D265 - WGU - Critical Thinking - Reason and Evidence
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c3wjhw
1. PROPOSITIONS Are statements that can be true or
false
2. NON-PROPOSITONS Are sentences that are not state-
ments about matters of fact or fiction.
They do not make a claim that can be
true or false.
3. SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS Have 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. (Ex-
ample: Harry Potter wears glasses.
The sky is blue.)
4. COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS Have internal logic structure, mean-
ing 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.)
5. Words used to identify Independent AND, OR, EITHER, BUT, IF, THEN.
Propositions
6. CONCLUSION INDICATORS THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS
THAT, HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS
THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT,
IMPLIES THAT, WHEREFORE, AND
AS A RESULT.
7. PREMISE INDICATORS BECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS,
SINCE, AS INDICATED BY.
8. DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS Arguments where the premises guar-
antee or necessitate the conclusion.
, D265 - WGU - Critical Thinking - Reason and Evidence
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c3wjhw
-mathematical arguments, logical ar-
guments, arguments from definition.
9. INDUCTION ARGUMENTS Arguments where the premises make
the conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal infer-
ences, extrapolations, etc.
10. INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLA- Arguments where the best available
NATION OR ABDUCTION explanation is chosen as the correct
explanation.
11. FORMAL FALLACY Concerns the structure of an argu-
ment
12. INFORMAL FALLACY Concerns the informational content of
an argument
13. A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF Bad Argument Structure
14. Which piece of information would be Whether the name of the author and
the most helpful to know in assess- the publication are identified
ing the credibility of a news story?
15. Which questions are most appropri- Who funded it? & Does it try to get you
ate for evaluating the credibility of to distrust other sources?
an information source?
16. While researching a topic on the in- It is not feasible to determine which
ternet, a student encounters two dif- site is more credible from the informa-
ferent websites, one of that looks tion provided.
more official than the other and in-
cludes 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?
17. In which way should an information Skeptically, because the source may
source be approached if it is stat- lack credibility.
, D265 - WGU - Critical Thinking - Reason and Evidence
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c3wjhw
ing that it is the only source of real
information and that other sources
cannot be trusted?
18. PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY The principle of charity suggests we
should try to understand ideas before
criticizing them.
19. Which of the following are reasons It is morally right to give others the
for applying the principle of charity? benefit of the doubt.
It allows for a clearer understanding
of the issue.
20. Smith is committed to the belief that Confirmation Bias
technological advancement is al-
ways beneficial and thus never detri-
mental 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 au-
thor's claims about the advantages
of technology but rejects the au-
thor's claims about the disadvan-
tages of technology.
Which cognitive bias is Smith
demonstrating?
21. CONFIRMATION BIAS the tendency to interpret new evi-
dence as confirmation of one's exist-
ing beliefs or theories.
22. COGNITIVE BIAS a systematic thought process caused
by the tendency of the human brain
to simplify information processing
through a filter of personal experience
and preferences.
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c3wjhw
1. PROPOSITIONS Are statements that can be true or
false
2. NON-PROPOSITONS Are sentences that are not state-
ments about matters of fact or fiction.
They do not make a claim that can be
true or false.
3. SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS Have 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. (Ex-
ample: Harry Potter wears glasses.
The sky is blue.)
4. COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS Have internal logic structure, mean-
ing 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.)
5. Words used to identify Independent AND, OR, EITHER, BUT, IF, THEN.
Propositions
6. CONCLUSION INDICATORS THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS
THAT, HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS
THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT,
IMPLIES THAT, WHEREFORE, AND
AS A RESULT.
7. PREMISE INDICATORS BECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS,
SINCE, AS INDICATED BY.
8. DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS Arguments where the premises guar-
antee or necessitate the conclusion.
, D265 - WGU - Critical Thinking - Reason and Evidence
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c3wjhw
-mathematical arguments, logical ar-
guments, arguments from definition.
9. INDUCTION ARGUMENTS Arguments where the premises make
the conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal infer-
ences, extrapolations, etc.
10. INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLA- Arguments where the best available
NATION OR ABDUCTION explanation is chosen as the correct
explanation.
11. FORMAL FALLACY Concerns the structure of an argu-
ment
12. INFORMAL FALLACY Concerns the informational content of
an argument
13. A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF Bad Argument Structure
14. Which piece of information would be Whether the name of the author and
the most helpful to know in assess- the publication are identified
ing the credibility of a news story?
15. Which questions are most appropri- Who funded it? & Does it try to get you
ate for evaluating the credibility of to distrust other sources?
an information source?
16. While researching a topic on the in- It is not feasible to determine which
ternet, a student encounters two dif- site is more credible from the informa-
ferent websites, one of that looks tion provided.
more official than the other and in-
cludes 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?
17. In which way should an information Skeptically, because the source may
source be approached if it is stat- lack credibility.
, D265 - WGU - Critical Thinking - Reason and Evidence
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_c3wjhw
ing that it is the only source of real
information and that other sources
cannot be trusted?
18. PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY The principle of charity suggests we
should try to understand ideas before
criticizing them.
19. Which of the following are reasons It is morally right to give others the
for applying the principle of charity? benefit of the doubt.
It allows for a clearer understanding
of the issue.
20. Smith is committed to the belief that Confirmation Bias
technological advancement is al-
ways beneficial and thus never detri-
mental 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 au-
thor's claims about the advantages
of technology but rejects the au-
thor's claims about the disadvan-
tages of technology.
Which cognitive bias is Smith
demonstrating?
21. CONFIRMATION BIAS the tendency to interpret new evi-
dence as confirmation of one's exist-
ing beliefs or theories.
22. COGNITIVE BIAS a systematic thought process caused
by the tendency of the human brain
to simplify information processing
through a filter of personal experience
and preferences.
