HOW DO WE KNOW WHO TO BELIEVE



HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE?

Class Reading

Directions: Read the following and then answer the questions that appear below by re-reading through the article and thinking on your own.

When you evaluate, you are making judgments. It could be a judgment about an action, an event or a product. You may make a judgment about something that you have heard. You should not, however, make a judgment without thinking it through. (Didn’t your mother even tell you, “Don’t judge a book by its cover!”) You need to provide reasons for why you have judged something as you have. Sometimes, different historical sources provide different views of the same event. When this happens, you need to evaluate the accuracy and fairness of these different views. When you evaluate historical documents, you should ask yourself the following questions.

Is the information a primary or secondary source?

It is important to know whether the information is a primary source, written at the same time of the event, or a secondary source, written long after the event happened. Primary sources are records from the past such as newspapers, diaries, letters, and government documents. These types of sources are spoken of as being eyewitness testimony because they are recorded by people who have taken a personal part in the events. Secondary sources are written by people who were not witnesses to or participants in the events they write about. Sometimes, secondary sources may be more useful than primary sources even though they were written by people who did not witness the event. Secondary sources may be more accurate, more objective and more complete.

Is this information fact or opinion?

Distinguishing between fact and opinion is an important step in trying to figure out what is the truth. Facts are those things that are known to be true or have happened. Facts are based on information that can be checked for accuracy. Opinions express how people feel about something and what their beliefs are. Values are opinions that often involve a standard of right and wrong, such as murder being a sin. All values are opinions. For example, based on their values some people support a woman’s right to an abortion and others do not.

Is the information accurate?

A good way to check the accuracy, or the truth, is to see how the information is presented in other sources. If you find that different sources give different information, then you may wonder where your source got the information. On the other hand, if you find that different sources give you the same basic information, then you may be fairly certain that the material is accurate.

Remember that everyone has their own perspective, or point of view. Each of us sees things differently based on our background. For example, how would you describe who started a fight in your schools’ cafeteria, especially if one of the fighters is your friend? It may be different than how someone else would describe what happened. Each of us, therefore, sees events in somewhat of a different way.

This is an example of bias. Bias is when something is seen as 'one-sided' or from a particular perspective. It can be seen as favoritism and can keep a person from being impartial, unprejudiced, or objective. The term biased is used to describe an action or judgment that is influenced by a prejudged perspective. It is also used to refer to a person or group of people whose actions or judgments exhibit bias or treat others unfairly or unjustly.

In your own words, discuss the answers the following questions.

1. How can you check to see how accurate a piece of information is?

2. Do you think you can be biased? Do your values influence how you view people or events? If yes, is that a good thing, a bad thing or both? Explain.

HOW CAN WE MEASURE THE ACCURACY OF HISTORICAL INFORMATION?

Directions: Read the following story and then answer the questions that appear below;

|[pic] |Principal’s Letter to Parent: I regret it has become necessary to suspend John from school because of the following |

| |reason: behavior creating a substantial risk or resulting in injury. A suspension conference will be held in the |

| |principal’s office. Please arrive promptly and bring your child with you. At the hearing, you will have the opportunity |

| |to examine and discuss the relevant facts in order that we may plan together for your child’s return to school. If you |

| |wish, you may bring any two persons who may be friends or advisors. During the period of suspension, your child should |

| |be kept home during school hours and may not participate in any school-related activities. |

|[pic] |John’s Statement: I was sitting at the table talking to my friends. One of his friends was sitting at the table closest |

| |to me. I asked him, “why is your friend starring at me?” So then his friend walked over to his table and started talking|

| |to him about what I said. Then Jim came over to my table. He started telling me something. I stood up, then he told me |

| |to sit back down. I refused to sit down. He put his paper in his mouth and made a fist. After that, I walked up to him. |

| |After that, some guy pulled him back away from me. I approached him again, then he threw the first punch. After that, we|

| |were fighting. |

|[pic] |Jim’s Statement: I walked in and sat down at the table across from him. Sitting with me were two girls who are friends |

| |of mine. After a while, two guys came over to me named Karl and Wilbur. They told me with an attitude that my friend |

| |over there thinks I am weird. I told them to stop instigating a fight, it is going to get someone hurt. After that, they|

| |waked back over to him and they started talking. So I walked over to them and asked, why are you instigating a fight? He|

| |then went flying at me! He started taking off his jacket and jumped at me. I did not want to fight him, but I did punch |

| |him in the face in self-defense. |

|[pic] |Teacher’s Statement: I was in the cafeteria getting lunch. Two boys were having an argument. That’s when I saw John |

| |punch Jim in the face. Even though some other boys were restraining Jim, He went at it too! They were rolling around on |

| |the floor, both boys punching and tearing at each other. The fight wasn’t over until the Dean’s came to the scene. |

|[pic] |Jim’s Girlfriend: I was sitting with Jim in the cafeteria. A guy came over to Jim and told him that his friend thinks |

| |Jim is weird. After that, he waked back over to John and they started talking. Jim then walked over to them. Then John |

| |started going at it with Jim. He started taking off his jacket and jumped at Jim. I knew that John was up to no good, |

| |especially with all the other fights he has had. |

|[pic] |John’s Mother: I heard about the fight that occurred in the cafeteria today. I can’t believe what that hoodlum did to my|

| |boy. All John was doing was trying to eat his lunch in peace. My boy would never have anything to do with a fight in |

| |school, its just not in his nature. If I were the mother of that other child, I would teach him a good lesson. I think |

| |that other boy should be suspended – no questions asked. We live in a difficult world, and these kids need to be taught |

| |a lesson! |

|[pic] |Dean’s Statement: I interviewed John regarding the fight in which he was involved. John stated that he was in the |

| |lunchroom during the period, talking to his friends. John said that Jim walked past him, sat down at a nearby table and |

| |began staring at him. John said that he then asked one of his friends why Jim was starring at him. John said that after |

| |his friend spoke to Jim, Jim approached John. When John looked up, Jim said, “sit down”, put a piece of paper in his |

| |mouth and made a fist. John said that he then got in Jim’s face while Jim’s friend was holding Jim back. John said that |

| |Jim broke free and punched John in the face. John said that he and Jim had been having disagreements throughout the |

| |school year. |

Questions for discussion;

1. Which of these pieces of evidence is a primary source? Which is a secondary source? Explain your answer.

1. How would you classify the worthiness of each of these statements? a. Principal, b. John, c. Jim, d. Teacher, e. Girlfriend, f. Mother, g. Dean. Give at least one example for each of the statements listed.

2. In your opinion, which of these sources would you consider the most important? Why?

3. Based on the evidence available to you, how close to the truth can you come? Explain your answer.

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