Class notes 10/16

Ideology-a set of beliefs, values, ideas that shape how someone views the world. Example: Feminism, Conservatism/Liberalism, Humanism, Environmentalism.

Common Topic: Specific procedures/ sets of questions for generating arguments (heuristics)

Common place- taken for granted, unstated until they're challenged. Vague principles, myths, traditional values. Unstated premises that help to construct an ideology. Commonplaces are frequently resorted to in popular rhetoric. They orvide the terms within which American discourse works.
Example: Family
"Something people can take comfort it"

p130-Commonplaces
Faith in "god" guides the nation
patriotism
loyalty
national flags, anthems (symbols)
frontier
altruism
self-help
truth telling

Ideologic: Arguments that are made by stringing together commonplaces.

"Keep Austin Weird"
1- An "ideal" city is a "weird" city
2- A weird city has lots of different people, different shops, different, cultures ideas.
3-Austin is a weird city
4-Homegeneity is not weird.
5-Box store corporations promote homogeneity.
6- Government should promote what is unique in a city rather than what is "the same"

"Guns don't kill people, people kill people"
-Guns are weapons that take lives, due to bullets
-Guns are incapable of free-will/or action by themselves.
-Guns are only deadly when initiated by a person
- Guns are not a major contribuing factor to violence at large unless they are wielde by people
-Guns should not be the focus of legislation
- Violent offenders who use guns int he wrong way should be the focus of legislation
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