Reader’s Analysis, Essay Example

A1. I have an Indian friend who is Muslim, thus, I have acquired a significant knowledge on Islam. This is why I decided to check Islam’s information page on Wikipedia (Wikipedia). The fact that Muslims consider Abraham, Moses, and Jesus prophets was quoted from the PBS website and I was able to verify the information on PBS webpage (PBS). PBS is one of the leading documentary producers in America and enjoys a reputation for credible information. The information that the sacred Black Stone was removed from Ka’bah in 930 came from Encyclopaedia Britannica’s website (Encyclopaedia Britannica) and again I was able to verify the accuracy of the quoted fact. Unlike Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica is not user-edited but the work of numerous scholars who contribute articles in their respective fields (Bosman).

The Islam’s webpage on Wikipedia was heavily cited and it took me some time to find unverified information including the fact that the Muslims consider the concept of Trinity in Christianity, an example of polytheism. One information cited as flagged was the claim that Quran doesn’t address the issue of apostasy. The information was flagged because Wikipedia could not verify the geographical location of the user who entered the information.

I have never read anywhere or heard from a Muslim that some Muslim reformers have challenged the concept of polygamy in the past and as far as I understand, the right of polygamy is unanimously agreed upon by all Muslims. This is why the Wikipedia entry that some Muslim social reformers in the past have spoken against the tradition of polygamy came as a surprise to me and moreover, the claim was not cited. This is why I am skeptical of the accuracy of this entry on Wikipedia.

Even though Wikipedia is user-edited, the information on Wikipedia was surprisingly accurate and I found almost everything that I know about the religion. The page was heavily cited even though one would find non-cited claims also. It was obvious from the webpage that Muslims users from all over the world have contributed towards the page because different sections included references to different Islamic countries and cultures.

A2.  Sony VAIO’s notebook ad is telling the readers that the VAIO notebook is extremely lightweight (Ad Sora)and has no comparable substitute in the market. Thus, it is perfect for professionals who are often on the move and cannot afford to carry heavy notebook products offered by the competitors.

The ad shows a business traveler who is surprised that strong wind didn’t only blow away the papers he was carrying but also his Sony VAIO notebook which is a hint at its low weight. In addition, the business professional was not carrying the laptop in his bag but instead holding it in his hand along with the papers which implies that even the size is user-friendly for travelling professionals.

The ad does mention that fact that Sony’s VAIO notebook weighs 1.15 kg. Even though the ad doesn’t mention the weight of competitors’ similar offerings, the information does at least enable the readers to verify Sony’s claim by doing research on the weight of similar products in the market. The informational also enables the reader to have an idea of how much Sony’s laptop weighs and whether it fits their needs. Thus, in this regard the ad is information and persuasive at the same time.

The ad does exaggerate the fact that laptop is so light even a wind would blow it away, just like a piece of paper. The ad also makes it seem like the notebook is light enough to be handled like a bundle of paper. The shocked face of the business traveler implies that even he underestimated the lightness of the laptop.

A3. I once read a book on investing in which the ‘efficient market theory’ was also mentioned. According to the theory, it is not possible to beat the market because the prices of the stock contain all the available information, thus, they are already priced correctly. One may beat the market in some years and lose in other years but all this will be random luck rather than the outcome of investing skills. Thus, it is not possible to consistently beat the market.

As far as the first test ‘test of truthfulness of the premise’ is concerned, this argument fails the test because the prices of the stock can not contain all the information as some information such as future earnings are never known with certainty. Unknown information can only be estimated and different investors may have different expectations.

The argument also fails the second test ‘ test of logical strength’ because if it were true, we would never have investors like Warren Buffet and Peter Lynch who have a long term track record of consistently beating the market and these two investors are not the only historical examples we have.

The argument fails the third test ‘test of relevance’, too because investors do not always act on information but are also influenced by emotions. This is why most investors buy during market booms but sell during market busts because they are influenced by greed and fear.

The argument does, however, pass the fourth test ‘test of non-circularity’ because the claim that the markets are efficient is different from the reason that stock prices contain all available information.

A4. As I browsed through President Obama’s Facebook page (Facebook), the first thing I observed was President’s portrayal of himself as the champion of rights of disadvantaged groups such as women, students seeking financial aid, and people without insurance etc. The official Facebook page displays numerous charts that show the contrast between President Obama and his rival, Mitt Romney’s positions on various issues. President Obama portrays himself as a friend of the middle and lower class and depicts Mitt Romney as friend of the upper class in America. The posts send the message that Romney is out-of-touch with the problems of most Americans and has an elitist mindset.

The page also has numerous photos of President Obama with ordinary citizens as well as testimonies from ordinary Americans to imply that President Obama understands the problems of an average American because he is one of them. The pictures attempt to increase goodwill for President Obama in the audience mind because they show him as a down-to-earth individual.

The webpage also uses effective marketing techniques to encourage visitors to financially contribute towards the campaign such as an opportunity to sit with First Lady Michelle Obama as President accepts the Democratic nomination or to meet with President Obama and Michael Jordan. The marketing campaign also reminds the visitors that Romney is being financed by rich Americans and the Obama campaign can only fight through the support of ordinary Americans. Thus, one of the primary messages being sent by Obama campaign is that Romney represents the upper class in America and will only protect the interests of the rich through measures such as cutting taxes.

President Obama’s policies regarding healthcare law and Pell Grant are friendlier towards the lower and middle class Americans as compared to Romney’s proposed policies because Obama supports insurance coverage for all Americans irrespective of their income as well as increasing the limit of Pell Grant for students. As far as the first test ‘test of truthfulness of the premise’ is concerned, this argument passes the first test because Romney opposes healthcare law which will benefit most Americans without health insurance or insufficient coverage. The argument also passes the second test ‘test of logical strength’ because those with low income are more likely to be without insurance because they cannot afford it and also more likely to benefit from high Pell Grant limit.

The argument also passes the third test ‘test of relevance’ because healthcare law and increased financial aid will increase the probability of having health insurance and being able to attend school among Americans from lower and middle class. The argument also passes the fourth test ‘test of non-circularity’ because the claim that President Obama’s policies are friendlier is different from the reasons that he supports insurance coverage for every American irrespective of his income level as well as higher limits on student loans given under Pell Grant.

References

Ad Sora. SonY VAIO ads. 23 August 2012 <http://www.adsora.com/electronics/sony-vaio-ads>.

Bosman, Julie. After 244 Years, Encyclopaedia Britannica Stops the Presses. 13 March 2012. 23 August 2012 <http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/13/after-244-years-encyclopaedia-britannica-stops-the-presses/>.

Encyclopaedia Britannica. Mecca. 23 August 2012 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/371782/Mecca/37835/History#ref887188>.

Facebook. Barack Obama. 23 August 2012 <https://www.facebook.com/barackobama>.

PBS. People of the Book. 23 August 2012 <http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/faithpeople.html>.

Wikipedia. Islam. 23 August 2012 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam>.