Intro to Critical Thinking and Reasoning

conditional statement

an if-then statement and consists of two parts, an antecedent and a consequent

logic

the study of good reasoning, or inference, and the rules that govern it

Homophily

the tendency to give more credence to a statement if it comes from our friends

false consensus effect

the tendency to overestimate the degree to which other people share our opinions, attitudes, and preferences

social relativism

the view that truth is relative to societies.

Philisophical Skepticism

the view that we know much less than we think we do or nothing at all.

philosophic skeptics

those who embrace philosophical skepticism

argument

A group of statements in which some of them (the premises) are intended to support another of them (the conclusion).

truth-preserving

A characteristic of a valid deductive argument in which the logical structure guarantees the truth of the conclusion if the premises are true.

Syllogism

A deductive argument made up of three statements- two premises and a conclusion.

invalid argument

A deductive argument that fails to provide conclusive support for its conclusion.

valid argument

A deductive argument that succeeds in providing conclusive support for its conclusion.

sound argument

A deductively valid argument that has true premises.

illusion of truth effect

A phenomenon in which you come to believe that a false claim is actually true simply because it is familiar.

worldview

A philosophy of life; a set of beliefs and theories that helps us make sense of a wide range of issues in life.

explanation

A statement or statements intended to tell why or how something is the case.

cogent argument

A strong inductive argument with all true premises

Disjunctive Syllogism

A valid argument form: Either p or q. Not P. Therefore, q. In the syllogism's second premise, either disjunct can be denied.

Hypothetical Syllogism

A valid argument made up of three hypothetical, or conditional, statements: If p then q. If q, then r. Therefore, if p, then r.

Subjectivist Fallacy

Accepting the notion of subjective relativism or using it to try to support a claim.

deductive argument

An argument intended to provide logically conclusive support for its conclusion.

weak argument

An inductive argument that fails to provide strong support for its conclusion.

strong argument

An inductive argument that succeeds in providing probable-but not conclusive-support for its conclusion.

denying the antecedent

An invalid argument form: If p, then q. Not p. Therefore, not q.

affirming the consequent

An invalid argument form: If p, then q. q. Therefore, p.

Stereotyping

Drawing an unwarranted conclusion or generalization about an entire group of people.

peer pressure

Group pressure to accept or reject a claim based solely on what one's peers think or do.

premise

In an argument, a statement, or reason, given in support of the conclusion.

motivated reasoning

Reasoning for the purpose of supporting a predetermined conclusion, not to uncover the truth.

Appeal to Common Practice

The fallacy of accepting or rejecting a claim based solely on what groups of people generally do or how they behave (when the action or behavior is irrelevant to the truth of the claim).

Appeal to Popularity

The fallacy of arguing that a claim must be true merely because a substantial number of people believe it.

Subjective Relativism

The idea that truth depends on what someone believes.

consequent

The part of a conditional statement (if p, then q) introduced by the word then.

critical thinking

The systematic evaluation or formulation of beliefs, or statements, by rational standards.

indicator words

Words that frequently accompany arguments and signal that a premise or conclusion is present.

Modus Tollens (denying the consequent)

a valid argument form if p, then q. not q. therefore, not p.

Modus Ponens (Affirming the Antecedent)

a valid argument form if p, then q. p. therefore, q.

inductive argument

an argument in which the premises are intended to provide probable, not conclusive, support for its conclusion.

statement

an assertion that something is or is not the case

Conclusion

in an argument, the statement that the premises are intended to support

affirming the antecedent

see modus ponens

denying the consequent

see modus tollens

antecedent

the first part of a conditional statement, the component that begins with the word if.

mere exposure effect

the idea that just being exposed repeatedly to words or images can induce a favorable or comfortable feeling toward them, whether there is good reason or not

Dunning-Kruger Effect

the phenomenon of being ignorant of how ignorant we are

Inference

the process of reasoning from a premise or premises to a conclusion based on those premises