Question

5. Verbal Disagreements and Factual Disagreements

Disputes can arise about the meaning of language due to factors such as vagueness and ambiguity. Disagreements about the meaning of language are called verbal disputes. By contrast, disputes can also arise over facts, such as whether a statement accurately reflects a certain actual state of affairs. Disagreements about facts are called factual disputes. When dealing with disputes, you should first determine whether a dispute is verbal or factual. If the dispute is verbal, then you should attempt to determine whether it is a result of vagueness or ambiguity.

Indicate whether each of the following disputes is a factual dispute or a verbal dispute. If the dispute is a verbal dispute, then also indicate whether the dispute arises from vagueness or ambiguity. If the dispute is a factual dispute, answer "not applicable" for the second portion of each question.

Dispute A

TREVOR: I can't believe that this artifact dates to over 10,000 years ago. It is in remarkable condition for such an antiquated find.

GARY: I guess you haven't heard the bad news. It turns out that radiocarbon dating has shown that the artifact is actually only 2,000 years old.

Is Dispute A a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Verbal

Factual

If Dispute A is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute A is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Ambiguity

Not applicable

Dispute B

EDUARDO: Although Mr. Rivers has his quirks, he is still a relatively normal person.

FELICITY: Mr. Rivers cannot be normal. After all, he has a model railroad in his garage. No normal person his age would still play with trains.

Is Dispute B a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Verbal

Factual

If Dispute B is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute B is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Ambiguity

Not applicable

Dispute C

VIVIAN: Last summer I was quite an adventurer. I climbed to the summit of Mt. Dana in Yosemite. It was the first time that I had climbed a mountain over 14,000 feet in elevation.

BEAU: I think you need to keep on climbing, then! I hate to break the news to you, but Mt. Dana is just barely over 13,000 feet above sea level.

Is Dispute C a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Verbal

Factual

If Dispute C is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute C is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Ambiguity

Not applicable

Dispute D

ELLIE: I have never met a person as mean as Mr. Jensen.

GARRETT: How could you possibly think that Mr. Jensen is an average person given all that he has accomplished?

Is Dispute D a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Verbal

Factual

If Dispute D is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute D is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Ambiguity

Not applicable

Dispute E

MARCOS: It was so exciting to go to the aquarium and see the new baby dolphin exhibit. Dolphins are such amazing fish.

PAUL: You obviously did not read the information plaque next to the dolphin tank. Dolphins are not fish but mammals.

Is Dispute E a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Factual

Verbal

If Dispute E is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute E is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Ambiguity

Not applicable

Dispute F

JEFF: Did you see on the news that the murder defendant was found innocent?

MALACHI: He's not innocent! He killed the victim alright; the prosecution just couldn't prove it!

Is Dispute F a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Verbal

Factual

If Dispute F is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute F is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Not applicable

Ambiguity

Answer 1

In this answers are bold and underlined.

Dispute A

TREVOR: I can't believe that this artifact dates to over 10,000 years ago. It is in remarkable condition for such an antiquated find.

GARY: I guess you haven't heard the bad news. It turns out that radiocarbon dating has shown that the artifact is actually only 2,000 years old.

Is Dispute A a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Verbal

Factual – In this basis for dispute is due to mismatch in facts.

If Dispute A is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute A is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Ambiguity

Not applicable

Dispute B

EDUARDO: Although Mr. Rivers has his quirks, he is still a relatively normal person.

FELICITY: Mr. Rivers cannot be normal. After all, he has a model railroad in his garage. No normal person his age would still play with trains.

Is Dispute B a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Verbal – Here dispute is verbal as a result of ambiguity in interpretations.

Factual

If Dispute B is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute B is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Ambiguity

Not applicable

Dispute C

VIVIAN: Last summer I was quite an adventurer. I climbed to the summit of Mt. Dana in Yosemite. It was the first time that I had climbed a mountain over 14,000 feet in elevation.

BEAU: I think you need to keep on climbing, then! I hate to break the news to you, but Mt. Dana is just barely over 13,000 feet above sea level.

Is Dispute C a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Verbal

Factual – Height of a Mt Dana is a factual thing.

If Dispute C is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute C is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Ambiguity

Not applicable

Dispute D

ELLIE: I have never met a person as mean as Mr. Jensen.

GARRETT: How could you possibly think that Mr. Jensen is an average person given all that he has accomplished?

Is Dispute D a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Verbal – It is an interpretation of behaviour of Mr. Jensen

Factual

If Dispute D is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute D is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Ambiguity

Not applicable

Dispute E

MARCOS: It was so exciting to go to the aquarium and see the new baby dolphin exhibit. Dolphins are such amazing fish.

PAUL: You obviously did not read the information plaque next to the dolphin tank. Dolphins are not fish but mammals.

Is Dispute E a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Factual – It’s a factual information about dolphin species.

Verbal

If Dispute E is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute E is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Ambiguity

Not applicable

Dispute F

JEFF: Did you see on the news that the murder defendant was found innocent?

MALACHI: He's not innocent! He killed the victim alright; the prosecution just couldn't prove it!

Is Dispute F a verbal dispute or a factual dispute?

Verbal – Its is an explanation of JEFF and MALACHI’s point of view about defendant.

Factual

If Dispute F is a verbal dispute, is the dispute a result of vagueness or ambiguity? Mark "not applicable" as your answer if Dispute F is not a verbal dispute.

Vagueness

Not applicable

Ambiguity – There is not exact answer to this hence it is because of ambiguity.