Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence Flashcards
Slippery Slope
an idea or course of action which will lead to something unacceptable, wrong, or disastrous
Hasty Generalization
a quick generalization about a group of people/things/events, with little evidence or too small of a sample from that group
Proposition
Statements and opinions that can be true or false
Inductive
starting from specific premises and forming a general conclusion: “the sign says only 3 miles to the coast; (premise) I suppose we’re getting close.” (conclusion)
Begging the Question
When the conclusion is assumed to be true in the argument’s premises: “Drake is the greatest artist because no other artist is as good as him.”
Fallacy Fallacy
the conclusion of another argument is rejected on the grounds that other argument commits a fallacy (fallacy: a mistaken belief or unsound argument)
Anchoring
when a person relies too heavy on the first piece of information they receive, regardless of the accuracy of that information
Heuristics
a rule of thumb; no promise that it is going to work all the time but it just works well enough to get you through life.
Premise of Arguments
a statement in an argument that provides reason or support for the conclusion
Red Herring Fallacy
When a person introduces an irrelevant topic
Appeal to Authority Fallacy
when we accept a claim merely because someone tells us that an authority figure supports that claim
Appeal to Force Fallacy
When one uses a threat to accept agreement with one’s claim
Appeal to Popularity Fallacy
When an argument relies on public opinion to determine what is true, right, or good
Appeal to Consequences Fallacy
When someone concludes that a statement, belief, or hypothesis must be true (or false) simply because it would lead to desirable (or undesirable) consequences if it were so.
Fallacy of Equivocation
When one’s argument mistakenly uses the same word in 2 different senses: When I asked you if I should turn left, you said right. Therefore, I was correct and you cannot get mad at me - right is a direction and correct
Genetic Fallacy
Includes the mistake of drawing a conclusion based on information that is not relevant to the conclusion
Straw Figure Fallacy
When you don’t change topics, you just change to a different argument on the same topic
Ad Hominem Fallacy
When one attacks the person making an argument rather than the argument itself
Inference
The process of reasoning from what we think is true to what else is true
Sound
An argument that is valid and all of its premises are true
Valid
The premises and conclusion are related to each other in the right way, so if the premise is true so will the conclusion
Deductive
A logical approach where you progress from general ideas to specific conclusions
Cogent
The premises are intended to establish probable (but not conclusive) support for the conclusion
Invalid
An argument that is not valid
Denying the Antecedent
Is a fallacy in formal logic where in a standard if/then premise, the antecedent (what comes after the if) is made not true, then it is concluded that the consequent (what comes after the then) is not true
Affirming the Consequent
Where if the consequent is said to be true, the antecedent is said to be true, as a result.
Non-Argument
Assertions that appear to support or undermine the overarching argument, but which, on closer inspection, cannot be considered true arguments
Principle of Charity
arguments should aim at finding the truth, not winning the fight
Selection Bias
Situations where research bias is introduced due to factors related to the study’s participants.
Shift Burden of Proof
To change the responsibility of proving or disproving a point from one party to the other party
Availability Bias
The human tendency to rely on information that comes readily to mind when evaluating situations or making decisions.
Unsound
If an argument has one or more false premises or is it not valid
Appeal to Ignorance
It asserts that a proposition is true because it has not yet been proven false or true.
Representativeness
Misinterpreting the likelihood of an event considering both the key similarities to its parent population, and the individual characteristics that define that event.
Confirmation Bias
The tendency to seek out and prefer information that supports our preexisting beliefs
Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc
x occurred before y; therefore x caused y
Strong Argument
gives relevant facts and reason as support; arguments are clearly and logically organized
Weak Argument
Not supported by factors or reasons; not clear or logical in organization
