D265 CRITICAL THINKING - REASON AND EVIDENCE
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS 2024 - 2025
A person is shopping for a new suit. A suit that was originally sold for $1,000 was on sale for $400.
Believing this deal was too good to pass up, the buyer purchased the suit, even though they had planned
on only spending $300 What cognitive bias did the buyer exhibit? ANS - Anchoring and Adjusting
The buyer first becomes anchored to the original price ($1,000). Because the suit was being sold for only
$400 (adjusting)
You should only buy used cars because new cars are expensive and often lose the value the moment you
drive it off the lot. So, who wouldn't want to save money. What is the conclusion of the given argument?
ANS - You should only buy used cars
(who wouldn't want to save money) is actually not a proposition. So it is not a part of the argument.
Amanda would probably be a great boss because she was born on a Tuesday. Which descriptor best
describes this? ANS - An inference
A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.
Which sentence is a simple proposition? ANS - WGU is an online school.
An individual statement that can be true or false.
Whenever I smell hamburgers on the grill, it usually means my neighbor is hosting a party. I am currently
smelling hamburgers, so he is hosting a party. Which term best describes this argument? ANS -
Inductive
Inductive arguments intend to make their conclusions possible.
Abraham Lincoln was 9 feet tall. Which descriptor accurately characterizes this sentence? ANS -
Statement
A sentence that can be true or false.
She has eaten lunch everyday at noon for 45 years. Therefore, she will eat lunch tomorrow at noon as
well. Which term best describes this argument? ANS - Strong
, Arguments whose conclusion is a claim about the future, where it is made based on the way things have
typically happened in the past, are inductive. Even if the experience provides us a good basis for making
predictions, the future is not fully knowable and can always surprise us.
All dogs have fleas. Molly is a dog. So, Molly has fleas. Which term best describes the argument? ANS -
Deductive
Deductive arguments intend to make a claim 100% guaranteed.
Paper is flammable because paper burns. What type of logic error is this an example of? ANS - Begging
the question.
A circular argument in which the premise of an argument assumes the truth of the conclusion.
Most WGU students take out student loans. You are a WGU student. Therefore, you probably took out a
student loan. Which set of terms classify this argument? ANS - Strong and cogent.
Inductive arguments can be intending to present probably conclusions. Suggesting that you probably
took out a loan, makes this argument inductive. Inductive arguments are strong. The words valid, sound,
and unsound only apply to deductive arguments. Since the premises are actually true the argument is
cogent. The argument is also strong because it's structure is still good.
When asked if she thought banning guns would make our schools safer, Maria suggested that we should
also increase funding for school counselors. Because Maria committed the red herring fallacy, it is clear
that banning guns will not make our schools safer. Which type of logic error is this an example of? ANS -
The fallacy fallacy.
When someone uses the fact that a fallacy was committed to justify rejecting the conclusion of an
argument.
If you have a Ferrari, then you are popular. You are popular, so you must have a Ferrari. This is an
example of which type of logical error? ANS - Affirming the consequent.
The then clause is called the consequent. You are affirming the then-clause, which is the consequent.
Which statement is accurate regarding bias in newspapers? ANS - All newspapers have bias, but some
are more credible than others.
Critical thinking perspective teaches that while all sources have bias, some are more credible than
others.
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