- Philosophy -

7 TYPES OF BIAS

i. Invisibility

Most fundamental and oldest form of bias, it is the complete or relative

exclusion of a group.

Example:

In the age when racism was more prevalent, specifically prior 1960’s, textbooks
omitted information regarding the colored races from illustrations and narratives.

You find Tina’s personality annoying, and sadly, you both have the same social
circle. So, whenever you find the chance, you leave her out of events and
conversations.

ii. Stereotyping

A well-known bias that involves the assignment of characteristics to all members

of a group, ignoring the individual attributes and differences. Can either be positive
or negative.

Example:

Sexism - A woman can’t do a man’s job, men can’t be raped

Racism - Asians are always smart, Black people are dangerous and violent

iii. Imbalance and Selectivity

Only one interpretation of an issue is presented, thus simplifying and distorting

complex problems by ignoring other perspectives.

Example:

Math and science courses typically reference European discoveries and

formulas.
 A boy kept harassing his female classmate. She snapped and slapped in
retaliation after numerous protests. The teacher only saw her slapping him, and so
the girl was punished with a week of detention and was forced to apologize to the
sobbing boy.

iv. Unreality

it is the tendency to gloss over vital information for the sake of forcing a false or
incomplete narrative/conclusion.

Example:

The notion that technology will resolve persistent social problems, or that
vaccines causes autism.

The more you eat, the healthier you get.

v. Fragmentation and Isolation

It emerges when a group is physically or visually isolated in a given text. While

this form of bias may be less damaging than omission or stereotypes, fragmentation
and isolation present non-dominant groups as peripheral members of society.

Example:

"Muslims, along with other religions in the Philippines experience less

discrimination this decade" - a headline example

"Ten Black Achievers in Science." - a headline example

vi. Linguistic Bias

 Language can be a powerful conveyor of bias, in both blatant and subtle forms.
Linguistic bias can impact race/ethnicity, gender, accents, age, (dis)ability and
sexual orientation.

Example:

Native Americans described as "roaming," "wandering," or "roving“ across the land.

Such language implicitly justifies the seizure of Native lands by "more goal-directed"
white Americans who "traveled" or "settled“ their way westward.

Such words as forefathers, mankind, and businessman serve to deny the

contributions (even the existence) of females.

vii. Cosmetic Bias:

This bias is an "illusion of equity” that suggests that a text is bias free. Beyond the
attractive covers, photos, or posters, bias persists. This is a marketing strategy to
give a favorable impression to potential purchasers who only judge a book by its
cover.

Example:

A science textbook that features a glossy pullout of female scientists but

includes precious little narrative of the scientific contributions of women.

A music book with an eye-catching, muti-ethnic cover that projects a world of

diverse songs and symphonies belies the traditional white male composers lurking
behind the cover.

An advertisement of a big and meaty burger, only for the actual product to be a
lesser version of it.

METHODS OF PHILOSOPHY

Elenchus: The Socratic Method

Who is Socrates and why does he matter?

= one of the founders of Western Philosophy

= created Socratic Method: used in dialogue as an investigation

= the search of truth through direct questioning

= finds consistency and contradiction

= three steps (Berkeley’s Three Dialogues):

 examine a claim

 question that claim

 find true knowledge

= Socratic Method Steps:

 establish an argument

 raise and exception/contradiction

 re-formulate the argument

 repeat 2 & 3

 arrive at aporia

The end goal of this method is to reach aporia, a state of puzzlement where both
agree on the fact that their argument is invalid.

"I know that I know nothing"; wisdom is knowing the scope of what he doesn't know.

Hegelian Dialectic

A dialectic is an argument made of three parts: thesis, antithesis, synthesis

Both thesis and antithesis contains part of the truth, but also exaggerations of the
whole, and so need to clash to produce a polished result

Unlike Plato's Dialectic where a clash of antithesis results into nothingness, Hegel
proposes that it will in fact, be the drive to bring out a new thesis that will
eventually lead to synthesis. Progress is not lost, all sides have some truth, to be
sifted by time.
 CRITERIA IN EVALUATING ARGUEMENTS (FELT criteria)

1. Fairness

Is the argument fair and balanced, or does it contain bias? Bias can be detected by
asking the following questions:

Is the argument overly emotional and filled with loaded language?

Is the argument one-sided? Are there alternative points of view not addressed?
What are the implications of this narrowness?

2. Evidence

Are there any evidences to support the argument? Are they valid enough to be
considered?

Are the given premises reliable and relevant? Are they thoroughly explained?

3. Logic

Does the author make contradictory points?

Does the author make concessions to alternative views without explaining why they
are nevertheless subordinate to his/her main view?

Do the premises themselves require further justification? (That is, do they beg the
question?)

Is the movement from premise to conclusion logical? Does the argument contain gaps
in reasoning or logical fallacies?

4. Tone

Is the attitude of the writer appropriate for the content? For example, is it too
serious? Is it too sarcastic or dismissive? Is it overly dramatic? (Tone can reinforce
bias.)
 Theories Of Human Composition

Human does not equal Person

Human is a biological term. You are human if you have human DNA.

Persons are beings who are a part of a moral community.

They deserve moral consideration.

Can someone be a person but not a human?

Can something be human and not a person?

What must one possess to be a part of our moral community, to be deserving of our
moral consideration?

Genetic Criterion

You are a person if you have human dna, and if you don't you are not human.

Criteria for Personhood

1. Consciousness

2. Reasoning

3. Self-motivated activity

4. capacity to communicate

5. self-awareness

Social Criterion

You are a person whenever society recognizes you as a person, or whenever

someone cares about you

According to Peter Signer, "The key to personhood is sentience, the ability to

feel pleasure and pain.