D265 Critical Thinking
1. Propositions or Statements expressed in sentences that CAN BE either true or false
example: The sun never rises on Tuesday.
2. Description of a proposition being It needs to accurately represent the case or else it is false
true
3. Non-propositions expressed in sentences that CANNOT BE true or false.
They cannot disagree
Example: commands, questions, requests, exhorts, per-
form
4. Complex propositions Complex propositions have internal logical 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".
5. Complex propositions True or simple propositions that make them up are true or false.
False is dependent on? How they are connected.
6. argument A statement put forth and supported by evidence regard-
less of being valid or invalid.
Arguments need support not an explanation as to why.
Example: (The argument)
"We know the student cheated on the exam because the
instructor caught the student stealing glances at their
neighbor's test".
-Versus-
Explanation example: (Not an argument)
, D265 Critical Thinking
"The student only cheated on the exam because their
financial aid depends on it".
7. premise Claims, evidence, and ideas intended to provide support.
They are assumptions we are asked to make.
"What's the point?"
8. Conclusion A claim that the whole argument is supporting, providing
or demonstrating.
"Thats the point"
9. premise indicator words because, since, in view of the fact, given that, for the
reason that, due to the fact that, this follow, in that, for, as,
as indicated
10. simple proposition Contains no internal logic structure, meaning they are true
or false on their own, but based on how the world is.
example: The sky is blue.
11. Given that international tensions A new approach to diplomacy is needed.
are high, and as open military
conflict is growing more likely, we
can infer that a new approach to
diplomacy is needed. So let's stop
making the same mistakes we al-
ways made in the past.
Which proposition is the conclu-
sion of the above argument.
12. Independent propositions indica- either...or...
tors if.....then...
but
, D265 Critical Thinking
and
or
13. mental heuristics Unconscious cognitive shortcuts for reasoning about
something hard to think about directly (the target at-
tribute), by reasoning instead about something else con-
nected to it that's easier to think about (the heuristic at-
tribute).
14. Conclusion indicators Therefore, Thus, so, it follows that, as a result, we may
conclude that, Hence, entails that, implies that
15. Does the presence of an indicator No, because a conclusion may be interrupted by a clause
word mean it follows what is indi- stating a premise, vice versa.
cated? Example:
16. The conclusion is always at the No, the conclusion is not always at the end and the end is
end? not always an argument.
17. Non-arguments includes explanations, stories, or sets of statements, w/o
an inference.
18. Inference/Inferring The process of making an inference, an interpretation
based on observations and prior knowledge.
19. Deductive Argument Intend to prove their conclusions are necessarily true.
20. Inductive Argument The premises demonstrate that their conclusions
are probable.
Probable like: analogies, authority, scientific reasoning
It commonly happens when we see something reoccur, we
generalize how things will happen in the future.
1. Propositions or Statements expressed in sentences that CAN BE either true or false
example: The sun never rises on Tuesday.
2. Description of a proposition being It needs to accurately represent the case or else it is false
true
3. Non-propositions expressed in sentences that CANNOT BE true or false.
They cannot disagree
Example: commands, questions, requests, exhorts, per-
form
4. Complex propositions Complex propositions have internal logical 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".
5. Complex propositions True or simple propositions that make them up are true or false.
False is dependent on? How they are connected.
6. argument A statement put forth and supported by evidence regard-
less of being valid or invalid.
Arguments need support not an explanation as to why.
Example: (The argument)
"We know the student cheated on the exam because the
instructor caught the student stealing glances at their
neighbor's test".
-Versus-
Explanation example: (Not an argument)
, D265 Critical Thinking
"The student only cheated on the exam because their
financial aid depends on it".
7. premise Claims, evidence, and ideas intended to provide support.
They are assumptions we are asked to make.
"What's the point?"
8. Conclusion A claim that the whole argument is supporting, providing
or demonstrating.
"Thats the point"
9. premise indicator words because, since, in view of the fact, given that, for the
reason that, due to the fact that, this follow, in that, for, as,
as indicated
10. simple proposition Contains no internal logic structure, meaning they are true
or false on their own, but based on how the world is.
example: The sky is blue.
11. Given that international tensions A new approach to diplomacy is needed.
are high, and as open military
conflict is growing more likely, we
can infer that a new approach to
diplomacy is needed. So let's stop
making the same mistakes we al-
ways made in the past.
Which proposition is the conclu-
sion of the above argument.
12. Independent propositions indica- either...or...
tors if.....then...
but
, D265 Critical Thinking
and
or
13. mental heuristics Unconscious cognitive shortcuts for reasoning about
something hard to think about directly (the target at-
tribute), by reasoning instead about something else con-
nected to it that's easier to think about (the heuristic at-
tribute).
14. Conclusion indicators Therefore, Thus, so, it follows that, as a result, we may
conclude that, Hence, entails that, implies that
15. Does the presence of an indicator No, because a conclusion may be interrupted by a clause
word mean it follows what is indi- stating a premise, vice versa.
cated? Example:
16. The conclusion is always at the No, the conclusion is not always at the end and the end is
end? not always an argument.
17. Non-arguments includes explanations, stories, or sets of statements, w/o
an inference.
18. Inference/Inferring The process of making an inference, an interpretation
based on observations and prior knowledge.
19. Deductive Argument Intend to prove their conclusions are necessarily true.
20. Inductive Argument The premises demonstrate that their conclusions
are probable.
Probable like: analogies, authority, scientific reasoning
It commonly happens when we see something reoccur, we
generalize how things will happen in the future.
