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Assignment 1 – Red Flags, Reasons for Belief, and Critical Thinking

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Assignment 1 – Red Flags, Reasons for Belief, and Critical Thinking

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by Dakota Woods

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Definition:

When an authority figure (e.g., doctor, scientist, celebrity, etc.) uses their influence to provide information that is not the truth to distract from the real use it has/would give.

Connection:

A celebrity stating that a cereal brand is healthy and will be a good way to become athletic (e.g., Frosted Flakes). The commercial makes the cereal appear healthy, but in truth, it is high in sugar.

Flaws of an appeal to authority would be when people buy what was advertised and find out/being told that what was told/shown to them wasn’t the truth. Fans of the celebrity may not view them as to how they did before, or the celebrity’s reputation could decrease as a result.

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Definition:

When people see or seek out knowledge/wisdom from something of the past or that’s considered ancient. They use the ancient information or objects and state that it was used back in the day.

Connection:

An example would be the flat earth theory (the video above). Dr. Stuart Clark debates the facts of flat earth that are believed by most people. He also speaks on the astronomy and astrophysics of the theory. His conclusion on the theory of a flat earth was that it was not factual.

Flaws of ancient wisdom is that the information spreads false and illogical facts of the truth. Most info of ancient wisdom, such as the flat earth theory, can be debunked due to the use of science. However, the false information from people may start conflicts with others who possess the true facts, which then leads to unnecessary differences which could have been avoided if people stuck with the facts.

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An Astronomer Responds To Flat Earth Theory

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Definition:

Bringing up information that has nothing to do with the original discussion to avoid the main issue/subject/topic.

Connection:

Red herrings can be in everyday life, parents with their children: a child asking for a new toy, but the parent saying time to go home and to play with the toys there; or in business/politics, two positions having a debate to become the next president/prime minister or the president/prime minister/mayor being interviewed/holding a press conference: being asked what they are going to do about a current issue that arising and how they plan to fix it, but they then go on and talk about taxes or a different topic altogether.

Flaws of red herrings is the fact that the main issue could never be resolved since it is never getting addressed. The irrelevant topics being discussed would overlook the real relevant issues that should be settled.

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Definition:

The idea/belief that certain objects (gems, gemstones, crystals, etc.) or natural resources (plants, trees, water, etc.) are used to spread/give spiritual energy to the people who use them.

Connection:

Mystical energy is well known and popular when it comes to gemstones and crystals, as well as even holy water. Many shops sell gemstones and crystals to the public for their use, amethysts are used for healing, purifying, and enhancing willpower; obsidian helps with processing emotions, experiences, and aid in moving on; jasper helps with times of stress; and clear quartz helps with healing and support the energetic system.

Flaws of mystical energy is that there isn’t any kind of proof or evidence that the gemstone effects work, or if they're even real gemstones, to begin with. As a result of this, people would just be wasting their time and money on things that wouldn’t even work.

An example of this flaw would be how in a game I played (Persona 5) there was a scene where a woman, whom you can befriend later on, who is a fortune teller/tarot card reader gives the player a “holy stone” to avoid misfortune in which the player has to buy for ¥100,000, later on however the “holy stone” turns out to be a fake (rock salt).

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Definition:

The use of natural subsenses in medicine or health supplement that are poisonous, venomous, etc.

Connection:

In the attached website/article above, it states that some plants can cause negative effects rather than what it is was made for. Plants such as the Kava, which is used to help with anxiety, can cause severe liver damage; and the Ephedra, used for colds, fevers, or other sicknesses, could cause heart problems and even a death risk.

Flaws of all-natural are that would harm a person, cause a person to become ill, or kill a person. All-natural subsenses don’t mean that the supplement is considered safe or dependable.

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Definition:

Experiencing dreams or predictions of an event or occurrence before it happens. It is known for being caused by large numbers law.

Connection:

Simplicity can also be known as “prophetic dreams”, which is experiencing dreams that end up foretelling a future event.

A connected event I can use is that I have personally experienced those kinds of dreams, at least a few times. Most of the dreams I had were somehow related or connected in topic or subject to what happened the next day, or something like an inaccurate or imprecise experience in reality from what happened in the dream.

Another experience I’ve had with simplicity (taken place many years ago), that’s unrelated to “prophetic dreams”, is having thought up a conversation I would have with an old childhood friend word-for-word, and the same conversation happening word-for-word.

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Definition:

A person’s ideas or morals based on/off of certain ideologies of beliefs or decisions, whether it be political: federal, liberal, conservative, etc.; or cultural or social: feminism, racism, religion, etc.

Connection:

Ideology can be connected to the present news or event or issues that happen worldwide. Political views/beliefs in the world of politics, as well as feminism, racism, and religion in today’s current society.

Political in a debate for becoming the next president/prime minister, and the voting procedure.

Cultural/social for how a large part of the people of color (POC) population are being mistreated, wronged, and victimized. An example of this issue would be the criminal actions towards George Floyd back in May 2020.

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Post 9: Reasons for Belief - Unexplained

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Post 9: Reasons for Belief - Unexplained

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Definition:

The unknown or mysterious side of beliefs. People see or view things that they can’t explain and aren’t able to know if it’s real or not, or have no logical/scientific explanation.

Connection:

The article connects to the unexplained because there was no logical explanation on how the sudden dissonance and death of Elisa Lam happened. With the shared story and shown video footage (from the documentary “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel” on Netflix) of Elisa acting strangely in the elevator, some people have believed that there was some kind of supernatural activity involved. However, there has been no explanation of how she disappeared and the cause of her death.

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Elisa Lam: What really happened in the Cecil Hotel

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A viral video. Online sleuths. An internet mystery. We've been here before, right? We have indeed. If you watched Netflix's Don't F*** With Cats in 2019, then some of their new show The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel might sound familiar to you. But this documentary series, and the story of Elisa Lam, is something very different.

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My evaluation will be based on the article: Elisa Lam: What really happened in the Cecil Hotel; and the Netflix documentary: Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel.

Define Problem (Extraordinary Claim):

Is the disappearance and death of Elisa Lam an unexplained supernatural activity?

Information:

In the article, and in the video footage (timestamp 3:00-4:25) from the documentary, it explains that Elisa, a 21-year-old student from Canada who went missing back in 2013 last seen and known in the Cecil Hotel in L.A. camera footage from the hotel shows Elisa in the elevator acting strangely; talking to someone, leaving and entering the elevator multiple times, and seemingly hiding from something, before completely disappearing from any other camera footage and last being seen during that time. She is then later found dead in the water tank on the rooftop of the hotel.

Evidence Evaluation:

This video, breakdowns the case and video footage from the elevator, it also speculates on how the disappearance and death could have happened. With the logical explanation on how an employee could have done it, with knowing the hotel and possible alternative routes to avoid cameras, or edit the camera footage, and having access to the rooftop where the water tanks are, it would be a logical explanation. However, there are a few contradictions: with the police themselves not even conducting that that being the case/how no employee was suspected of such, it leaves flaws in the logical argument. Along with the arguments on Elisa being not well and/or able to gain access to the rooftop, her family stated that she was never like that, she was mentally stable; and how she (a guest) was able to gain access to the rooftop if its for employees or workers only.

Some people have assumed that there was some kind of supernatural activity involved. The hotel has had previous happenings of odd events, such as suicides, overdoses, and serial killers staying before the case of Elisa. Some suspected that she was playing “the elevator game”, which from the footage, could have been what she was doing on the elevator.

Assumptions, Emotions & Biases:

Regarding assumptions, I am not the type to assume something unless there is proof, evidence, or some kind of connection considering the matter. Emotional I feel that there is some evidence with the logical thinking of the case and the supernatural aspect of it. With the consideration of the suspect being an employee and the video footage of Elisa possibly playing the elevator game, there’s evidence on what could have happened/is shown happening, but no complete conclusion for both choices.

Evidence & Identified Alternatives:

Alternative Solution #1: Something supernatural was involved in Elisa Lam’s case

Alternative Solution #2: Someone unaccounted for was involved in it

Alternative Solution #3: The Cecil Hotel, or a worker/employee there, was somehow/could’ve been behind it, or knew about it, and covered it up

Alternative Solution #4: Elisa was somehow able to cause her disappearance and death herself

Best Alternative:

I conclude that the case itself is very strange and is considered unexplainable, with the cause of Elisa’s disappearance and death possibly being from an employee, or a supernatural source, there is no, or not enough, proof and evidence to determine either of those two conclusions are what happened.