D265 WGU Critical Thinking Reason
and Evidence
PROPOSITIONS - answerAre statements that can be true or false
NON-PROPOSITONS - answerAre sentences that are not statements about matters of
fact or fiction. They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS - answerHave no internal logic structure, meaning whether
they are true or false does not depend on whether a part of them is true or false. They
are simply true or false on their own. (Example: Harry Potter wears glasses. The sky is
blue.)
COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS - answerHave internal logic structure, meaning they are
composed of simple propositions. Whether they are true or false depends on whether
their parts are true or false. (Example: The sky is blue, but it does not look blue to me
right now. The cat ate the food, but he did not like it. The GDP of Canada is either $3
trillion or $12 trillion.)
Words used to identify Independent Propositions - answerAND, OR, EITHER, BUT, IF,
THEN.
CONCLUSION INDICATORS - answerTHEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT,
HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT,
WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
PREMISE INDICATORS - answerBECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS, SINCE, AS
INDICATED BY.
DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS - answerArguments where the premises guarantee or
necessitate the conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
, INDUCTION ARGUMENTS - answerArguments where the premises make the
conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION - answerArguments
where the best available explanation is chosen as the correct explanation.
FORMAL FALLACY - answerConcerns the structure of an argument
INFORMAL FALLACY - answerConcerns the informational content of an argument
A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF - answerBad Argument Structure
Which piece of information would be the most helpful to know in assessing the
credibility of a news story? - answerWhether the name of the author and the publication
are identified
Which questions are most appropriate for evaluating the credibility of an information
source? - answerWho funded it? & Does it try to get you to distrust other sources?
While researching a topic on the internet, a student encounters two different websites,
one of that looks more official than the other and includes tables, charts, and statistics,
while the other does not.
What is the line of reasoning this student should employ to determine which site is more
credible? - answerIt is not feasible to determine which site is more credible from the
information provided.
In which way should an information source be approached if it is stating that it is the
only source of real information and that other sources cannot be trusted? -
answerSkeptically, because the source may lack credibility.
PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY - answerThe principle of charity suggests we should try to
understand ideas before criticizing them.
Which of the following are reasons for applying the principle of charity? - answerIt is
morally right to give others the benefit of the doubt.
It allows for a clearer understanding of the issue.
Smith is committed to the belief that technological advancement is always beneficial
and thus never detrimental to human life. Smith reads a carefully written and sufficiently
argued essay in which the author contends that the human adoption of any new
technology involves both advantages and disadvantages to its adopters. Since Smith is
a loyal technophile, Smith accepts the author's claims about the advantages of
technology but rejects the author's claims about the disadvantages of technology.
Which cognitive bias is Smith demonstrating? - answerConfirmation Bias
and Evidence
PROPOSITIONS - answerAre statements that can be true or false
NON-PROPOSITONS - answerAre sentences that are not statements about matters of
fact or fiction. They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS - answerHave no internal logic structure, meaning whether
they are true or false does not depend on whether a part of them is true or false. They
are simply true or false on their own. (Example: Harry Potter wears glasses. The sky is
blue.)
COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS - answerHave internal logic structure, meaning they are
composed of simple propositions. Whether they are true or false depends on whether
their parts are true or false. (Example: The sky is blue, but it does not look blue to me
right now. The cat ate the food, but he did not like it. The GDP of Canada is either $3
trillion or $12 trillion.)
Words used to identify Independent Propositions - answerAND, OR, EITHER, BUT, IF,
THEN.
CONCLUSION INDICATORS - answerTHEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT,
HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT,
WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
PREMISE INDICATORS - answerBECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS, SINCE, AS
INDICATED BY.
DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS - answerArguments where the premises guarantee or
necessitate the conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
, INDUCTION ARGUMENTS - answerArguments where the premises make the
conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION - answerArguments
where the best available explanation is chosen as the correct explanation.
FORMAL FALLACY - answerConcerns the structure of an argument
INFORMAL FALLACY - answerConcerns the informational content of an argument
A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF - answerBad Argument Structure
Which piece of information would be the most helpful to know in assessing the
credibility of a news story? - answerWhether the name of the author and the publication
are identified
Which questions are most appropriate for evaluating the credibility of an information
source? - answerWho funded it? & Does it try to get you to distrust other sources?
While researching a topic on the internet, a student encounters two different websites,
one of that looks more official than the other and includes tables, charts, and statistics,
while the other does not.
What is the line of reasoning this student should employ to determine which site is more
credible? - answerIt is not feasible to determine which site is more credible from the
information provided.
In which way should an information source be approached if it is stating that it is the
only source of real information and that other sources cannot be trusted? -
answerSkeptically, because the source may lack credibility.
PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY - answerThe principle of charity suggests we should try to
understand ideas before criticizing them.
Which of the following are reasons for applying the principle of charity? - answerIt is
morally right to give others the benefit of the doubt.
It allows for a clearer understanding of the issue.
Smith is committed to the belief that technological advancement is always beneficial
and thus never detrimental to human life. Smith reads a carefully written and sufficiently
argued essay in which the author contends that the human adoption of any new
technology involves both advantages and disadvantages to its adopters. Since Smith is
a loyal technophile, Smith accepts the author's claims about the advantages of
technology but rejects the author's claims about the disadvantages of technology.
Which cognitive bias is Smith demonstrating? - answerConfirmation Bias
