WGU D265 CRITICAL THINKING LATEST
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
SURE A+
✔✔strong argument - ✔✔A strong argument is a non-deductive argument that succeeds
in providing probable, but not conclusive, logical support for its conclusion.
✔✔cogent argument - ✔✔A cogent argument is an inductive argument that is both
strong and all of its premises are true.
✔✔uncogent argument - ✔✔An uncogent argument is an inductive argument that is
either weak or has at least one false premise.
✔✔Denying the Antecedent - ✔✔also known as inverse error and fallacy of the inverse,
is a logical fallacy whereby someone fallaciously makes an inverse deduction in a
conditional statement. It takes one cause as a condition for something else to occur and
then states that the latter won't occur when the condition is observed to be untrue.
✔✔representativeness - ✔✔is a logical fallacy whereby someone fallaciously makes an
inverse deduction in a conditional statement. It takes one cause as a condition for
something else to occur and then states that the latter won't occur when the condition is
observed to be untrue.
✔✔Affirming the Consequent - ✔✔is a logical fallacy that involves taking a true
statement and assuming the converse form would be true as well. Formally, we can
represent this fallacy as follows: If X is the case, then Y is also the case. Y is true, so X
must be true as well.
✔✔anchoring and adjustment - ✔✔the tendency to judge the frequency or likelihood of
an event by using a starting point (called an anchor) and then making adjustments up or
down (a cognitive heuristic where a person starts off with an initial idea and adjusts their
beliefs based on this starting point.)
, ✔✔availability - ✔✔estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in
memory; if instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness), we
presume such events are common EX: two girls saw a plane crash on the news and
cancel their flight presuming they will meet the same fate.
✔✔Principle of Charity - ✔✔we should choose the reconstructed argument that gives
the benefit of the doubt to the person presenting the argument
✔✔the fallacy fallacy - ✔✔is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone assumes that if
an argument contains a logical fallacy, then its conclusion must be false.
✔✔Inference - ✔✔A conclusion one can draw from the presented details. EX: "if there is
a storm, then the office is closed." means "if the office is closed, then I don't go to work."
✔✔weak argument - ✔✔a non-deductive argument that fails to provide probable
support for its conclusion.
✔✔D265 - WGU - Critical Thinking - Reason and Evidence - ✔✔
✔✔D265 - WGU - Critical Thinking - Reason and Evidence - ✔✔
✔✔ PROPOSITIONS - ✔✔Are statements that can be true or false
✔✔NON-PROPOSITONS - ✔✔Are 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 - ✔✔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. (Example: Harry Potter wears glasses. The sky is
blue.)
✔✔COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS - ✔✔Have 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 - ✔✔AND, OR, EITHER, BUT, IF,
THEN.
✔✔CONCLUSION INDICATORS - ✔✔THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT,
HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT,
WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
SURE A+
✔✔strong argument - ✔✔A strong argument is a non-deductive argument that succeeds
in providing probable, but not conclusive, logical support for its conclusion.
✔✔cogent argument - ✔✔A cogent argument is an inductive argument that is both
strong and all of its premises are true.
✔✔uncogent argument - ✔✔An uncogent argument is an inductive argument that is
either weak or has at least one false premise.
✔✔Denying the Antecedent - ✔✔also known as inverse error and fallacy of the inverse,
is a logical fallacy whereby someone fallaciously makes an inverse deduction in a
conditional statement. It takes one cause as a condition for something else to occur and
then states that the latter won't occur when the condition is observed to be untrue.
✔✔representativeness - ✔✔is a logical fallacy whereby someone fallaciously makes an
inverse deduction in a conditional statement. It takes one cause as a condition for
something else to occur and then states that the latter won't occur when the condition is
observed to be untrue.
✔✔Affirming the Consequent - ✔✔is a logical fallacy that involves taking a true
statement and assuming the converse form would be true as well. Formally, we can
represent this fallacy as follows: If X is the case, then Y is also the case. Y is true, so X
must be true as well.
✔✔anchoring and adjustment - ✔✔the tendency to judge the frequency or likelihood of
an event by using a starting point (called an anchor) and then making adjustments up or
down (a cognitive heuristic where a person starts off with an initial idea and adjusts their
beliefs based on this starting point.)
, ✔✔availability - ✔✔estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in
memory; if instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness), we
presume such events are common EX: two girls saw a plane crash on the news and
cancel their flight presuming they will meet the same fate.
✔✔Principle of Charity - ✔✔we should choose the reconstructed argument that gives
the benefit of the doubt to the person presenting the argument
✔✔the fallacy fallacy - ✔✔is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone assumes that if
an argument contains a logical fallacy, then its conclusion must be false.
✔✔Inference - ✔✔A conclusion one can draw from the presented details. EX: "if there is
a storm, then the office is closed." means "if the office is closed, then I don't go to work."
✔✔weak argument - ✔✔a non-deductive argument that fails to provide probable
support for its conclusion.
✔✔D265 - WGU - Critical Thinking - Reason and Evidence - ✔✔
✔✔D265 - WGU - Critical Thinking - Reason and Evidence - ✔✔
✔✔ PROPOSITIONS - ✔✔Are statements that can be true or false
✔✔NON-PROPOSITONS - ✔✔Are 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 - ✔✔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. (Example: Harry Potter wears glasses. The sky is
blue.)
✔✔COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS - ✔✔Have 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 - ✔✔AND, OR, EITHER, BUT, IF,
THEN.
✔✔CONCLUSION INDICATORS - ✔✔THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT,
HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT,
WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
