Critical Question: How good is the evidence: intuition, appeals to authority, and testimonials?

Passage 2

Are silicone breast implants dangerous? It looks as if women who have had such surgeries can again feel safe. In a recent interview, Dr. Walter Newbody, a nationally known West Coast plastic surgeon, stated that implants are perfectly safe. He reports that in 10 years of performing silicone-gel implants, he has noted no serious problems resulting from the implants. Furthermore, the Southwestern Association of Plastic Surgery has declared in a recent publication that implants do not trigger autoimmune disorders, despite the claims of some physicians.

Critical Question: How good is the evidence: research studies, case studies, analogies and personal experience and observation

Passage 3

We need a system of mandatory, consistent sentences for criminals. Let's assign numbers to each criminal act based upon its severity, then assign penalties accordingly. That is the only fair way to assure that we can get judges to dispense penalties in a just fashion. To assign a numerical value to a particular crime is not unlike equating a touchdown to six points or a field goal to three points.