Thinking Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving ( PDFDrive )

control groups, 274 photographic, 161
correlation, 76, 166 statistical, 269–77
corroborative evidence, 145–6, 153, 163 exhaustive searches, 98–9
counter-arguments, 47–8, 177–81 expertise, 151
counter-examples, 192 explanations, 25, 137–42
creative thinking, 2 explicit assumptions, 63
credibility, 150–3 eyewitness accounts, 145, 151–2
critical evaluation, 183–90
Critical Thinking (academic discipline), 7–8 facts, and opinions, 16–17
cynicism, 9 fairness, arguments from, 188
fallacies, 70–7
data, 86–8 false cause, 76
analysis, 225–7 flawed reasoning, 70, 73–4, 184
processing, 90–2 flow diagrams, 249–50
raw, 144, 269–70 further argument, 191–4
scientific, 163
selectivity, 270–4 generalisations, 26, 71
genre, 196–7
decision trees, 242–4, 283–5 graphical information, 86, 87, 102–4
decision making, 123–4, 279–85 graphical methods of solution, 235–7
declarative sentences, 16
deductive reasoning, 256–7, 260 heuristic methods, 82
deep-rooted assumptions, 67–8 hidden premises, 64–5
definition, claims by, 24 ‘higher order’ skills, 1
degree, differences of, 289–91 hypotheses, 18–19, 106–9, 168
deontology, 292–3 hypothetical claims, 25, 251
diagrammatic information, 86, 88
differences of degree, 289–91 imaginative thinking, 2
differences of kind, 289–91 imperative sentences, 16
diffuse conclusions, 54–5 implicit assumptions, 63, 65–6
dilemmas, 309–10 implicit conclusions, 60–1, 126
direct evidence, 145 inadmissible evidence, 151
directed searches, 98–9 independent thinking, 9
distracters, 53 indirect evidence, 145
documents, 7 induction, 263
inference, 38, 74–5, 106–9, 126–35, 225–7
elimination of incorrect answers, 247 inference indicators, 28
embedded arguments, 46–7 insufficient reason, 72–3
ethical arguments, 187–8, 291–4 interdependent premises, 39
Euler diagrams, 256–7 intermediate answers, 93
evaluation, 22, 183–90 intermediate conclusions, 43
evidence, 144–8 interrogative sentences, 16
investigations, 220–3
anecdotal, 71–2
circumstantial, 145 jumping to conclusions, 75, 139
corroborative, 145–6, 153, 163 justified claims, 21–3
‘hearsay’, 11, 145
inadmissible, 151

346 Index

Kant, Immanuel, 293 principle of charity, 52, 201
kind, differences of, 289–91 principles, 287–94
knowledge, 24 probability, 17–18, 24, 240–4, 280
Köhler, Wolfgang, 2 ‘putting the answer back’, 246

logic, 254–61 qualification of judgements, 24
logical forms, 252 quantitative data, 106–9
lowest common multiples (LCMs), 233 questions, rhetorical, 19

mapping, of arguments, 180 raw data, 144, 269–70
mathematical models, 119–21, 211–18 reason, insufficient, 72–3
methods of solution, 93–6 reason indicators, 28
mistaken cause, 76 reasoning, 2
mixed arguments, 41–2
models, 119–21, 211–18 circular, 189
multiple conclusions, 52–4 deductive, 256–7, 260
flawed, 70, 73–4, 184
necessary and sufficient conditions, 249–52 non-deductive, 262–8
necessity, 116–17 spatial, 112–14
neutrality, and credibility, 152 with statistics, 269–77
non sequitur, 59, 60 suppositional, 157, 251
non-deductive reasoning, 262–8 reasons, 58–61, 106–9
and conclusions, 28
objective claims, 17 insufficient, 72–3
observations, scientific, 163 recommendations, 19
open mindedness, 9 reflection, 2
opinion, popular, 131–3 relevance, 59–60
opinions, facts and, 16–17 reported arguments, 46–7
reputation, 151
particular claims, 26, 71 ‘restricting the options’, 173
pattern recognition, 102–4 rhetoric, 186
peer review, 164 rhetorical questions, 19
percentages, 231–2
permutations, 233 safe inferences, 126, 128
photographic evidence, 161 scepticism, 9
pictorial information, 86, 88 science, critical thinking in, 126–8, 163–9
plausibility, 138–9, 141, 150 searching, 98–100
popular opinion, 131, 131–3 selective searches, 99
post hoc fallacies, 75–6 selectivity of data, 270–4
pragmatics, 291 ‘slippery slope’ flaws, 188–9, 290–1
predictions, 17–18 ‘smoking gun’ evidence, 145–6
pre-emptive moves, 178 solution, methods of, 93–6
premise indicators, 28 sorites paradox, 291
premises, 29, 58–61 sound arguments, 70, 254–61
sources of claims, 150
hidden, 64–5 spatial reasoning, 112–14
interdependent, 39 standards, for judging claims, 23–4
missing, 66–7 statements, 16

Index 347

conditional, 250–1 truth, 21, 22
by witnesses, 145, 151–2 tu quoque fallacy, 268
statistical evidence, 269–77 two-dimensional reasoning, 112–14
‘straw man’ flaws, 38, 188–9
strong claims, 25–6, 72 unjustified claims, 22
sub-arguments, 43 unsafe inferences, 126, 128
subjective claims, 17 unsound arguments, 70, 254
sufficiency, 116–17 utilitarianism, 292
sufficient conditions, 249–52
suggestions, 19 valid arguments, 254–61
suppositional reasoning, 157, 251 value, 280
synthesis, 301, 309–10 value judgements, 17
Venn diagrams, 95, 236–7
tabular information, 86–7, 102–4 verbal information, 87, 102–4
testimony, 145 vested interests, 152
texts, 7, 196–7
thinking, creative, 2 warranted claims, 21–3
three-dimensional reasoning, 112–14 weak claims, 25–6, 72
tree diagrams, 241, 283 witness statements, 145, 151–2
trust, 21

348 Index