SSH 105 CRITICAL THINKING STUDY GUIDE
Coherence Model of Truth - Answers -A theory that states that propositions are true if
they are coherent with a well-supported system of propositions.
Correspondence Principle - Answers -A proposition is true if it is supported by the
evidence, if it describes things as they actually are.
Type - Answers -Refers to formal objects (e.g. type of classes)
Token - Answers -Refers to instances of objects (e.g. number of Chemistry classes)
Principal of Proportional Belief - Answers -It is rational to proportion the strength of
one's belief to the strength of one's evidence.
Strength of Evidence - Answers -Evidence can support a proposition to varying
degrees, since belief carries a range of attitudes from absolute conviction to hesitant
acceptance
Belief Principle - Answers -Whenever a person considers any proposition, that person
must believe the proposition, or disbelieve the proposition, or suspend judgment about
the proposition. A person cannot at any time have more than one of these attitudes
toward one proposition.
Fallibilism - Answers -The principle that propositions concerning empirical knowledge
can be accepted even though they cannot be proved with certainty.
Rational Belief Principle - Answers -The principle that if a person's evidence supports a
proposition, then it is rational for the person to believe that proposition (even if the
evidence is secretly false).
Truth Value - Answers -The truth value of a statement depends on the actual facts in
the world, not how people think or feel about the statement.
Interrogative, Declarative, Imperative - Answers -Three types of sentences.
1. Can you die for me?
2. The bunny is blue.
3. Go through that door young Witterick!
Realism - Answers -Two claims:
1. There are truths in that subject area
2. What these truths are does not depend on anyone's beliefs about them (they're
objective)
E.g. jellybean scenario (we're all realists about the correct number of jellybeans in the
jar)
, Nihilism - Answers -There are no truths in that subject area.
Relativism - Answers -1. There are truths in that subject area but...
2. What the truths are is relative to what someone/many people believe them to be.
Two types:
1. Subjective relativism
2. Social relativism
Proposition - Answers -an idea put forth; a suggestion
Premise - Answers -an assumption; the basis for a conclusion
Conclusion - Answers -A summary based on premises which are rational and logically
follow from each other
Argument - Answers -Set of statements, one of which (the conclusion) is taken to be
supported by the remaining statements (the premises).
Inference - Answers -A process of reasoning from a series of premises that leads to a
conclusion, based on said premises.
Argument Analysis - Answers -The process of identifying, reconstructing, and finally
evaluating an argument.
Four types of respondents - Answers -1. Credulous (Believes everything that he is told)
2. Dogmatist (Has strong convictions in his beliefs and refuses to alter those beliefs in
spite of the evidence) (E.g. Timothy Shields believes the Earth is 6000 years old!?)
3. Contrarian (Disagrees with any and all beliefs mentioned to him just for the hell of it)
4. Skeptic (Prefers to suspend judgement about beliefs and question the evidence)
Four Impediments to Good Reasoning - Answers -1. Lack of an adequate vocabulary
2. Misunderstanding the point of argument analysis (failure to distinguish between the
strength of an argument and its rational strength or literary power)
3. Misconceptions about truth and rationality (Implying there are no truths and that
everything is a matter of opinion)
4. The use of argument stoppers ("That's just your opinion mate" and, "**** off with your
bullshit".
3 components of propositional knowledge - Answers -Belief: You believe that a
statement or proposition is true.
Justification: You have a reason to think the belief is true (i.e. I heard that an elephant
has grey skin).
Truth: An after-the-fact kind of justification which allows you to state an objective fact
about your belief (I saw an elephant with grey skin so elephants have grey skin).
Coherence Model of Truth - Answers -A theory that states that propositions are true if
they are coherent with a well-supported system of propositions.
Correspondence Principle - Answers -A proposition is true if it is supported by the
evidence, if it describes things as they actually are.
Type - Answers -Refers to formal objects (e.g. type of classes)
Token - Answers -Refers to instances of objects (e.g. number of Chemistry classes)
Principal of Proportional Belief - Answers -It is rational to proportion the strength of
one's belief to the strength of one's evidence.
Strength of Evidence - Answers -Evidence can support a proposition to varying
degrees, since belief carries a range of attitudes from absolute conviction to hesitant
acceptance
Belief Principle - Answers -Whenever a person considers any proposition, that person
must believe the proposition, or disbelieve the proposition, or suspend judgment about
the proposition. A person cannot at any time have more than one of these attitudes
toward one proposition.
Fallibilism - Answers -The principle that propositions concerning empirical knowledge
can be accepted even though they cannot be proved with certainty.
Rational Belief Principle - Answers -The principle that if a person's evidence supports a
proposition, then it is rational for the person to believe that proposition (even if the
evidence is secretly false).
Truth Value - Answers -The truth value of a statement depends on the actual facts in
the world, not how people think or feel about the statement.
Interrogative, Declarative, Imperative - Answers -Three types of sentences.
1. Can you die for me?
2. The bunny is blue.
3. Go through that door young Witterick!
Realism - Answers -Two claims:
1. There are truths in that subject area
2. What these truths are does not depend on anyone's beliefs about them (they're
objective)
E.g. jellybean scenario (we're all realists about the correct number of jellybeans in the
jar)
, Nihilism - Answers -There are no truths in that subject area.
Relativism - Answers -1. There are truths in that subject area but...
2. What the truths are is relative to what someone/many people believe them to be.
Two types:
1. Subjective relativism
2. Social relativism
Proposition - Answers -an idea put forth; a suggestion
Premise - Answers -an assumption; the basis for a conclusion
Conclusion - Answers -A summary based on premises which are rational and logically
follow from each other
Argument - Answers -Set of statements, one of which (the conclusion) is taken to be
supported by the remaining statements (the premises).
Inference - Answers -A process of reasoning from a series of premises that leads to a
conclusion, based on said premises.
Argument Analysis - Answers -The process of identifying, reconstructing, and finally
evaluating an argument.
Four types of respondents - Answers -1. Credulous (Believes everything that he is told)
2. Dogmatist (Has strong convictions in his beliefs and refuses to alter those beliefs in
spite of the evidence) (E.g. Timothy Shields believes the Earth is 6000 years old!?)
3. Contrarian (Disagrees with any and all beliefs mentioned to him just for the hell of it)
4. Skeptic (Prefers to suspend judgement about beliefs and question the evidence)
Four Impediments to Good Reasoning - Answers -1. Lack of an adequate vocabulary
2. Misunderstanding the point of argument analysis (failure to distinguish between the
strength of an argument and its rational strength or literary power)
3. Misconceptions about truth and rationality (Implying there are no truths and that
everything is a matter of opinion)
4. The use of argument stoppers ("That's just your opinion mate" and, "**** off with your
bullshit".
3 components of propositional knowledge - Answers -Belief: You believe that a
statement or proposition is true.
Justification: You have a reason to think the belief is true (i.e. I heard that an elephant
has grey skin).
Truth: An after-the-fact kind of justification which allows you to state an objective fact
about your belief (I saw an elephant with grey skin so elephants have grey skin).
