Judging Analogies

In chapter 12 of the Epstein reading it discusses how to judge analogies. Sometimes people jump from one thing to another and try to compare them with a weak analogy. It is important that we learn how to judge these analogies so we can decipher when someone is making a valid point and when they are not. It is important that on top of just realizing the similarities and differences between the things we compare that we look at the general principle. At first glance some reasons people give to support their argument can seem like it doesn’t apply but once we spot the general principle we can find underlying similarities that bring the argument together and help us to make a more rational conclusion. Another way that we can judge analogies is by using an analogy of one argument to another which creates a powerful way to refute. If we simply accept analogies people give us without analyzing them we could miss important details that could sway our decision.