DOCSLIB.ORG

Stephanie K. Seymour

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Stephanie K. Seymour Stephanie K. Seymour October 6, 2006; April 24, 2007; February 27, 2008 Recommended Transcript of Interview with Stephanie K. Seymour (Oct. 6, 2006; Apr. 24, Citation 2007; Feb. 27, 2008), https://abawtp.law.stanford.edu/exhibits/show/stephanie-k-seymour. Attribution The American Bar Association is the copyright owner or licensee for this collection. Citations, quotations, and use of materials in this collection made under fair use must acknowledge their source as the American Bar Association. Terms of Use This oral history is part of the American Bar Association Women Trailblazers in the Law Project, a project initiated by the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession and sponsored by the ABA Senior Lawyers Division. This is a collaborative research project between the American Bar Association and the American Bar Foundation. Reprinted with permission from the American Bar Association. All rights reserved. Contact Please contact the Robert Crown Law Library at Information [email protected] with questions about the ABA Women Trailblazers Project. Questions regarding copyright use and permissions should be directed to the American Bar Association Office of General Counsel, 321 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60654-7598; 312-988-5214. ABA Senior Lawyers Division Women Trailblazers in the Law ORAL HISTORY of STEPHANIE K. SEYMOUR Interviewer: Nancy J. Siegel Dates of Interviews: October 6, 2006 April 24, 2007 February 27, 2008 2 3 4 5 6 ORAL HISTORY OF STEPHANIE K. SEYMOUR 7 TAKEN ON BEHALF OF WOMEN TRAIL BLAZERS IN THE LAW, 8 A PROJECT OF THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, 9 COMMISSION ON WOMEN IN THE PROFESSION 10 11 12 13 CONDUCTED BY NANCY SIEGEL 14 ON OCTOBER 6, 2006 15 IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA 16 17 18 19 Transcribed by Tina Hale 20 21 22 23 Q. This is the first interview of the oral history of Stephanie K. 2 Seymour, which is being taken on behalf of Women Trail Blazers in the 3 Law, a project of the American Bar Association, Commission on Women in 4 the Profession. It is being conducted by Nancy Siegel on October 6, 2006. 5 Today is October 6th, 2006 and Stephanie Seymour and I are together 6 in her office in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Would you please state your name, 7 Stephanie, and tell us when you were born and where? 8 A. Stephanie Kulp Seymour. I was born on October 16, 1940 in 9 Battle Creek, Michigan. 10 Q. And what was it like growing up in Battle Creek, Michigan? 11 A. Battle Creek is a small town. I think it had about 50,000 people at 12 the time. I went to public schools, walked to school, lived in a house in a 13 neighborhood where nobody locked their doors and I guess I had a pretty 14 normal childhood. I was one of four siblings, the second. I had an older 15 brother, Bruce, and a younger brother, John, and a younger sister, Susan. 16 We were all - all of us were born within six years of each other so I spent 17 my whole life growing up with my siblings. 18 Q. What did your parents do? Were they both professionals? 19 A. Neither of my parents went to college. My father was in the - I 20 should say, sort of the housing construction market, which he started at the 21 end of the war. He was - he had polio as a child, had a brace and was not in 22 the service. And at the end of the war, he started building houses. Not 23 personally building, but he contracted to build houses for returning veterans -2- 1 and became a very successful businessman doing that. Notwithstanding he 2 didn't go to college, he was an extremely well-read person. My mother was 3 born of Italian immigrants in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Bessemer, 4 Michigan, an even smaller town of about 3,000, I think. She moved to Battle 5 Creek to go to nursing school at the hospital and she was a registered nurse. 6 Q. So she completed her work in nursing school and went on 7 professionally as a nurse for how long? 8 A. Yes. I don't remember. 9 Q. Did she work as a nurse throughout your youth? 10 A. No. 11 Q. No? 12 A. I'm not sure if she worked. I don't remember her working at all 13 as a nurse. She was a mom, a busy mom. 14 Q. With six kids? 15 A. No, only four. 16 Q. Four kids, but in six years? 17 A. Four kids in six years, yes. 18 Q. Okay. So what was your life like when you were in elementary 19 school? Do you remember the name of the school that you went to? 20 A. I will. 21 Q. Okay. 22 A. I was a shy, little girl and a very good - I was a goody two shoes. 23 Q. So things haven't changed much? -3- A. I was a good student. A quiet, good student and I also enjoyed 2 school. 3 Q. When you were in grade school, do you have any remembrances 4 of any special teachers or people that had some important effect on you 5 during your very early school years? 6 A. Not particularly. I had teachers I was very fond of, but no one 7 stands out. 8 Q. And who was your greatest role model during that early time 9 period? Was it one of your family members or one of your teachers? 10 A. I'd say probably my dad because he was so interested in education 11 and interested in his children doing whatever they wanted to as they grew up. 12 He also - he was always very supportive of my schooling. And he also liked 13 to travel a lot so we - because of the seasonal nature of his business, and 14 because we had cold hard winters in Michigan, we would get in the car in the 15 wintertime and take trips. We spent a lot of time in Florida when I was 16 young. My parents would take us out of school and we would go to - I went 17 to elementary schools in the winters in St. Petersburg for a number of years 18 and then we subsequently took three-month car trips in the winter with the 19 four of us. I was home schooled before home schooling was popular. My 20 parents would - we would just take our books. We were all pretty good 21 students - but there were four of us - and we took these trips every winter 22 until I was in junior high school. One year we started in Florida and then we 23 went all the way up the East Coast, stopping all along the way at historical -4- sites and museums. We went to Washington, D.C. We went to New York 2 City. We went to Boston and went up into Canada, came across Canada to 3 Montreal and Toronto and back to Michigan. Toronto is quite close to 4 Michigan. Another winter, we went to New Orleans where we spent a week 5 or so. We went across Texas, spending time at each place. We went to 6 California and spent about a month in Los Angeles. Then we went to San 7 Francisco, came across the country, went to the Grand Canyon, came back 8 home - all the time doing our school work on the way. So those were - I 9 was in every state except three by the time I went to college and that really, I 10 think, influenced my life. 11 Q. That was exactly my next question. In what ways do you feel that 12 travel with your family to all these different locations influenced your life or 13 encouraged you in some way to pursue an advanced education? 14 A. I - it was just - broadened my horizons, I guess. We spent a lot 15 of time meeting a lot of people on the road and staying in different cities. It 16 gave me a perspective of the country that I certainly wouldn't have had if I 17 had grown up and stayed all in one place the whole time. And then the 18 summer I graduated from high school when I was 1 7, before I went to 19 college, we took- my father wouldn't fly. He was, I guess, afraid of flying 20 - so we drove to New York, took the U.S.S. United States, which was then a 21 huge ocean liner, to Europe and spent three months. He bought a car, bought 22 a European Ford, which wasn't all that big, and we traveled for three months 23 all over Europe. -5- Q. You were what age at this time? 2 A. I was 17. So I had a brother who was 18. He had finished his 3 first year in college. I had a younger brother who was - must have been 4 about 14 - and a sister who was about 12 at the time. We were all stuffed 5 into this little European Ford with all the luggage on top and we went to all 6 kinds of countries: England, France, Germany, Switzerland. 7 Q. Do you remember having any specific experiences that surprised 8 you or lead you to believe there were differences between the United States 9 and Europe? 10 A. Well, we spent the last month - it was in August and we spent the 11 last month in Paris, and - which was an incredibly interesting experience.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • To the D.Irector of the Bureau of Land Management NM State Office April
    To the D.irector of the Bureau of Land Management NM State Office April 28, 2019 BLM, NMSO SANTA FE RECEIVED BLM New Mexico State Office APR,;~,5o 2019 Attention: State Director PAID RECEIPT # _ 301 Dinosaur Trail Santa Fe, NM 87508 We are writing to ask you to stop the proposed lease sale of lands near Chaco Canyon slated for June 2019. Fossil fuel exploration on these sites is a threat to the people who live on the surrounding land and to Chaco Canyon, New Mexico's crown jewel and the ancestral home of Native Americans of the Southwest. Protection from oil and gas activity around Chaco Canyon is essential to protecting New Mexico's uhique history, environment and vital resources. Instead of continuing to develop fossil fuels on our public lands, we need to make a just transition to renewable energy to create ways to engage in environmentally sustainable, as well as culturally appropriate, economic development. We ask you to cancel the lease sale of parcels: NM-201906-012-24; 26-46; 48-51 and NM-201906-025 & 47 to protect Chaco Canyon and the Greater Chaco Region from oil and gas activities that could destroy this designated World Heritage Site, a landmark like no other on Earth. Attached: 11,962 requests for your attention to this matter. First Name Last Name City State Zip Code Daniel Helfman 6301 MAURY HOLW TX 78750-8257 Kenneth Ruby 18Tiffany Road NH 03079 Crystal Newcomer 2350 Dusty Ln PA 17025 Timothy Post 1120 PacificAve KS 66064 Marlena Lange 23 RoyceAve NY 10940-4708 Victoria Hamlin 3145 MaxwellAve CA 94619 L.
    [Show full text]
  • March 9, 2021 Brenda Mallory Chair White House Council On
    March 9, 2021 Brenda Mallory Chair White House Council on Environmental Quality 730 Jackson Pl NW Washington, DC 20506 Via email Re: Utility disconnection moratorium for Tennessee Valley Authority Dear Ms. Mallory, Please find attached petitions signed by over 21,500 people from Tennessee and beyond urging the Tennessee Valley Authority to institute a utility shutoff moratorium throughout its service area. As the letters attached state, “Without electricity, people won’t be able to shelter in homes that are a safe temperature, support remote schooling for their kids, or refrigerate their medicines. It is a decision that literally has life-or-death consequences.” For several months throughout the pandemic, advocates have urged TVA to institute such a moratorium, but to no avail. We now call upon President Biden to act, by issuing an Executive Order directing TVA to keep people’s power on-- the only responsible option during a pandemic. Please also find attached a memo outlining the President’s authority to issue an Executive Order to this effect. Sincerely, Tom Cormons Executive Director Appalachian Voices Erich Pica President Friends of the Earth Cc: Gina McCarthy, White House National Security Advisor Representative Peter DeFazio, Chair, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Senator Tom Carper, Chair, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Representative Frank Pallone, Chair, House Committee on Energy and Commerce Tennessee Congressional delegation Attachments: Executive Actions for Immediate COVID relief and economic recovery via the Tennessee Valley Authority, Appalachian Voices Appalachian Voices petition Appalachia Voices petition signatories Friends of the Earth petition Friends of the Earth petition signatories EXECUTIVE ACTIONS FOR IMMEDIATE COVID RELIEF AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY VIA THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY The Tennessee Valley Authority was established in the 1930s by a federal mandate to bring flood relief, economic stimulus and improved quality of life to the people of the Tennessee Valley.
    [Show full text]
  • CCR Annual Report 2012
    169 men 685,724 NYC Stop and Frisk 2011 remain imprisoned 84% Black and Latino at Guantánamo 6% result in arrests without trial 2% contraband found 2012 Annual Report The Center for Constitutional Rights is dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Founded in 1966 by attorneys who represented civil rights movements in the South, CCR is a non-profit legal and educational organization committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change. www.CCRjustice.org table of contents Letter from the Executive Director ........................................................................................ 2 Guantánamo .............................................................................................................................. 4 International Human Rights ................................................................................................... 8 Government Misconduct and Racial Injustice ................................................................ 12 Movement Support .................................................................................................................. 16 Social Justice Institute ........................................................................................................... 18 Communications .................................................................................................................... 20 Letter from the Legal Director .............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Notices of the American Mathematical Society Is Support, for Carrying out the Work of the Society
    OTICES OF THE AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY 1989 Steele Prizes page 831 SEPTEMBER 1989, VOLUME 36, NUMBER 7 Providence, Rhode Island, USA ISSN 0002-9920 Calendar of AMS Meetings and Conferences This calendar lists all meetings which have been approved prior to Mathematical Society in the issue corresponding to that of the Notices the date this issue of Notices was sent to the press. The summer which contains the program of the meeting. Abstracts should be sub­ and annual meetings are joint meetings of the Mathematical Associ­ mitted on special forms which are available in many departments of ation of America and the American Mathematical Society. The meet­ mathematics and from the headquarters office of the Society. Ab­ ing dates which fall rather far in the future are subject to change; this stracts of papers to be presented at the meeting must be received is particularly true of meetings to which no numbers have been as­ at the headquarters of the Society in Providence, Rhode Island, on signed. Programs of the meetings will appear in the issues indicated or before the deadline given below for the meeting. Note that the below. First and supplementary announcements of the meetings will deadline for abstracts for consideration for presentation at special have appeared in earlier issues. sessions is usually three weeks earlier than that specified below. For Abstracts of papers presented at a meeting of the Society are pub­ additional information, consult the meeting announcements and the lished in the journal Abstracts of papers presented to the American list of organizers of special sessions.
    [Show full text]
  • Hurley's a Concise Introduction to Logic, 11Th Edition
    Sequenced. Precise. Elegant. Clear. Hurley’s A Concise Introduction to Logic, 11th Edition How to Make an Origami Crane Make your own origami crane using these instructions and the perforated sheet of paper included in your book. 1. Start with a square piece 2. Turn the paper over to the 3. Using the creases you have made, bring the top 3 of paper, colored side up. white side. corners of the model down to the bottom corner. Fold in half and open. Then Fold the paper in half, crease Flatten model. fold in half the other way. well and open, and then fold again in the other direction. About the Cover The iconic red crane on the cover of this new edition of Hurley’s, 4. Fold top triangular 5. Fold top of model 6. Open the uppermost flap of the model, bringing it upwards A Concise Introduction to Logic flaps into the downwards, crease and pressing the sides of the model inwards at the same time. center and unfold. well and unfold. Flatten down, creasing well. symbolizes the qualities that make it the most successful logic text on the market. We have chosen origami to symbolize this text’s careful sequencing, precision, elegance, and clarity. Couple an icon steeped in tradition with a clean, modern design, and you will quickly get a sense of the qualities that make this new edition of Hurley the 7. Turn model over 8. Fold top flaps into 9. Repeat on other side. 10. Fold both ‘legs’ of 11. Inside Reverse and repeat Steps 4-6 the center.
    [Show full text]
  • Oral History Interview with Stephanie Kulp Seymour
    Oral History Interview with Stephanie Kulp Seymour Interview Conducted by Juliana Nykolaiszyn May 24, 2011 Inductees of the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame Oral History Project Special Collections & University Archives Edmon Low Library ● Oklahoma State University © 2011 Inductees of the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame Oral History Project Interview History Interviewer: Juliana Nykolaiszyn Transcriber: Adam Evans Editors: Miranda Mackey, Latasha Wilson, Juliana Nykolaiszyn The recording and transcript of this interview were processed at the Oklahoma State University Library in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Project Detail The oral histories collected as a result of the Inductees of the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame Oral History Project preserves the voices and experiences of extraordinary Oklahoma women who serve as pioneers in their fields, made significant contributions to the State of Oklahoma, or have championed other women, women’s issues, or served as public policy advocates for the issues important to women. This project was approved by the Oklahoma State University Institutional Review Board on June 18, 2007. Legal Status Scholarly use of the recordings and transcripts of the interview with Stephanie Kulp Seymour is unrestricted. The interview agreement was signed on May 24, 2011. 2 Inductees of the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame Oral History Project About Stephanie Kulp Seymour… Judge Stephanie Kulp Seymour was born in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1940. She grew up going on extensive family vacations where she learned a lot about the world. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Smith College in 1962, where she graduated magna cum laude, and a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School.
    [Show full text]
  • Level 1 2013 National Spanish Examination
    Students who earned Premios de Plata - Level 1 2013 National Spanish Examination NOTE: The information in the columns below was extracted from the information section which students completed on the Achievement portion of the National Spanish Examination. 99 - No Chapter Obinna Abalihi Delbarton Rodriguez NJ Hampshire Regional HIgh Lindsay Abel Higgins MA School Oyinkansola Adenekan Madeira Schoo Cooley VA Detroit Country Day Rithik Aggarwal Nazelli MI Middle School Neha Agnihotri Canterbury Dickson IN york comprehensive high Yuliza Aguilar carter SC school Christ Church Episcopal Nathan Akerhielm Kappel SC School Luca Alberti Great Oak Middle School Roberts CT All Saints' Episcopal Caleb Albritton de la Torre TX School Phillips Preparatory Avery Alexander Rivera AL Middle School Nolan Catholic High Jorge Alfaro Hernandez TX School Maris Alford Kealing Middle School Smith TX American International Amal Ali Anrango International School of Dhaka Yousef Aljamal Hackensack High School colacino NJ Canyon Vista Midddle Rodney Allen Malo TX School Hannah Alongi Littleton High School Powers MA Canyon Vista Midddle Justin Alpern Malo TX School Ana-lucia Amaya Montverde Academy Fracker FL Holy Family Catholic Wednesday Amaya Davis TX School Boston College High Ariyand Aminpour Callahan MA School Rochambeau Middle Jason Anderson Penzetta CT School Sanjay Annigeri T. H. Rogers Cruz-Romero TX Athina Apazidis Wayland Middle School Slossberg MA Mount Alvernia High Rebecca Arango Leahy MA School Viviana Araujo Bayonne High School Appel NJ Kings Ridge
    [Show full text]
  • Do Female “Firsts” Still Matter?: Why They Do for Women of Color Angela Onwuachi-Willig Boston University School of Law
    Boston University School of Law Scholarly Commons at Boston University School of Law Faculty Scholarship 2012 Do Female “Firsts” Still Matter?: Why They Do for Women of Color Angela Onwuachi-Willig Boston University School of Law Amber Shanahan-Fricke Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship Part of the Judges Commons, and the Law and Gender Commons Recommended Citation Angela Onwuachi-Willig & Amber Shanahan-Fricke, Do Female “Firsts” Still Matter?: Why They Do for Women of Color, 2012 Michigan State Law Review 1529 (2012). Available at: https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship/303 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarly Commons at Boston University School of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Scholarship by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons at Boston University School of Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DO FEMALE "FIRSTS" STILL MATTER? WHY THEY DO FOR FEMALE JUDGES OF COLOR Amber Fricke* & Angela Onwuachi-Willigt 2012 MICH. ST. L. REV. 1529 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1529 I. WOMEN IN THE JUDICIARY: A HISTORY OF CHALLENGES AND PROGRESS .................................................................................. 1532 A. The State of Gender in the Federal Judiciary ............................ 1532 B. The Continued Challenges and Difficulties of Being a Female Judge ............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Alfred A. Knopf, Inc
    Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.: An Inventory of Its Records at the Harry Ransom Center Descriptive Summary Creator: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Title: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Records Dates: 1873-1996 (bulk 1945-1980) Extent: 1526 boxes, plus art work, film, galleys, realia, and video (635.8 linear feet) Arrangement Due to size, this inventory has been divided into 20 separate units that can be accessed by clicking on the highlighted text below: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series Descriptions and Series I., Boxes 1-41.10 [Part I] Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series I (continued), Boxes 41.11-141 [Part II] Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series I (continued), Boxes 142-247.10 [Part III] Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series I (continued), Boxes 247.11-400 [Part IV] Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series I (continued), Boxes 400-500 [Part V] Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series II., Boxes 501-685.2 [Part VI] Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series III.- Series V. Subseries E., Boxes 685.3-839.3 [Part VII] Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series V. Subseries F.- Series VI. Subseries B., Boxes 839.4-957.3 [Part VIII] Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series VI. Subseries C.- Subseries F., Boxes 957.4-1172.10 [Part IX] Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series VII. Subseries A. Sub-subseries 1., Boxes 1173.1-1247.5 [Part X] Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series VII. Subseries A. Sub-subseries 1. (continued)- Sub-subseries 2., Boxes 1247.6-1374.1 [Part XI] Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Records--Series VII.
    [Show full text]
  • V/Nommission
    f^klahorna v/nommission "To improve the quality of life for women, children, and families in Oklahoma." Chris Morriss Commission Chair OKLAHOMA WOMEN'S HALL OF FAME Mary Walker Sponsored by the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women Vice-Chair Lou Kohlman WANTED: Secretary NOMINATIONS FOR OKLAHOMA WOMEN'S HALL OF FAME Commissioners: Nominations for selection of 2009 inductees to the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame are being Fern Bowling sought by the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women. Inductees will be honored at an Patty Bryant induction ceremony on March 26, 2009, at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Guidelines for eligibility Toni Calvey Bob Darcy are: Rep. Lee Denney Sally Frasier Only Oklahoma women are eligible: Vicki French • Women who have lived in Oklahoma for a major portion of their lives. Catherine Haynes Lyn Hester • Women who are easily identified or have identified themselves publicly as Oklahomans. Kathryn Jones Rebecca Kennedy Eligible women shall include: Lou Kerr Denise Kinzie • Women who are pioneers in their fields or in projects that benefit Oklahoma. Sen. Debbe Leftwich • Women who have made a significant contribution to the State of Oklahoma. Valeska Littlefield • Women who serve or have served as role models to other Oklahoma women. Joyce Martin Pat Martin • Women who may be "unsung heroes" but have made a difference in the lives of Bernice Mitchell Oklahomans or other Americans because of their actions. Jilda Motley • Women who have championed other women, women's issues, or served as public policy Anita Norman advocates for issues important to women. Jennifer Paustenbaugh Rep.
    [Show full text]
  • U.S. Chief Justice's Yearend Reports on the Federal Judiciary
    Search: All Documents Docket Files For Search Term: Home | Public Information | Chief Justice's Year-End Reports on the Federal Judiciary Printer-Friendly Version Chief Justice's Year-End Reports on the Federal Judiciary Docket Oral Arguments Merits Briefs 2010 Year-End Report (PDF) 2009 Year-End Report (PDF) Bar Admissions 2008 Year-End Report (PDF) 2007 Year-End Report (PDF) Court Rules 2006 Year-End Report (PDF) Case Handling Guides 2005 Year-End Report (PDF) 2004 Year-End Report (PDF) Opinions 2003 Year-End Report 2002 Year-End Report Orders and Journals 2001 Year-End Report 2000 Year-End Report About the Supreme Court Visiting the Court Public Information Jobs Links March 05, 2011 | Version 2009.0 Home | Help | Site Map | Contact Us | About Us | FAQ | Website Policies and Notices | Privacy Policy | USA.GOV Supreme Court of the United States CJr:i Blank 1995 Annual Report of the Chief Justice Page 1 of 7 1995 Year End Report by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist On the Federal Judiciary Introduction This year marks my tenth occasion as Chief Justice to issue an annual report on the federal judiciary. Since Chief Justice Warren Burger began the tradition, this year-end report has served as a valuable way to speak to Congress, the Executive branch, the Judiciary itself, and the public at large. Over the years I have noticed how some issues reappear while others mark a new direction or watershed. This year we have seen both the return of old issues and the emergence of new ones. The Third Branch has long stood as a powerful example of the way in which a properly functioning legal institution in a democracy can work -- when there are three separate, independent, co-equal, interactive branches of government.
    [Show full text]
  • 5 Categorical Syllogisms
    1 Basic Concepts 1.1 Arguments, Premises, and Conclusions Logic may be defined as the science that evaluates arguments. All of us encounter arguments in our day-to-day experience. We read them in books and newspapers, hear them on television, and formulate them when communicating with friends and associates. The aim of logic is to develop a system of methods and principles that we may use as criteria for evaluating the arguments of others and as guides in constructing arguments of our own. Among the benefits to be expected from the study of logic is an increase in confidence that we are making sense when we criticize the arguments of others and when we advance arguments of our own. An argument, as it occurs in logic, is a group of statements, one or more of which (the premises) are claimed to provide support for, or reasons to believe, one of the others (the conclusion). All arguments may be placed in one of two basic groups: those in which the premises really do support the conclusion and those in which they do not, even though they are claimed to. The former are said to be good arguments (at least to that extent), the latter bad arguments. The purpose of logic, as the science that evaluates arguments, is thus to develop methods and techniques that allow us to distinguish good arguments from bad. As is apparent from the above definition, the term ‘‘argument’’ has a very specific meaning in logic. It does not mean, for example, a mere verbal fight, as one might have with one’s parent, spouse, or friend.
    [Show full text]