LESSON 1: Evaluating Arguments and Evidence Flashcards
What is the primary focus of the section ‘Evaluating Arguments and Evidence’?
Explores basic components of arguments, distinguishing between premises and conclusions, arguments and non-arguments, evaluating validity or strength of arguments, and fallacies.
What are the five lessons included in this section?
- Basic Components of Propositions
- Distinguishing between Premises and Conclusions
- Distinguishing between Arguments and Non-arguments
- Validity or Strength of Arguments
- Fallacies
What skills will learners demonstrate in this section?
- Distinguish fact from opinion
- Analyze another person’s logic in decision-making
- Identify connections between ideas
What is the competency objective for the final assessment?
The learner evaluates the quality of an argument.
Why is it important to think critically, according to the text?
Thinking is the most distinctively unique fact about humans and impacts virtually all aspects of their lives.
How is critical thinking defined?
The ability to think carefully about thinking and reasoning, aimed at self-improvement and truth.
What does ‘critical’ mean in the context of critical thinking?
Reflective, careful, or attentive to potential errors.
List some practices involved in critical thinking.
- Being curious and thinking creatively
- Separating the thinker from the position
- Knowing oneself to avoid biases
- Having intellectual honesty, humility, and charity
- Understanding arguments, reasons, and evidence
What are propositions?
Statements that can be true or false.
What differentiates propositions from non-propositions?
Propositions can be true or false, while non-propositions cannot express a claim that can be true or false.
What types of sentences do not express propositions?
- Exhortations
- Commands
- Pleas/Requests
- Questions
- Performative statements
What is a simple proposition?
A proposition with no internal logical structure, true or false on its own.
What is a complex proposition?
A proposition composed of simple propositions, where truth depends on the truth of its parts.
How can complex propositions be identified?
By using words like ‘and’, ‘or’, ‘either…or…’, ‘but’, and ‘if…then…’.
What is the importance of breaking down complex propositions?
To understand all separate claims made in a single sentence.
Fill in the blank: Propositions are statements that can be _______.
true or false.
True or False: Non-propositions express statements about matters of fact.
False
Which of the following is a non-proposition? ‘Where are the keys to my car?’
Yes, it is a non-proposition.
Identify a complex proposition from the following: ‘The cat ate the food but did not like it.’
It is a complex proposition.
What is a simple proposition?
Simple propositions have no internal logical structure, meaning they are true or false on their own.
An example of a simple proposition is ‘The dog is in the house.’
What is a complex proposition?
Complex propositions have internal logical structure, meaning they are composed of simple propositions.
An example of a complex proposition is ‘If the computer is not fixed, then the company either needs to buy a new one or will not be able to keep up productivity.’
What differentiates simple propositions from complex propositions?
Simple propositions do not have an internal logic structure, while complex propositions do have an internal logic structure.
Identify an example of a proposition.
The dog is in the house.
Identify an example of a non-proposition.
Where are my car keys?
Fill in the blank: Propositions are statements that can be ______.
true or false
Fill in the blank: Simple propositions are true or false based on how the ______ is.
world
True or False: Complex propositions are always longer than simple propositions.
False
Provide an example of a complex proposition.
If the new employee wants to succeed, then they need to show up on time.
What is a simple proposition expressed in a given paragraph about a new employee?
The new employee wants to succeed.
Identify a complex proposition in a discussion about project prioritization.
The marketing team argues for focusing on a new social media campaign to increase brand visibility, while the product development team advocates for allocating resources to enhance the functionality of the company’s flagship product.
What can be concluded about the U.S. healthcare system based on the given text?
The U.S. healthcare system is difficult to navigate, and this negatively affects many of us.
Fill in the blank: Propositions can be either ______ or complex.
simple
What is an example of a complex proposition regarding weekend plans?
After some discussion, they decide to compromise and spend half of the weekend hiking and the other half lounging by the sea.
What is an example of a simple proposition regarding the healthcare system?
Many people are unsure exactly how their health insurance coverage works and are not sure where they can go to get care.
