QUESTIONS WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS
True or false: Claims can be presented without reasons or background information.
True.
A critical thinking assesses the _______ of the source and the __________ of the claim itself.
Credibility, plausibility.
When presented with a claim with no reasons, the critical thinker has options:
Evaluate the credibility of the person making the claim,
examine the plausibility of the claim itself,
investigate the claim independently
The rules of an argument:
1. Truthfulness of the premises.
2. Logical strength.
3. Reasons relevant to the claim.
4. Non-circularity.
If a claim is plausible (reasonable), but the reader is unable to investigate the claim independently,
what will the reader do next?
Evaluate authority and expertise of the speaker.
What is an expert?
A person who is learned and experienced in a particular area of study. Unbiased. Free of conflicts of
interests and informed about the case at hand.
True or false: There are times evidence is not available and we cannot evaluate the authority of the
speaker.
True.
If a claim cannot be confirmed or disconfirmed, does that make the claim false?
No, the reader will suspend judgment. (evidence must be found to confirm or disconfirm a claim)
Fallacies of Relevance
Reasons unrelated to the issue of the argument.
Truthfulness of the premises.
To the best of our knowledge, are the reasons, true?
Logical Strength.
Do the premises logically and reasonably justify the conclusion? Are the reasons logical basis for the
speaker's claim?
Reasons relevant to the claim.