Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence

Question 1

Slippery Slope

Answer 1

an idea or course of action which will lead to something unacceptable, wrong, or disastrous

Question 2

Hasty Generalization

Answer 2

a quick generalization about a group of people/things/events, with little evidence or too small of a sample from that group

Question 3

Proposition

Answer 3

Statements and opinions that can be true or false

Question 4

Inductive

Answer 4

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)

Question 5

Begging the Question

Answer 5

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.”

Question 6

Fallacy Fallacy

Answer 6

the conclusion of another argument is rejected on the grounds that other argument commits a fallacy (fallacy: a mistaken belief or unsound argument)

Question 7

Anchoring

Answer 7

when a person relies too heavy on the first piece of information they receive, regardless of the accuracy of that information

Question 8

Heuristics

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

Premise of Arguments

Answer 9

a statement in an argument that provides reason or support for the conclusion

Question 10

Red Herring Fallacy

Answer 10

When a person introduces an irrelevant topic

Question 11

Appeal to Authority Fallacy

Answer 11

when we accept a claim merely because someone tells us that an authority figure supports that claim

Question 12

Appeal to Force Fallacy

Answer 12

When one uses a threat to accept agreement with one’s claim

Question 13

Appeal to Popularity Fallacy

Answer 13

When an argument relies on public opinion to determine what is true, right, or good

Question 14

Appeal to Consequences Fallacy

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

Fallacy of Equivocation

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Genetic Fallacy

Answer 16

Includes the mistake of drawing a conclusion based on information that is not relevant to the conclusion

Question 17

Straw Figure Fallacy

Answer 17

When you don’t change topics, you just change to a different argument on the same topic

Question 18

Ad Hominem Fallacy

Answer 18

When one attacks the person making an argument rather than the argument itself

Question 19

Inference

Answer 19

The process of reasoning from what we think is true to what else is true

Question 20

Sound

Answer 20

An argument that is valid and all of its premises are true

Question 21

Valid

Answer 21

The premises and conclusion are related to each other in the right way, so if the premise is true so will the conclusion

Question 22

Deductive

Answer 22

A logical approach where you progress from general ideas to specific conclusions

Question 23

Cogent

Answer 23

The premises are intended to establish probable (but not conclusive) support for the conclusion

Question 24

Invalid

Answer 24

An argument that is not valid

Question 25

Denying the Antecedent

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Affirming the Consequent

Answer 26

Where if the consequent is said to be true, the antecedent is said to be true, as a result.

Question 27

Non-Argument

Answer 27

Assertions that appear to support or undermine the overarching argument, but which, on closer inspection, cannot be considered true arguments

Question 28

Principle of Charity

Answer 28

arguments should aim at finding the truth, not winning the fight

Question 29

Selection Bias

Answer 29

Situations where research bias is introduced due to factors related to the study’s participants.

Question 30

Shift Burden of Proof

Answer 30

To change the responsibility of proving or disproving a point from one party to the other party

Question 31

Availability Bias

Answer 31

The human tendency to rely on information that comes readily to mind when evaluating situations or making decisions.

Question 32

Unsound

Answer 32

If an argument has one or more false premises or is it not valid

Question 33

Appeal to Ignorance

Answer 33

It asserts that a proposition is true because it has not yet been proven false or true.

Question 34

Representativeness

Answer 34

Misinterpreting the likelihood of an event considering both the key similarities to its parent population, and the individual characteristics that define that event.

Question 35

Confirmation Bias

Answer 35

The tendency to seek out and prefer information that supports our preexisting beliefs

Question 36

Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

Answer 36

x occurred before y; therefore x caused y

Question 37

Strong Argument

Answer 37

gives relevant facts and reason as support; arguments are clearly and logically organized

Question 38

Weak Argument

Answer 38

Not supported by factors or reasons; not clear or logical in organization