Okay. (I'm not arguing. I'm simply explaining why I'm right)
Finally, as the last argument in this course, as the one that bothers me most,
and it comes from Lauren Brush.
I think it must have bothered her too, because it's not clear
that she was ever happy with the formulation and kept changing it.
But I'm going to give a very simplified version of it, and
see if we can reconstruct it and determine whether it's really sound.
This is what Lauren said -- in my words, not hers, exactly.
"Walter wants to up the number of students who get the most out of this class."
Now that's true.
I want to increase the number of students who get the most out of this class.
That's the point of teaching.
"Therefore, Walter should shave his hair on camera
and, make the video open to all students." No!
My beautiful locks, no!
That is what's upsetting. But luckily, luckily
[LAUGH]
this argument's not valid, now way. It's possible for the premises to be true
and the conclusion false: so, sorry Lauren, I'm not convinced.
Uh-oh, she can add another premise. She's probably assuming this.
More students will get the most out of this class
if Walter shaves his hair on camera and makes the video open to all students.
Okay, okay, I guess I gotta admit that too.
I think people will get more outta the class if they see that,
because part of what you get outta this class is you have some fun.
At least I hope you've had fun, I have.
Okay Lauren. But still, still it's not valid.
It's not valid, and so I'm not going to shave my head yet, no way, no way.
Uh-oh,
the main reason it wasn't valid was that the premises were about what I want,
and the conclusion is about what I should do.
But wait, now maybe it is valid.
It sure looks valid if we add one more suppressed premise.
Walter should do what will accomplish what he wants to do.
Oh my gosh, if what I want to accomplish
is to get more students to get the most out of the class,
if I should do what I want to do, then I should --
do what's going to make the most students get the most out of the class.
And if shaving my head is doing that,
then it sure looks like
I should shave my head on camera
and make it open to all the students.
I feel like I'm in trouble now.
What's going to happen?
Oh, wait! Wait! I've got it!
Even though it's valid, premise 3 is not true:
that I should do what's going to accomplish what I want?
What if I want something like, I want to smoke?
Well, maybe I shouldn't go to the store and get a pack of cigarettes,
because even though I want to smoke, I still shouldn't,
because it's bad for me, because it's going to hurt me.
So, it looks like you have to qualify that premise by saying that I should do
what will accomplish what I want to do, unless doing it has worse effects,
like in smoking, when it might give me cancer and hurt me.
So whew, now I'm safe.
Now I don't have to shave my head, ah!
Ah! Oh! that makes me feel better because you can't get the conclusion
that I should do it from those three premises, right?
It's not valid anymore.
Uh-oh, uh-oh, all we need is another premise.
Walter shaving his hair, his head, on camera
and making the video open to all students will not have worse effects.
Tss -- uh-oh.
because shaving my head is not going to give me cancer, like smoking.
Matter of fact, hair will grow back.
It's not -- it might be embarrassing for a few days but only a few days.
That's not that bad compared to all those students out there in Courseraland.
And, so I guess I have to admit that premise four is true.
But wait a minute, if the argument is valid and premise four is true,
and premise three is true and premise two is true,
premise one is true.
Now it's looking good.
And we can even break it up to make it easier to understand.
I want the number of students to increase
that get the most out of the course
and more will get most out of the course
if I shave my head on camera and make that video available.
So, shaving my hair on camera and making the video available would give me what I want
and I ought to do want I want if it doesn't cause worse harm.
This is not going to cause worse harm, so I ought to do it.
Oh my gosh.
Now I'm worried because
that means that the conclusion is true.
If the argument is sound, it's valid,
and the premises are true, then the conclusion is sound.
Or at least if I accept the premises and the conclusion follows validly,
then I'm committed to that conclusion.
I'm committed to the fact that I should shave my hair on camera
and distribute the video to all students, so you can all watch it.
Lauren has convinced me of that.
But, notice this argument applies to me, it also applies to Ram.
So if I've gotta shave my head, Ram's got to shave his beard.
So, although I have to shave my head, at least I'm not alone.
Guess we gotta both go do it.