Critical Thinking - Chapter 1

It is the careful application of reason in the determination of whether a claim is true.

• Argument

• Critical Thinking

• Claim

• Issue

Claim

• A statement, true or false, that expresses an opinion or belief

• A question

• Expresses an evaluation of something

• Expresses a moral or ethical evaluation of something

A two-part structure of claims, one part of which (the premise or premises) is given as a reason for thinking the other part (the conclusion) is true

• Issue

• Conclusion

• Claim

• Argument

What is raised when a claim is called into question

• Argument

• Claim

• Issue

• Conclusion

An argument whose premises being true means that the conclusion must be true

• Valid deductive argument

• Strong inductive argument

• Value judgment

• Moral value judgment

The more support the premises of an inductive argument provide for its conclusion, the stronger the argument

• Valid deductive argument

• Strong inductive argument

• Value judgment

• Moral value judgment

A claim that expresses an evaluation of something

• Valid deductive argument

• Strong inductive argument

• Value judgment

• Moral value judgment

A claim that expresses a moral or ethical evaluation of something

• Valid deductive argument

• Strong inductive argument

• Value judgment

• Moral value judgment

Language that is psychologically persuasive but does not have extra logical force

• Critical Thinking

• Rhetoric