PHIL 341 Midterm Study Guide: Critical
Thinking Concepts ACTUAL UPDATED
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Claim - CORRECT ANSWER -A statement that can be true or false. 'Chocolate is better
than vanilla.'
Issue - CORRECT ANSWER -A question when people disagree about a claim. 'Should AI
write books?'
Objective vs. Subjective - CORRECT ANSWER -Objective: fact-based; Subjective:
opinion-based. Objective: 'Water boils at 100°C.' Subjective: 'Jazz is best.'
Belief Bias - CORRECT ANSWER -Judging argument based on conclusion not logic.
Believing bad arguments because you agree with them.
Confirmation Bias - CORRECT ANSWER -Favoring evidence that supports your views.
Ignoring disconfirming political articles.
Availability Heuristic - CORRECT ANSWER -Estimating likelihood based on memory.
Thinking flying is unsafe after hearing crash news.
False Consensus Effect - CORRECT ANSWER -Thinking more people agree with you
than actually do. 'Everyone loves this movie!'
Bandwagon Effect - CORRECT ANSWER -Believing something because others do.
Buying trending clothes.
Negativity Bias - CORRECT ANSWER -Focusing more on negatives. Remembering
criticism over praise.
, Loss Aversion - CORRECT ANSWER -Hating losses more than liking gains. Keeping a
bad stock to avoid loss.
In-group Bias - CORRECT ANSWER -Favoring your group. Thinking your school is
better just because you go there.
Fundamental Attribution Error - CORRECT ANSWER -Blaming others' character, not
context. Calling someone lazy for being late, ignoring traffic.
Obedience to Authority - CORRECT ANSWER -Following authority over judgment.
Milgram's shock experiment.
Overconfidence Effect - CORRECT ANSWER -Overestimating your knowledge/skills.
Thinking you aced a test and failing.
Better-than-Average Effect - CORRECT ANSWER -Believing you're better than most.
Most drivers rate themselves above average.
Argument - CORRECT ANSWER -Group of statements with premises and conclusion.
'Socrates is mortal' based on two premises.
Deductive Argument - CORRECT ANSWER -Premises guarantee conclusion. All
mammals breathe. Whales are mammals → whales breathe.
Valid vs. Sound - CORRECT ANSWER -Valid: structure correct. Sound: valid + true
premises. Valid but unsound: All cats are dogs → flawed logic.
Inductive Argument - CORRECT ANSWER -Premises make conclusion probable. 90% of
students are left-handed → next likely is too.
Thinking Concepts ACTUAL UPDATED
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Claim - CORRECT ANSWER -A statement that can be true or false. 'Chocolate is better
than vanilla.'
Issue - CORRECT ANSWER -A question when people disagree about a claim. 'Should AI
write books?'
Objective vs. Subjective - CORRECT ANSWER -Objective: fact-based; Subjective:
opinion-based. Objective: 'Water boils at 100°C.' Subjective: 'Jazz is best.'
Belief Bias - CORRECT ANSWER -Judging argument based on conclusion not logic.
Believing bad arguments because you agree with them.
Confirmation Bias - CORRECT ANSWER -Favoring evidence that supports your views.
Ignoring disconfirming political articles.
Availability Heuristic - CORRECT ANSWER -Estimating likelihood based on memory.
Thinking flying is unsafe after hearing crash news.
False Consensus Effect - CORRECT ANSWER -Thinking more people agree with you
than actually do. 'Everyone loves this movie!'
Bandwagon Effect - CORRECT ANSWER -Believing something because others do.
Buying trending clothes.
Negativity Bias - CORRECT ANSWER -Focusing more on negatives. Remembering
criticism over praise.
, Loss Aversion - CORRECT ANSWER -Hating losses more than liking gains. Keeping a
bad stock to avoid loss.
In-group Bias - CORRECT ANSWER -Favoring your group. Thinking your school is
better just because you go there.
Fundamental Attribution Error - CORRECT ANSWER -Blaming others' character, not
context. Calling someone lazy for being late, ignoring traffic.
Obedience to Authority - CORRECT ANSWER -Following authority over judgment.
Milgram's shock experiment.
Overconfidence Effect - CORRECT ANSWER -Overestimating your knowledge/skills.
Thinking you aced a test and failing.
Better-than-Average Effect - CORRECT ANSWER -Believing you're better than most.
Most drivers rate themselves above average.
Argument - CORRECT ANSWER -Group of statements with premises and conclusion.
'Socrates is mortal' based on two premises.
Deductive Argument - CORRECT ANSWER -Premises guarantee conclusion. All
mammals breathe. Whales are mammals → whales breathe.
Valid vs. Sound - CORRECT ANSWER -Valid: structure correct. Sound: valid + true
premises. Valid but unsound: All cats are dogs → flawed logic.
Inductive Argument - CORRECT ANSWER -Premises make conclusion probable. 90% of
students are left-handed → next likely is too.
