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I am referring to those who are so firmly set in their mentality or decisions, that they are incapable of reasoning with. When most of us make decisions, I think we are still capable of reasoning and changing our minds -- if someone presents an alternative perspective or new information, we are able to consider the points they make and if necessary, adjust our conclusion and admit "you're right. That is a reasonable and logical point once I think about it this way. Looks like I was wrong on this."
Recently, though, I encountered someone who is very firmly set in his own intuitive world/mentality, that the conclusions he makes are the only possible answers. He won't consider the possibility that there is an alternative conclusion or answer (other than his, even when new information proves otherwise!). He will, however, take time to debate (for pages and pages) on all the small details of the other person's point, but this has no bearing on changing his firmly entrenched ideas.
Specifically, this is regarding a professor. A lot of his multiple choice questions are ambiguous so that we have to choose the "best" answer (this means that there can be 2 correct answers, but one is better); often the line between the best and next-best answer is very, very, very thin. He talks a lot about making a decision from our intuition. And when we present him evidence from our text and his own lecture that points to another answer, he is incapable of incorporating the new information into his mentality and accepting - he seems to just select and choose, rather than taking things "as is."
For example, on one question, there were two answers that were correct, but one was better according to our professor's intuitive reasoning. He literally said, if we "think about it intuitively, this is the best answer." BUT. This is a social science class. Answers should be based on facts not intuition. Another student (not me) found evidence from our textbook that pointed that the other answer was the best answer, factually. Based on this new information, it's clear what answer was "best," however, professor sent a 5 page attached document to student debating and elaborating on what the textbook said. Conclusion was this: "You raise some very interesting and debatable points, but you are wrong." I find this frustrating, because if the test was fact-based, there is one right or wrong answer, but the professor relies on his own intuitive interpretation of the question. As a result, even if new information suggests otherwise, his opinion is the only right one.
So here's the main thing: Several students, since the first exam (there were 5 exams total), have emailed the professor about potentially correct answers with similar evidence to show their points. However, all have resulted in pages and pages of debating/elaborating on evidence, but ultimately concluding that he is still right. The thing is... I respect professors, but I think that this one is in his own world. Given that this is a social science class, I think he should grade answers based on their factual validity not on his intuitive interpretation of something. Question is: how do I convince him or reason with him? Desperately need your help - there is one exam where I did very poorly; there are many questions I am absolutely positive about its factual validity; however, I was marked wrong based on the professor's intuitive ideas about the answer. Appealing this exam will make the difference in my grade... ANY advice would be helpful
Recently, though, I encountered someone who is very firmly set in his own intuitive world/mentality, that the conclusions he makes are the only possible answers. He won't consider the possibility that there is an alternative conclusion or answer (other than his, even when new information proves otherwise!). He will, however, take time to debate (for pages and pages) on all the small details of the other person's point, but this has no bearing on changing his firmly entrenched ideas.
Specifically, this is regarding a professor. A lot of his multiple choice questions are ambiguous so that we have to choose the "best" answer (this means that there can be 2 correct answers, but one is better); often the line between the best and next-best answer is very, very, very thin. He talks a lot about making a decision from our intuition. And when we present him evidence from our text and his own lecture that points to another answer, he is incapable of incorporating the new information into his mentality and accepting - he seems to just select and choose, rather than taking things "as is."
For example, on one question, there were two answers that were correct, but one was better according to our professor's intuitive reasoning. He literally said, if we "think about it intuitively, this is the best answer." BUT. This is a social science class. Answers should be based on facts not intuition. Another student (not me) found evidence from our textbook that pointed that the other answer was the best answer, factually. Based on this new information, it's clear what answer was "best," however, professor sent a 5 page attached document to student debating and elaborating on what the textbook said. Conclusion was this: "You raise some very interesting and debatable points, but you are wrong." I find this frustrating, because if the test was fact-based, there is one right or wrong answer, but the professor relies on his own intuitive interpretation of the question. As a result, even if new information suggests otherwise, his opinion is the only right one.
So here's the main thing: Several students, since the first exam (there were 5 exams total), have emailed the professor about potentially correct answers with similar evidence to show their points. However, all have resulted in pages and pages of debating/elaborating on evidence, but ultimately concluding that he is still right. The thing is... I respect professors, but I think that this one is in his own world. Given that this is a social science class, I think he should grade answers based on their factual validity not on his intuitive interpretation of something. Question is: how do I convince him or reason with him? Desperately need your help - there is one exam where I did very poorly; there are many questions I am absolutely positive about its factual validity; however, I was marked wrong based on the professor's intuitive ideas about the answer. Appealing this exam will make the difference in my grade... ANY advice would be helpful
