How to Think Critically: A Concise Guide

Description

A guide to thinking well in academia and in everyday life. Contents Preface Part I - The Art of Critical Thinking Chapter 1: Identifying Argumentsand Non-Arguments 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Arguments, Not Fights 1.3 Critical Thinking and Reasoning 1.4 Premises and Conclusions: The Building Blocks of Arguments 1.5 Identifying Statements and Arguments 1.6 Chapter Exercises 1.7 Postscript Chapter 2: The Use and Abuse of Language 2.1 Meaning, Denotation, and Connotation 2.2 Defining Words 2.3 Vagueness and Ambiguity 2.4 Emotion and Prejudice 2.5 Scope and Conviction 2.6 Incorrect Word Choices 2.7 Chapter Exercises 2.8 Postscript Chapter 3: Argument Structure and Assessment 3.1 Standardizing Arguments 3.2 Editing Arguments 3.3 Reconstructing Arguments 3.4 Chapter Exercises 3.5 Postscript Chapter 4: Argument Evaluation 4.1 Step 1: Satisfactory Premises 4.2 Step 2: Supporting Premises 4.3 Step 3: Sufficient Support 4.4 Passing the S-Test 4.5 Failing the S-Test 4.6 Chapter Exercises 4.7 Postscript Chapter 5: Argument Types 5.1 Deductive Arguments 5.2 Inductive Arguments 5.3 Arguments from Analogy 5.4 Evaluating Deductive Arguments 5.5 Evaluating Inductive Arguments 5.6 Evaluating Arguments from Analogy 5.7 Chapter Exercises 5.8 Postscript Chapter 6: Fallacies 6.1 List of Fallacies 6.2 Fallacies in Advertising 6.3 Chapter Exercises 6.4 Postscript Part II - The Science of Critical Thinking Chapter 7: Categorical Logic 7.1 Categorical Logic and Categorical Statements 7.2 The Square of Opposition 7.3 Rules of Inference 7.4 Depicting Categorical Statements Using Venn Diagrams 7.5 Categorical Syllogisms 7.6 Using Venn Diagrams to Evaluate Categorical Syllogisms 7.7 Using Rules to Evaluate Categorical Syllogisms 7.9 Postscript Chapter 8: Propositional Logic Using Truth Tables 8.1 Translating Statements 8.2 Basic Truth Tables for “And,” “Or,” “Not,” and “If, Then” 8.3 Creating Long Truth Tables 8.4 Creating Short Truth Tables 8.5 Chapter Exercises 8.6 Postscript Solutions to Chapter Exercises Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Glossary of Key Terms Index