Ethan Glaittli

Dr. Drexler

Philosophy 1250

May 1, 2018

Bad reasoning response

Dear Concerned Citizen,

I assure you that “privilege” isn’t keeping Americans from finding common ground in

their values. Weather it’s about race or class you better be careful when you start throwing

around a word like privilege. As soon as we do that we’re going to start making special laws for

people who are considered to have fewer advantages, which people who don’t actually need it

can easily take advantage of, and as soon as we do that people will get lazy and stop working

which will lead to robots being built to make up for the lack of workers, which will lead to

technology’s sudden but inevitable betrayal and an end to human life as we know it. Including

the lives of your friends and family. You can trust me when I say that, I’ve seen The Matrix like 3

times. Talking about people might specifically get an advantage in America because of the color

of their skin is like saying a computer could get into a high class college before me because it

can think faster. It just doesn’t make sense. And it just brings us back to the uprising of

technology, the computers and robots aren’t looking out for us! If anything, privilege is bringing

us true, flesh and blood Americans together!

Fallacies used:

Slippery Slope, if we start talking about privilege in America and do something about it, it will

just lead to a robot apocalypse.

False appeal to authority 1st , I am not a proper authority in the field of technologies uprising or

politics.

Appeal to fear, your friends and family will die.

False analogy, a computer getting into college above me doesn’t compare in any way to

someone getting an advantage because of their skin color.

Red herring, The entire thing is a red herring, robots don’t have anything to do with this

privilege argument.
 Fair Reasoning

Dear Concerned Citizen,

I understand the problem that “privilege”, whether its race or class, can have on

American values. However, while it may be a problem, it does not prevent us from finding

common ground in our values as Americans. The entire foundation of what America was built

on is our ability to share these ideas and express our opinions. Which then, allows us to come

together and work with our diversity of backgrounds and experiences to solve problems. So,

with the idea that certain people are getting ahead in life because of the color of their skin, or

the quality of their environment (meaning school or neighborhood), I won’t deny that it can be

a problem. In an ideal world, people wouldn’t make judgments based outward appearances.

But the real value - I believe I see through this that unites us - is work. We can all find value in

the work it takes to solve a problem, defy expectations, or achieve success, no matter how you

define that problem or success. The problem with bringing up a scenario in which two men

have the exact same concept of success but one is rich and the other poor is that there are a

million other factors to take into consideration, including exclusive scholarships and financial

aid, personal ability and merit, connections, and even laws. There are so many things in place

that can make it easier or harder for anyone, regardless of situation, to do what they set out to

do. However, it will come down to how hard is that person willing to work for it, and if they

define that “easier” situation as having money then the harder they work the easier the

situation will be for their posterity. It’s because of the generations before us who worked for

what they wanted that we have what we do, regardless of the morality of what they did. Even If

we disagree with what they did what matters is what we are willing to do now, despite
circumstances. So finally, yes, there can be problems in society where those who justly deserve

something are denied, and as time goes on it we, together, will be able to solve it. But that does

not stop us and will not stop us from being united in the value of working towards the best

possible future for ourselves and our children.