home computers
are set up in a bedroom, rather than a living room where the computer set is likely to be around
other people.
Conclusion: Using the Internet causes people to become depressed and isolated.
Reason: Internet users were found to spend less time with their family and friends.
Value assumption:
Interaction is valued over privacy
Health and well-being are more important than convenience.
Tradition vs. Novelty
Face-to-face interaction vs virtual interaction
Task 2- What are the descriptive assumptions in the following cases?
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1. Most of the children at the school performed less well in GCSEs and A-Levels than children at
other schools in the area. The quality of the teaching must be to blame.
Descriptive assumption: GCSEs and A-Levels are standard of evaluating the quality of school.
No other factors affecting the test score other than the teaching quality (age, ability, preparation,
etc.)
3. The U.S. social security system is broken. It won’t be there to protect future generations now
forced by law to pay into the system. It would be far better for everyone to invest in the stock
market so that they can retain control of their money and obtain even greater returns with which
to fund their retirement.
Descriptive assumption: Everyone can succeed in investing in the stock market.
4. In 2008 there was a debate about erecting a suicide barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge. In that
year 1,300 people had jumped off the bridge to their deaths since it was built in 1937. The cost for
the barrier was estimated to be $40 million. Arguments pro and con went as follows:
Argument in favor of barrier: Our daughter, while in a mood of depression, killed herself by
jumping off the bridge last year. If a barrier had stopped her, she might have gone for help.
Argument opposed to barrier: It’s a waste of money that would better be spent on suicide patrols.
Also, barriers would ruin the design of its beautiful Art Deco architecture.
Descriptive assumption:
Argument in favor of barrier:
-She would not have found another way to commit suicide.
- She would have benefited from help.
- The public has a responsibility to prevent suicides.
Argument opposed to barrier:
- Suicide patrols would be effective and inexpensive.
- Preserving the architectural beauty of the bridge is of primary importance.
- Equally important is to economize in the use of public funds.
Task 3- Give examples of value conflicts in reality
Example: In the social media, especially Facebook, a lot of people naturally have had some
comments that affect to others. They even investigated one’s privacy information and then public
on the Internet.
Value conflict: order – freedom of speech
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