Claim: We can usually learn much more from people whose views we share than from those whose views contradict our own.
Reason: Disagreement can cause stress and inhibit learning.
The statement above is a typical example of the fallacy of false cause; between the amount of learning from others and the position of the others’ ideas regarding our views, there is not necessarily a linkage. We can learn from anyone, no matter how they are similar to us or how they may differ. “A wise enemy rises you, and a dumb friend knocks you down.” This is a Persian proverb that summarizes my viewpoint; the proverb invites us to have a relation with wise people, even if they are enemies it is better than to befriend with a dumb one.
To begin with, we cannot always learn from ...
- The following appeared on the Mozart School of Music Web site."The Mozart School of Music should be the first choice for parents considering enrolling their child in music lessons.First of all, the Mozart School welcomes youngsters at all ability and age 60
- The following appeared in a memo to the board of directors of Bargain Brand Cereals."One year ago we introduced our first product, Bargain Brand breakfast cereal. Our very low prices quickly drew many customers away from the top-selling cereal companies. 90
- Young people should be encouraged to pursue long-term, realistic goals rather than seek immediate fame and recognition. 80
- 4. The greatness of individuals can be decided only by those who live after them, not by their contemporaries. 50
- Learning is primarily a matter of personal discipline; students cannot be motivated by school or college alone. 70
Attribute Value Ideal
Score: 5.5 out of 6
Category: Excellent Excellent
No. of Grammatical Errors: 0 2
No. of Spelling Errors: 0 2
No. of Sentences: 24 15
No. of Words: 472 350
No. of Characters: 2250 1500
No. of Different Words: 240 200
Fourth Root of Number of Words: 4.661 4.7
Average Word Length: 4.767 4.6
Word Length SD: 2.597 2.4
No. of Words greater than 5 chars: 153 100
No. of Words greater than 6 chars: 116 80
No. of Words greater than 7 chars: 78 40
No. of Words greater than 8 chars: 49 20
Use of Passive Voice (%): 0 0
Avg. Sentence Length: 19.667 21.0
Sentence Length SD: 8.265 7.5
Use of Discourse Markers (%): 0.5 0.12
Sentence-Text Coherence: 0.265 0.35
Sentence-Para Coherence: 0.47 0.50
Sentence-Sentence Coherence: 0.132 0.07
Number of Paragraphs: 5 5