PHIL-447N Week 3 Discussion Question 1 – Credibility - Graded An A

Self-Assessment Question: I believe our book is a trusted source of information, since it was written by an expert in the pertinent field. Initial Post: How important are facts in the process o f forming an opinion? Explain what you believe to be the purpose or function of facts in making a judgment. Facts play significant role in making a person’s opinion. There are facts that are true and credible and facts that only that individual believes as to be true and credible. Facts also consist of many useful factors which help other individuals to understand the problem and even start a debate with others. The purpose or function of facts is to create fundamental opinions that an individual uses to apply in making their own judgments by using facts. How would you evaluate Dr. Facione's claim "The SPLC is an expert on hate in America" (p. 124). Does the SPLC fit your definition of "expert"? Be specific in your answer. An expert, in my opinion, is a person with extensive knowledge and experience in a particular area of study. I can say Dr. Facione is an expert in critical thinking since he has studied it as well as done research about it for many years. He is also internationally known for his work on the definition and measurement of critical thinking. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is “a nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hatred and bigotry, and to seeking jus-tice for the most vulnerable members of society.” (Facione, P., & Gittens, C. A., 2015, p.124) After reading the article and doing some research online, I concluded that the article is biased. I say this because Dr. Facione, the lead author of Think Critically, is a financial supporter of the SPLC. The centers co- founder, Morris Dees was dismissed March of 2019 for “personal reasons”. The SPLC president, Richard Cohen also released a statement saying “As a civil rights organization, the SPLC is committed to ensuring that the conduct of our staff reflects the mission of the organization and the values we hope to instill in the world. When one of our own fails to meet those standards, no matter his or her role in the organization, we take it seriously and must take appropriate action.” Based on this statement alone, there must have been something going on that made them make this big of a decision. There have been speculations of sexual harassment and discrimination, but I am not sure those are true since I was unable to find a credible source for that given information. Dr. Facione's claim "The SPLC is an expert on hate in America" in my opinion is false, because of the internal turmoil that had the co-founder and former chief trial counsel, Morris Dees dismissed. How can they be an expert on hate in America if they were doing hate as well internally, away from the public eye. Also, how do they categorize someone as a hate group or organization? According to the Family Research Center “The Southern Poverty Law Center began its work in the 1970's with noble intentions. But years ago, pernicious internal corruption began to undermine the organization's original mission, while contributing to a climate of fear and hostility in America. Many big corporations now regularly use the SPLC's "hate group" labels to blacklist law-abiding Americans with divergent or unpopular political views. The SPLC's false accusations have done concrete harm, now costing the organization millions in legal settlements.” (Perkins, 2020) I have witnessed corruption, from judges to DEA agents, the same people who should be protecting our human rights, instead are involved with bribery and favors. This can also make me biased, since I have a difficult time in trusting anyone, after seeing so much. References: Perkins, T. (2020, February 25). Making hate pay: The corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center. FRC. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from