Opinion on Iporã Brito Possantti

The era of communication

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The global risk

Once upon a time, information was a rare resource. Newspapers, TV anchors, and a few specialists told us what was happening. Manipulated? Often. But at the very least, it was curated.

Then came smartphones, social media, and the algorithmic machine of chaos. Suddenly, everyone became a broadcaster—from your uncle in the family WhatsApp group to youtubers who just discovered the word “hydrology” or the councilwoman who believes she understands something about hydraulics.

How to argue about the Guaíba

Wed, 28 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In the previous post I evaluated how not to argue about the Guaíba, in the context of the discussion on whether this water body is a river or a lake. Following up, I will now move forward with the basic principles of a rational discussion on the subject, and why I understand the Guaíba to be a lake.

Read also: How not to argue about the Guaíba

Deductions, Gaúchos and controversies

The argumentative fallacies listed in the previous post are wrong because they violate the logic of deductive inference.

How not to argue about the Guaíba

Sun, 25 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Rio Grande do Sul is a place with a tradition of fierce polemics and divisions. This reflects the very low communication capacity of its people and should be no point of pride. These controversies have expanded even into scientific and technical aspects, such as the discussion over whether the Guaíba is a river or a lake.

In this case, I hold the opinion that it is a lake.

But before bringing more consistent points regarding this, I find it necessary to prepare the ground by reviewing how not to argue about the Guaíba.