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
