Asking the Right Questions, A Guide to Critical Thinking, 8th Ed

How Good Is the Evidence 1? 115
Passage 2
Are Botox injections a safe alternative to face lifts? According to an interview with
Dr. N.O. Worries published in Cosmo, there are no dangerous side effects associated
with Botox injections. Dr. Worries performs hundreds of Botox injections each
month, is well established as a physician in New York City, and has her own private
practice. She claims she has never had a serious problem with any of her injections,
and her patients have never reported side effects. Furthermore, Hollywood's Association
for Cosmetic Surgeons officially stated in a press release that Botox has never
been shown to cause any negative effects, despite what other physicians might argue.
Passage 3
Are Macs really better than PCs? The answer is a resounding yes! Computer Nerds
Quarterly recently ran an article thoroughly outlining every advantage that Macs
have over PCs. Furthermore, just ask Mac users and they will quickly explain how
Macs are superior to PCs. For example, Sherry, a Mac user, states, "My Mac is the
best thing I ever purchased. It is fast and easy to use. Plus, it has never crashed on
me. All of my friends who have PCs have complained about all kinds of problems
my Mac has never had." More importantly, a recent report in Consumer Affairs
states that more new businesses are using Mac based systems than PC based
systems. Clearly, Macs are a cut above the PCs.
Sample Responses
Passage 1
CONCLUSION: Consumers are angry at big corporations because of rising prices of their
products without an increase in quality.
REASON: Three people had voiced their dissatisfaction with rising prices and corporat
practices.
Although the general conclusion may or may not be accurate, we should not
rely on these testimonials as good "proof." This passage illustrates well the
weaknesses of testimony as evidence. How typical are these "horror stories"?
Would other consumers have voiced no complaint about products' prices?
How were the interviews conducted? Is the author's selection of interview
comments biased? Did the individuals know what the interviewer was trying to
prove and thus try to please the interviewer? Have prices of other products
remained constant while some have risen? Before we conclude that consumers
are being cheated by big corporations, we would want much better evidence
than just a few testimonials. What the testimonials do tell us, however, is that
it is possible for consumers to be upset about the cost of certain products.