All Opinions Are Not Created Equal: Critical Reasoning Theory & Practice
Chapter 1. Introducing Critical Reasoning Theory & Practice, What is Critical Reasoning?
Review Questions - Here are some questions you should be able to answer based on the Preface and Chapter 1 of this book, in at least about 5 sentences each.
1. Why are philosophy and critical reasoning sometimes regarded as dangerous?
2. Identify and briefly explain both of the meanings of "critical" that are used in the title of the course.
3. What is the central meaning of the word "reasoning," as it is used in the title of the course? Relate it to either one of the two meanings of "critical" discussed in Chapter 1.
4. Explain the philosophical meaning of the word "bias" and how it is different from the most common way this word is used. Give an example or illustration of bias in the philosophical sense.
5. Carefully explain the difference between the two types of rational evidence and why it matters that we recognize them both.
Chapter 2. What is an Argument?
Review Questions & Practice Exercises
Review Questions - Here are some questions you should be able to answer based on the preceding chapter in a clear and detailed way, in your own words, and in at least about 5 sentences each.
1. Carefully define "argument" as this term is used in critical reasoning and contrast this meaning with the more common everyday meaning of the word. Give an original example of an argument, (one you have created yourself.)
2. Carefully explain the difference between being persuasive and making a convincing argument. How is this difference related to the distinction between logic and rhetoric?
3. Define each of the Four Main Elements of Argument. Identify each element in the example argument you created for question #1.
4. Define "basic assumption" and explain the difference between facile and interesting assumptions.
5. Carefully explain what makes a word or phrase a logical indicator, and how logical indicators are supposed to work.
Chapter 3. Good Arguments and Bad Arguments
Review Questions & Practice Exercises
Review Questions - Here are some questions you should be able to answer based on the preceding chapter in a clear and detailed way, in your own words, and in at least about 5 sentences each.
1. State clearly the three main features of deductive and inductive arguments.
2. State clearly and explain what an inference is in general. What is the difference between an inference that is formal and an inference that is empirical?
3. Explain the general concept of fallacy fully and carefully. Then distinguish clearly between fallacies that are deductive and fallacies that are inductive.
4. Explain carefully what it means to say that arguments pass through "filters" and what the significance of this is for how critical reasoners should approach "the media" broadly understood.
5. What does it mean to "reason backwards" and how can critical reasoners avoid doing so?
Chapter 4. Assessing Inductive Arguments
Review Questions & Practice Exercises
Review Questions - Here are some questions you should be able to answer based on the preceding chapter in a clear and detailed way, in your own words, and in at least about 5 sentences each.
1. Identify and describe carefully the four different types of input that provide the premises for the four types of inductive arguments discussed in the chapter.
2. Give a definition of statistical argument in your own words and then create an original example of a statistical argument.
3. What is the difference between the everyday meaning of the word "randomness" and the meaning used in critical reasoning?
4. Define the term "representativeness" and explain the two widely recognized ways to increase the representativeness of a sample.
5. Identify and carefully explain the three criteria for causal reasoning discussed in the chapter.
Chapter 5. Assessing Deductive Arguments
Review Questions & Practice Exercises
Review Questions - Here are some questions you should be able to answer based on the preceding chapter in a clear and detailed way, in your own words, and in at least about 5 sentences each.
1. Identify and carefully summarize the three steps for recognizing deductive fallacies that are introduced at the start of the chapter.
2. Identify and carefully explain the three types of statements from which the deductive syllogisms in the book are constructed.
3. Carefully explain what "antecedents" and "consequents" are.
4. Explain the difference between the valid deductive pattern known as Universal Categorical Syllogism and its associated fallacy using an original example of this type of argument.
5. Explain the difference between the valid deductive pattern known as Hypothetical Chain and its associated fallacy using an original example of this type of argument.
Chapter 6. The Use & Abuse of Language
Review Questions & Practice Exercises
Review Questions - Here are some questions you should be able to answer based on the preceding chapter in a clear and detailed way, in your own words, and in at least about 5 sentences each.
1. Carefully define denotation. Then give an example of a word or phrase and identify some of possible denotations of that word or phrase.
2. Carefully define connotation. Then give an example of a word or phrase and identify some of possible connotations of that word or phrase.
3. Fully and carefully define the terms "euphemism" and "dysphemism." Give an original example of each from your experience or imagination.
4. Explain what "jargon" and "circumlocution" are and how they present obstacles for logic. Describe a context or an example from your experience or imagination in which one of these occurs.
5. Explain what the term "ambiguity" refers to, using an original example. How is the phenomenon of ambiguity related to denotation?