Critical Thinking - Reasoning Flashcards
1
Q
Uncritical Thinking
A
Automatically believing what you read or are told without pausing to ask whether it is accurate, true or reasonable
2
Q
Critical Thinking
A
Setting out actively to understand what is really going on by using reasoning, evaluating evidence and thinking carefully about the process of thinking itself
3
Q
Skepticism
A
Not automatically accepting something you hear, read or see as true
4
Q
Objectivity
A
Setting aside our own immediate feelings and preferences, and trying to identify the relevant facts of a situation as seen from the outside, rather than relying only on your own – or someone else’s – particular feelings or
point of view.
5
Q
Bias
A
Approaching something in a one-sided way that creates a distorted account of the way things actually are. Looking at things in a way that is entirely dominated by a particular prejudice or perspective.
6
Q
Conscious Bias
A
When someone deliberately presents a one-sided view of something, or explicitly holds a one-sided opinion about something
7
Q
Unconscious Bias
A
When someone’s opinions or decisions are distorted by factors that they are not even aware of. If, however, a bias is unconscious, it can be extremely difficult even to identify, let alone to challenge,
8
Q
What You See
Is All There Is:
A
from Daniel Kahneman the human tendency to pay attention only to what is immediately obvious, and to neglect the hidden complexities that exist in most situations. Relying too much on first impressions, feelings and the information we happen to have in front of us.
9
Q
Survivorship bias:
A
The tendency only to think about successful examples of something, failing to consider the bigger picture in which the vast majority of all cases are failures
10
Q
Confirmation Bias
A
We undervalue evidence that contradicts our beliefs And overvalue evidence that confirms them. The universal human tendency to use new information only to confirm existing beliefs, rather than seeking to improve and clarify your understanding.
11
Q
Dogmatism
A
The claim that certain principles or ideas are both absolutely true and immune to any form of critical scrutiny or discussion - whether this dogmatism is practiced by priests, scientists or politicians.
12
Q
Attention
A
The enemy of distraction
13
Q
Distraction
A
The enemy of attention
14
Q
Reasoning
A
Thinking about things in a sensible or logical way, and then presenting this thinking so as to permit meaningful debate, disagreement and collaboration
15
Q
Assertion
A
A statement of fact or belief, often delivered forcibly and provided without support or justification. It’s also something that, on its own, does little other than impart information.
16
Q
Argument
A
Persuasion through reasoning in support of a conclusion. An attempt to persuade someone through reasoning that they should agree with a particular conclusion. To attempt to provide reasonable justification for a particular conclusion
17
Q
Two elements of an argument
A
Broken down into two key elements: •• You are presented with a line of reasoning that… •• …seeks to convince you to accept a particular conclusion.
18
Q
Conclusion
A
the final point that someone making an argument is trying to convince you of. It's the point that everything else leads towards. One argument’s conclusion can be the starting point of another; but each argument only has one final conclusion.
19
Q
Searching for a conclusion
A
When you’re trying to work out whether someone is making an argument, begin by seeing if there is a particular conclusion they want to convince you of
20
Q
Non-argument
A
Any element of a piece of writing that does not attempt to persuade you of a conclusion through reasoning, and thus doesn’t qualify as part of an argument
21
Q
Description
A
Simply reporting information without any attempt at evaluating, commenting on or using the information to persuade. its purpose is to convey relevant information as clearly and neutrally as possible.
22
Q
Summary
A
A brief outline of key information, often setting out the main points covered in a longer piece of work.
23
Q
Opinion
A
Presenting a judgement without providing reasoning. Opinions tend to be personal judgements based on facts;
24
Q
Advice and Warnings
A
Opinions about what
someone should, or
should not, do
25
Q
Clarification
A
spelling out or demonstrating a particular concept Spells out what is meant by a particular phrase, idea or line of thought
26
Q
Illustration
A
Provides a particular instance or specific example to show how the point may apply in a particular instance.
27
Q
Explanation
A
Reasoning backwards from something assumed to be true. Suggests the reason or reasons that something came to be the way it is. Answers "Why?"
28
Q
Rhetoric
A
The attempt to persuade by appealing to emotions rather than by using reasoning. A general term for the art of persuasive speaking or writing, dating back to the ancient Roman and Greek world.
29
Q
Six rhetorical techniques
A
Flattery Appeal to novelty Appeal to popularity Appeal to sympathy Appeal to fear Jargon
30
Q
Flattery
A
praising someone in
order to get them to
do what you want.
31
Q
Appeal to novelty
A
saying that something
is new and so it must
be true or good.
32
Q
Appeal to popularity
A
saying that something
is popular, so it must be true or good.
33
Q
Appeal to sympathy
A
invoking sympathy as a sufficient reason for agreeing with something
34
Q
Appeal to fear
A
trying to frighten someone
into agreement.
35
Q
Jargon
A
using fancy, largely
meaningless words in
order to sound smart.
36
Q
Exaggeration
A
overstating the case, often as a rhetorical tactic; like overgeneralization, this is a way of making a far bigger claim than is actually the case
37
Q
Over-generalization
A
suggesting that something is more generally true than it actually is, often as a rhetorical tactic; making a far broader claim than is the case in reality
38
Q
Incentive-Caused Bias
A
We get whatever we reward forPeople with a vested interest in something will tend to guide you in the direction of their interest. Incentives influence the way people act. Change the incentive, and you’ll change the behavior.
39
Q
Commitment & Consistency Bias
A
Our tendency to continue to act according to the previous commitments we’ve made. It’s a reluctance to change our course of action once we’ve chosen it.
40
Q
The contrast principle
A
The principle that says, in effect, that our judgments of things are often biased by similar things we have seen immediately before. The way we judge pretty much anything is in comparison with something else.
41
Q
Premise
A
a claim
presented by an
argument in support
of its conclusion
42
Q
Conclusion
A
the final
proposition in any
argument, supported
by its premises
