Critical Thinking Chapter 1: Reconstructing and Analyzing Arguments

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Questions and Answers

What is the purpose of conclusion indicators in an argument?

To signal the conclusion of an argument (correct)

To establish the truth of a statement

To weaken the opposing argument

To introduce the premises

What can be inferred about the relationship between 'so' and 'therefore'?

They have opposite meanings

They are only used in formal writing

They are always used together

They are interchangeable in certain contexts (correct)

What is the function of the word 'therefore' in the given example?

To introduce a premise

To indicate the conclusion of an argument (correct)

To provide evidence for the premise

To contradict the premise

What is the limitation of using premise and conclusion indicators to identify arguments?

They do not guarantee the presence of an argument Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of Table 1 in the given text?

To list common premise and conclusion indicators Signup and view all the answers

What can be inferred about the sentences 'I have been running competitively since 1999' and 'I am so happy to have finally finished that class'?

They contain conclusion indicators but are not arguments Signup and view all the answers

What is the philosophical idea that states that normative statements cannot be derived from descriptive statements?

The is-ought gap Signup and view all the answers

What is the problem with the argument that tries to infer a normative statement from a descriptive statement?

It violates the is-ought gap Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of constructing a counterexample in the argument?

To show the weakness of the argument Signup and view all the answers

What is the missing premise in the original argument?

The state should do what it can to decrease harm to children Signup and view all the answers

What is the general lesson learned from the argument?

Many arguments with normative conclusions depend on implicit normative premises Signup and view all the answers

Who is the Scottish philosopher associated with the idea that normative statements cannot be derived from descriptive statements?

David Hume Signup and view all the answers

What is the condition for an argument to be considered valid?

The conclusion follows from the premises Signup and view all the answers

What does the validity of an argument depend on?

The logical connection between the premises and the conclusion Signup and view all the answers

Why is the argument 'Violet is a dog, therefore Violet is a mammal' valid?

Because all dogs are mammals Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the example 'Everyone born in France can speak French...'?

To demonstrate the validity of an argument despite false premises Signup and view all the answers

What is the conclusion of the argument 'Everyone born in France can speak French...'

Barack Obama can speak French Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the validity of an argument and the truth of its premises?

The validity of an argument is independent of the truth of its premises Signup and view all the answers

What is the conclusion that can be drawn about Caroline based on Albert's running habits?

Caroline runs when Albert runs. Signup and view all the answers

Why might it not be accurate to conclude that Jeremy killed Tim?

Because Jeremy's prints are on his own gun. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of paraphrasing in argument reconstruction?

To capture the essence of the argument in a clearer way. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it that there is no single right way to paraphrase premises and conclusions?

Because there are multiple ways to capture the same idea. Signup and view all the answers

What is required to paraphrase premises and conclusions effectively?

A good understanding of English. Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome of reconstructing an argument in standard form?

A clearer and more concise argument. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main point of the speech?

To convince the audience that the US should respond to the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons with a targeted military strike Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of not standing against the use of chemical weapons?

It will weaken prohibitions against other weapons of mass destruction and embolden Iran Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the targeted military strike mentioned in the speech?

To deter Assad from using chemical weapons, to degrade his regime's ability to use them and to make clear to the world that we will not tolerate their use Signup and view all the answers

What is the speaker's role in making this decision?

As commander in chief Signup and view all the answers

What is the speaker's attitude towards the use of chemical weapons?

The speaker is clearly against the use of chemical weapons Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the use of chemical weapons and Iran's decision?

The use of chemical weapons will encourage Iran to build a nuclear weapon Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Conclusion Indicators

"Therefore" and "so" are examples of conclusion indicators that indicate the conclusion of an argument.
These indicators can be used interchangeably, but their presence does not guarantee that the sentence is a conclusion.

Premise and Conclusion Indicators

Common premise indicators include: since, because, for, as, given that, seeing that, for the reason that, and is shown by the fact that.
Common conclusion indicators include: therefore, so, hence, thus, implies that, consequently, it follows that, and we may conclude that.

The Is-Ought Gap

The is-ought gap is a philosophical concept that states that normative statements (statements about what ought to be) cannot be derived from descriptive statements (statements about what is).
This gap is often attributed to the Scottish philosopher David Hume.

Validity of Arguments

The validity of an argument depends on whether the conclusion follows logically from the premises, regardless of the truth of the premises.
An argument can be valid even if the premises are false, as long as the conclusion follows logically from them.

Paraphrasing Premises and Conclusions

Paraphrasing is the use of different words to capture the same idea in a clearer way.
There is no single right way to paraphrase, but multiple ways to do so, and it requires a good understanding of English to capture the essence of the argument.

Analyzing Arguments

To analyze an argument, one must identify the main point or conclusion, and look for conclusion or premise indicators.
It requires a good level of reading comprehension to accurately identify the main conclusion.

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Description

Test your understanding of critical thinking by identifying conclusion indicators in arguments. In this quiz, you'll practice analyzing arguments and reconstructing them to identify the conclusion. Improve your critical thinking skills and see how well you can do!