Chapter 1 Flashcards
What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking is the systemic evaluation or formulation of beliefs or statements by rational standards.
Is critical thinking primarily concerned with what you think or how you think?
HOW you think.
According to the text, what does it mean to say that critical thinking is done according to rational standards?
Critical thinking operates according to rational standards in that beliefs are judged by how well they are supported by reasons.
What does the term critical refer to in critical thinking?
The critical in critical thinking refers to the exercising of careful judgment and judicious evaluation.
What is a statement?
A statement is an assertion that something is or is not the case.
What is an argument?
An argument is a group of statements in which some of them (the premises) are intended to support another of them (the conclusion).
What is a premise?
A premise is a statement or reason given in support of the conclusion.
What is a conclusion?
In an argument, a conclusion is a statement that premises are intended to support.
What are indicator words?
Indicator words are words that frequently accompany arguments and signal that a premise or conclusion is present.
List three conclusion indicator words.
therefore,
it follows that, it must be that, thus, we can conclude that, as a result, which implies that, so, which means that, consequently, hence, ergo
What is probably the best strategy for trying to find an argument in a complex passage?
Look for the conclusion first.
List three premise indicator words.
because, due to the fact that,
inasmuch as, in view of the fact,
being that, as indicated by, given that, since, for, seeing that, assuming that,
the reason being, as, for the reason that
What is an explanation?
A statement or statements intended to tell why or how something is the case.
What is the difference between an argument and an explanation?
An argument gives us reasons for believing that something is the case. An explanation, tells us why or how something is the case.
What is logic?
The study of good reasoning, or inference, and the rules that govern it.
What is inference?
The process of reasoning from a premise or premises to a conclusion based on those premises.
