Chapter 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Appeal to popularity (or masses)

A

The view that some belief or practice is acceptable “merely” because it is popular

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2
Q

Peer Pressure

A

Social pressure to conform in one’s beliefs or practices

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3
Q

Philosphical skepticism

A

Awareness of the fallibility of human knowledge

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4
Q

Philosophical skeptics

A

Those (including all critical thinkers) who embrace some degree of skepticism

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5
Q

Social Relativism

A

View that truth is relative to societies

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6
Q

Subjective Relativism

A

View that truth depends on individual belief

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7
Q

Subjectivist Fallacy

A

Supporting a claim on the basis of subjective relativism

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8
Q

Stereotyping

A

Drawing hasty conclusions about groups of people without sufficient evidence

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9
Q

Worldview

A

Philosophy of life - what kind of world we live in, what should be the case in this world and what we know about it.

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10
Q

The environment of critical thinking and mistakes

A

We all make fallacies (mistakes!)

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11
Q

What should be do to avoid fallacies

A
  • Watch for errors in thinking
  • Restrain any attitudes and feelings that can distort or warp our reasoning
  • Achieve a level of objectivity
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12
Q

3 elements to help us become better critical thinkers

A
  • Awareness
  • Practice
  • Motivation
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13
Q

The study of how to persuade people

A

Rhetoric

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14
Q

The power of persuasion (rhetoric) can be used for _________.

A

Good or bad

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15
Q

Common impediments to critical thinking (categories)

A
  1. Hinderances (problems, barriers) from HOW we think (fears, motivations, attitudes etc.)
  2. Hinderances from WHAT we think (philosophical beliefs or ideas)
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16
Q

Problems with HOW we think

A
  1. You - focused on self preservation + self-interested thinking
  2. Everyone else
17
Q

Problem with critical thinking?

A

Self-interest

18
Q

Example of self-interest

A

“The province should lower tax; it would be good for my business!”

19
Q

A rule of arguments and self-interest

A

Every argument should be judged objectively and in its own terms

20
Q

Does self-interest & psychological motivation change quality of the argument?

A

NO!

It is still an argument

21
Q

Accepting a claim because its in your interests.

A

That is a problem!

Ie. do i believe in lower tuition because that is what I WANT or do I really believe it is BETTER FOR EVERYONE?

22
Q

Self-interested thinking can:

A
  1. limit critical inquiry
  2. blind you to facts
  3. lead you to ignore evidence
  4. encourage wishful thinking
  5. provoke self-deception
23
Q

How to overcome self-interested thinking

A
  1. Watch out when things get personal
  2. Ensure nothing has been left out
  3. Be aware to how critical thinking can be undermined
24
Q

Appeals to common practice

A

Refers to something people DO and argues that we should do it too because most people do it

25
What is the case with common beliefs?
Many things common;y believed are false
26
Rule of common practice
Generally just because this is how things have been done DOES NOT mean that is how it should be done. Ex. Everyone speeds, so I shouldn't get a ticket officer.
27
Example of subjective relativism
"2+2=4" | "Ottawa is the capital of Canada"
28
Problems with social relativism
- It implies that societies are infallible - It is self-defeating - How big must the group be?
29
Modern meaning of skepticism
Questioning or doubting