Chapter 2 Exercise 2.1

What kind of doubt is involved in the acquisition of knowledge?

Reasonable doubt

Does our knowledge require certainty?

No, for we seem to know many things even though we do not have absolutely conclusive reasons.

Is critical thinking concerned with the objective or the subjective truth of claims?

Objective truth claims

What is the appeal to popularity?

When, the pressure comes from the mere popularity of a belief.

What is selective attention?

A kind of bias thinking in which we notice certain things and ignore others even though we should be noticing both.

What is a worldview?

A philosophy of life, a set of fundamental ideas that helps us make sense of a wide range of important issues in life.

How might the influence of a group that you belong to affect you attempts to think critically?

By allowing your need to be part of a group or your identification with a group to undermine critical thinking.

What is stereotyping?

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

According to the text, what is the most powerful group pressure of all?

Ethnocentrism

According to the text, how could subjective relativism make critical thinking unnecessary?

If we make statements true just by believing it to be true, then critical thinking would seem unnecessary.

According to the text, what should you do if you sense a rush of emotion when you think about a particular issue?

Stop. Think about what's happening and why. Then continue at a slower place and with greater attention to the basics or critical reasoning, double checking to ensure that you are not ignoring or suppressing evidence or getting sloppy in your evidence.

What is subject relativism?

The idea that truth depends on what someone believes.

According to the text's definition of critical thinking, what factors must be present for critical thinking to be realized?

The process must be systematic, it must be a true evaluation or formulation of claims, and it must be based on rational standards.

What is social relativism?

The view that truth is relative to societies. The claim is that truth depends not on an individuals beliefs, but on society's beliefs.

What are the two main categories of common obstacles to critical thinking?

Those hindrances that arise because of how we think (Our fears, attitudes, motivations, and desires) and those that occur because of what we think (Our beliefs about beliefs).

What is philosophical skepticism?

We know much less than we think we do or nothing at all.

According to the text, what effect can our urge to save face have on our thinking?

We may accept or defend claims just to protect our image.

According to the text, how might selective attention affect your thinking when you are examining evidence for or against a claim?

We may ignore facts that contradict our beliefs and search our facts that support them.

From the standpoint of critical thinking, what event signals that we have allowed our bias in favor of our selves go too far?

When we accept claims for no reason.

When are you most likely to let your self-interest get in the way of clear thinking?

When you have a significant personal stake in the conclusion you reach.