SOAN 2120 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Cherry Picking

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology and Anthropology
• Course: SOAN 2120
• Professor: D Walters

Document Summary

A type of counterfeit argument presented as if it were a theoretical explanation. Substitutes attributing blame for a casual explanation backed by supporting empirical evidence. Blame implies intention, negligence or responsibility for an event or situation. Shifts focus from why did it occur? to who is responsible? assuming there is a party or source which a fixed amount of responsibility can be attached. Confuses blame with cause; gives an account instead of logical explanation with intervening casual mechanisms. Fails to explore empirical evidence for an against several alternative causes. A bank is robbed / a group is systematically paid less in the labor force. Then it provides selective evidence that shields certain parties or sources i. Concepts are rarely used in isolation - rather they form interconnected groups forming a web of meaning. Concepts vary by scope - some highly abstract, some at middle level of abstraction, some at concrete meaning.