PHIL 347 QUIZ 2 COMPLETE EXAM 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.
Reasons that have nothing to do with the issue of the argument break the rule of
relevance.
Non-Circularity.
Find the conclusion and then find the reasons. Are the reasons true only if the
conclusion is true? If so that is a circular argument.
What is the issue?
It is what the argument is about.
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.
Reasons that have nothing to do with the issue of the argument break the rule of
relevance.
Non-Circularity.
Find the conclusion and then find the reasons. Are the reasons true only if the
conclusion is true? If so that is a circular argument.
What is the issue?
It is what the argument is about.
