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Evaluating the quality of reasons to see which ones are most convincing.
Imagine you are a judge in a 'Best Pet' contest. One person says, 'Dogs are best because they have tails.' Another says, 'Dogs are best because they can be trained to help people who cannot see.' Which person would you pick as the winner?
In philosophy, we talk a lot about opinions. An opinion is what you think, but a reason is the 'why' behind it. Think of an opinion like a house and reasons like the pillars holding it up. If the pillars are made of straw, the house falls down. If they are made of bricks, the house stays strong.
A strong reason is one that is based on facts, logic, or shared experiences. It makes sense to other people, even if they don't agree with you at first. A weak reason is often just a feeling or something that doesn't actually prove the point. For example, saying 'I like blue because it's my favorite color' is a weak reason for why blue is the 'best' color because it only applies to you!
Quick Check
If a reason is like a 'pillar' for a house, what happens to your opinion if your reason is weak?
Answer
The opinion 'falls down' or becomes unconvincing to others.
Have you ever asked 'Why?' and received the answer 'Just because'? This is the weakest kind of reason! We call this a circular reason. It's like saying, 'The sky is blue because the color of the sky is blue.' It doesn't add any new information.
To move from a weak reason to a strong one, we need evidence. Evidence is a fact or a specific example that supports your claim. For example, instead of saying 'Exercise is good because it's good,' a strong reason would be: 'Exercise is good because it strengthens your heart muscle.' Notice how the second reason gives us a specific fact ( heart muscle) to think about!
Two friends are arguing about what game to play at recess. 1. Friend A: 'We should play Tag because I want to.' 2. Friend B: 'We should play Tag because we have minutes left, and Tag is a fast game that doesn't require any setup.'
Friend B has the stronger reason because they used evidence (the time limit) and logic (no setup needed).
Quick Check
Why is 'Because I want to' considered a weak reason in a group?
Answer
It is a weak reason because it only considers one person's feelings and doesn't provide a fact that helps the whole group decide.
When you look at two reasons, you can weigh them like a scale. To find the stronger reason, ask yourself these three questions: 1. Is it a fact? (Can we prove it?) 2. Is it relevant? (Does it actually have to do with the topic?) 3. Is it specific? (Does it give a clear example?)
A reason that hits all three is like a heavy weight on the scale. A reason that is just an opinion or a guess is like a feather. Even if you say a weak reason very loudly, it doesn't make it any heavier!
The school is deciding whether to plant a garden. Reason 1: 'We should have a garden because flowers are pretty.' Reason 2: 'We should have a garden because it will provide a habitat for bees, which help of our food grow.'
Reason 2 is stronger because it uses a specific fact ( of food) and explains a benefit that helps the whole world, not just a personal preference about 'pretty' things.
Imagine you want a later bedtime. You have three reasons: A. 'Everyone else stays up late.' B. 'I'm not tired yet.' C. 'If I stay up minutes later, I can finish my reading homework tonight so I don't have to do it during soccer practice tomorrow.'
Reason C is the strongest because it shows a clear benefit (finishing homework) and solves a future problem (soccer practice conflict). Reason A is weak because 'everyone' is not a specific fact, and Reason B is weak because it is just a temporary feeling.
Which of these is a 'Just Because' reason for eating vegetables?
Why is 'The library is great because it has books' a strong reason?
A reason is strong as long as you really, really believe in it.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to remember the three questions you should ask to see if a reason is strong: Is it a ____? Is it ____? Is it ____?
Practice Activity
The next time you ask for something (like a snack or a toy), try to give one 'brick' reason (fact-based) instead of a 'noodle' reason (feeling-based)!