Crit Thinking by Moore and Parker

Question 1

Claim

Answer 1

A statement, true or false, that expresses an opinion/belief

Question 2

Argument

Answer 2

2-part structure of claims; one part (premise) is given as a reason for thinking the other part (conclusion) is true

Question 3

Issue

Answer 3

What is raised when claim called into question- whether it’s true or not

Question 4

Premise

Answer 4

Reason for believing claim

Question 5

Conclusion

Answer 5

States a position on the issue; must be true and cogent (relevant); not an explanation- an explanation specifies what caused; arguments support or prove conclusion

Question 6

Rhetoric

Answer 6

• Seeks to persuade thru the use of emotive power of language –> slanters
• can include definitions, explanations, and analogies

Question 7

Euphemism

Answer 7

Muting the disagreeable aspects of s/t

ex. “Pre-owned” car
- rhetorical device

Question 8

Dysphemism

Answer 8

emphasize disagreeable aspects

ex. Terrorist for freedom fighter
- rhetorical device

Question 9

Stereotypes

Answer 9

Oversimplified generalizations about members of a class

-rhetorical device

Question 10

Innuendo

Answer 10

To insinuate s/t negative, but not say directly
Ex. She is competent- in many regards
There is at least 1 candidate in this race who does not have a drinking problem
-rhetorical device

Question 11

Loaded questions

Answer 11

Rest on unwarranted assumptions

-rhetorical device

Question 12

Weaseler

Answer 12

Words used to hedge a claim to protect it, words like possibly/perhaps

Question 13

Downplayer

Answer 13

Attempt to make s/o or s/t look less important/significant

Question 14

Proof surrogates

Answer 14

Suggesting evidence for a claim w/o saying what the evidence or authority is

Question 15

Questions to ask when considering comparisons (4)

Answer 15

1- is imp info missing?
2- is the same standard of comparison used?
3- are the items comparable?
4- is the comparison expressed as an average?

Question 16

Strong inductive argument

Answer 16

-the more support the premises of an inductive argmt provide for its concl, the stronger the argument
-premises support (don’t prove) the concl; raise possibility the concl is true
-when we surmise individual’s future deeds, we ordinarily use inductive argumts
Ex. John lives in AK, t/f he uses mosquito repellant

Question 17

Valid deductive argument

Answer 17

-argmt whose premises are true mean concl is true; premises prove concl
-when we evaluate a person’s deeds (like a public official), we ordinarily use deductive arguments
Valid: if not possible for premise to be true and concl false
Sound: when premise of valid argmt is true
Ex. John lives in AK, t/f John lives in the US

Question 18

Argument vs explanation

Answer 18

argumt is reason for thinking claim is true

• not list of facts
• not explanation- which identifies cause of problem
• argumts attempts to prove or support concl while explanation what caused s/t

Question 19

Argument identification

Answer 19

at least 2 claims and the word therefore or equivalent (at least implicitly) b/f one of them

• presence of premise/concl indicators
• see if psg is attempt to support or demonstrate s/t

Question 20

Diagramming Argumts

Answer 20

1- circle all premises, concl indicators ex. b/c, since, t/f
2- bracket each premise and concl and number them consecutively
3- diagram: arrow= therefore, reason for premise
plus sign and line under for premises in same argumt
counter-claims= arrow with lines thru it

Question 21

Argumentative Essays

Answer 21

1. a stmt of the issue
2. a stmt of one’s position on the issue
3. argumts that support one’s position
4. rebuttals of argumts that support contrary positions
   - begin with intro that demonstrates issue is imp/int’g
   - outline after 1st draft and check wk against outline
   - revise

Question 22

What is critical thinking?

Answer 22

• examination and evaluation of claims, including their reltnshp to each other, is principal job of crit thinking
• whenever we call a claim into Q- we raise an issue–> issue is nothing more than a Q- Q is simply whether claim is true or not
• 2 ways to describe- 1- Is Moore taller than Parker? 2- Whether Moore is taller than Parker

Question 23

Grouping ambiguity

Answer 23

when it is not clear whether a word is being used to refer to a group collectively or to members of the group individually

Question 24

Fallacy of division (grouping ambiguity)

Answer 24

a claim about a group collectively is true about members of group individually

Question 25

Fallacy of composition (grouping ambiguity)

Answer 25

each member of a group has a certain property t/f the group as a whole must have that property

Question 26

Misplacing the Burden of Proof

Answer 26

• general rule: the less initial plausibility a claim has, the greater the burden of proof we place on claim-er
• other things being equal, burden falls on those supporting affirmative side of issue; want to have reasons why s/t is true b/f why it is not the case
• applies to existence- burden should fall on those who claim s/t exists
• always be suspicious when inability to disprove a claim is said to show one is mistaken in doubting claim

Question 27

Slippery Slope

Answer 27

• claims are fallacious when no reason to think X will lead to Y
• it’s up to the person who offers slippery slope to show why first action will lead to 2nd
• unless reason supplied why 1st action MUST lead to 2nd, it’s a fallacy
• slippery slope has considerable force b/c psychologically one thing leads to another, even tho logically it does not

Question 28

Premise and conclusion indicators

Answer 28

premise wds: since, for, b/c, in view of, given

concl wds: it follows that, this shows that, thus, hence

Question 29

Inductive vs. deductive

Answer 29

Inductive: uses specific propositions to infer general principles
deductive uses general principles to infer specific propositions
-conclusion of deductive arguments must be true if promises are true