Types of Questions Flashcards
What is purpose of “Conceptual Clarification Questions”
What are some examples
“Tell me more” questions that get them to go deeper Examples) What exactly does this mean? Can you give me an example? Are you saying ….. or ……? Can you rephrase that, please?
What is purpose of “Probing Questions”
What are some examples
Makes a person think about presumptions and unquestioned beliefs Examples) How can you verify or disprove that? What would happen if …..? Please explain why/how …? How did you choose that position?
What is purpose of “Probing rationale, reasons and evidence
questions”
What are some examples
Lets you dig into the given reason rather than assuming it is a given
Examples)
Can you give me an example of that?
What do you think causes….?
How do you know this ….?
Why?
What evidence is there to support what you are saying?
What is purpose of “Questioning viewpoints and perspectives”
What are some examples
Good for ranking priorities. Allows you to show that there are other, equally valid, viewpoints
Examples)
Another way to look at this…
What is the difference between … and …?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of …?
What if you compared … and …?
What is purpose of “Probe implications and consequences”
What are some examples
Allows you to discuss if person’s position makes sense and/or if it has logical implications/consequences
Examples)
Then what would happen?
What are the consequences of that action/decision/assumption?
How does… affect …?
Why is … important?
What is purpose of “Questions about the questions”
What are some examples
Allows you to turn the question on itself.
Examples)
What is/was the goal/point/purpose of that question?
Does this make sense?
What else might I ask/answer?
What is a “logical fallacy”
It is a “flaw in reasoning.” Strong arguments are void of logical fallacies. Arguments that are weak tend to use logical fallacies to appear stronger than they are. They’re like tricks or illusions of thought
Why is it important to recognize a “logical fallacy”
Logical fallacies are often
sneakily used by politicians, the media, and others to fool people. Don’t be fooled!
Types of Logical Fallacy
“Strawman” fallacy
Defined)
Misrepresenting someone’s argument to make it easier
to attack.
Explained)
By exaggerating, misrepresenting, or just completely fabricating someone’s argument, it’s much easier to present your own position as being reasonable or
valid, but this kind of dishonesty serves to undermine rational debate.
Example)
After Will said that we should put more money into health and education, Warren responded by saying that he was surprised that Will hates our country so much that he wants to leave it defenseless by cutting military spending.
Types of Logical Fallacy
“Slippery Slope” fallacy
Defined)
Asserting that if we allow A to happen, then Z will
consequently happen too, therefore A should not happen.
Explained)
The problem with this reasoning is that it avoids engaging with the issue at hand, and instead shifts attention to a baseless extreme hypothetical. The merits of the original argument are then tainted by unsubstantiated conjecture.
Example)
Colin Closet asserts that if we allow different race couples to marry, then the next thing we know we’ll be allowing people to marry their parents, their cars and Bonobo monkeys.
Types of Logical Fallacy
“Special Pleading” fallacy
Defined)
Moving the goalposts or making up exceptions when a
claim is shown to be false.
Explained)
Humans are funny creatures and have a foolish aversion to being wrong. Rather than appreciate the benefits of being able to change one’s mind through better understanding, many will invent ways to cling to old beliefs.
Example)
Edward Johns claimed to be psychic, but when his ‘abilities’ were tested under proper scientific conditions, they magically disappeared. Edward explained this
saying that one had to have faith in his abilities for them to work.
Types of Logical Fallacy
“The Gambler’s” fallacy
Defined)
Believing that ‘runs’ occur to statistically independent
phenomena such as roulette wheel spins.
Explained)
This commonly believed fallacy can be fairly said to have created an entire city in the desert of Nevada USA. Though the overall odds of a ‘big run’ happening may
be low, each spin of the wheel is itself entirely independent from the last.
Example)
Red had come up six times in a row on the roulette wheel, so Greg knew that it was close to certain that black would be next up. Suffering a kind of economic
form of natural selection with this thinking, he soon lost all of his savings.
Types of Logical Fallacy
“Black-or-White” fallacy
Defined)
Where two alternative states are presented as the only
possibilities, when in fact more possibilities exist.
Explained)
Also known as the false dilemma, this insidious tactic has the appearance of forming a logical argument, but under closer scrutiny it becomes evident that there are more possibilities than the either/or choice that is presented.
Example)
Whilst rallying support for his plan to fundamentally undermine citizens’ rights, the Supreme Leader told the people they were either on his side, or on the side of the enemy.
Types of Logical Fallacy
“False Cause” fallacy
Defined)
Presuming that a real or perceived relationship between
things means that one is the cause of the other.
Explained)
Many people confuse correlation (things happening together or in sequence) for causation (that one thing actually causes the other to happen). Sometimes
correlation is coincidental, or it may be attributable to a common cause.
Example)
Pointing to a fancy chart, Roger shows how temperatures have been rising over the past few centuries, whilst at the same time the numbers of pirates have been decreasing; thus pirates cool the world and global warming is a hoax.
Types of Logical Fallacy
“Ad Hominem” fallacy
Defined)
Attacking your opponent’s character or personal traits
instead of engaging with their argument.
Explained)
Ad hominem attacks can take the form of overtly attacking somebody, or more subtly casting doubt on their character. The result of an ad hominem attack can be to undermine someone without actually having to engage with their argument.
Example)
After Sally presents an eloquent and compelling case for a more equitable taxation system, Sam asks the audience whether we should believe anything from a woman who isn’t married, was once arrested, and smells a bit weird.
