Un-Warranted Assumptions
A student believes a rumor at school must be true because “everyone is talking about it.” Which unwarranted assumption is being made?
The assumption that if an idea is widely reported, it must be true.
Name the three parts of a syllogism
Major premise, minor premise, conclusion
or
General statement, specific statement, conclusion
Define "Hasty Generalization"
Basing an argument or conclusion on too little evidence
Having strong feelings about an idea is the same as having good evidence for it.
False
True or False?: "The first step to becoming an individual is to treat your first reaction to any person, issue, or situation as tentative"
True: "no matter how appealing it might be, refuse to embrace it until you have examined it"
Someone insists their opinion is correct because they feel extremely certain about it. Which unwarranted assumption is being made?
The assumption that the stronger our conviction about an idea, the more valid the idea.
Finish the syllogism:
All men are mortal
Socrates is a _____
Therefore, Socrates is _____
All men are mortal
Socrates is a man
Therefore, Socrates is mortal
True or False: a Straw Man occurs when someone introduces an issue not relevant to the argument at hand
False, that describes a Red Herring.
Believing something is true simply because many people believe it is which common logical fallacy?
Bandwagon Fallacy
Is this is a characteristic of a critical or uncritical thinker? "Are impatient with complexity and thus would rather remain confused than make the effort to understand"
Uncritical thinker
After crime increases soon after a new law is passed, someone concludes the law caused the increase without further evidence. Which unwarranted assumption is being made?
The assumption that if one event follows another in time, it must have been caused by the other.
Using letters, how would you organize the syllogism format?
A = B
C = A
C = B
Which fallacy is being committed here?: "A man walks under a ladder, soon afterward he is run over and killed. So, walking under the ladder killed the man."
(Double Points, explain why along with the fallacy)
Post Hoc, Ergo Proctor Hoc
According to Ruggerio, what kind of thinking carefully evaluates evidence, considers alternatives, and avoids quick conclusions?
Critical thinking.
Reflective thinking analyzes past experiences to determine how to behave moving forward. Critical thinking analyzes arguments and feelings to determine action aimed at a desired outcome.
A critic rejects an entire argument after finding one small mistake in a single supporting detail. Which unwarranted assumption is being made?
(Double points, explain why this assumption is unwarranted)
The assumption that finding an error disproves the whole argument.
What type of reasoning do we use when we make syllogisms? Deductive or Inductive?
(Double Points, explain inductive vs deductive reasoning)
Deductive
(Inductive reasoning draws general conclusions from specific observations, while deductive reasoning starts with general principles and applies them to reach specific conclusions.)
Which fallacy occurs when a person attacks the person making the argument instead of the argument they're making?
Ad hominem
What is the essence of individuality according to Ruggerio?
Name the 3 basic activities of a critical thinker according to Ruggerio.
(Double Points, explain each category)
Investigation , Interpretation , and Judgement.
(Finding evidence, deciding what the evidence means, reaching a conclusion)
A person claims their conclusion is logical because they can list several reasons they heard from others. Which unwarranted assumption is being made?
The assumption that having reasons proves that we have reasoned logically.
Identify the conclusion in this argument: Some parents claim that nightly homework should be limited for students. They argue that excessive homework increases student stress. Because high stress interferes with learning, homework loads should be reduced.
Excessive homework interferes with learning.
Does this definition match Begging the Question or Circular Reasoning: "Assuming what needs to be proven has already been so"
Begging the Question
Claiming that a policy must be bad because it led to one negative outcome while ignoring other contributing factors reflects which unwarranted assumption?
The assumption that every event has a single cause.
What are three things we must keep in mind when deciding moral and ethical questions?
Obligations, Ideals, and Consequences.