WGU D265 Critical Thinking (STUDY THIS
ONE!) Questions and Answers
1. PROPOSITIONS: Are statements that can be true or false
2. NON-PROPOSITONS: Are sentences that are not statements about matters of fact or fiction.
They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
3. SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS: Have no internal logic structure, meaning whether they are true or
false does not depend on whether a part of them is true or false. They are simply true or false on their
own. (Example: Harry Potter wears glasses. The sky is blue.)
4. COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS: Have internal logic structure, meaning they are composed of
simple propo-
sitions. 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. The cat ate the food, but he did not like it. The
GDP of Canada is either $3 trillion or $12 trillion.)
5. CONCLUSION INDICATORS: THEREORE, IT FOLLOWS THAT, AS A RESULT, THUS, &
CONSEQUENTLY.
Acronym to remember:
ACT IT
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,As a result
Consequentl
y
Therefore
It follows
that Thus
6. PREMISE INDICATORS: BECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS, SINCE, AS INDICATED BY &
WHEREAS.
Acronym to
remember:
FAB SWAG
Fo
r
As
Because
Since
Whereas
As indicated by
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16
, Given that
7. DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS: Arguments where the premises guarantee or necessitate the
conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
8. INDUCTION ARGUMENTS: Arguments where the premises make the conclusion
probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
9. INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION: Arguments where
the best available explanation is chosen as the correct explanation.
10. FORMAL FALLACY: Concerns the structure of an argument
11. INFORMAL FALLACY: Concerns the informational content of an argument
12. A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF: Bad Argument Structure
13. PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY: The principle of charity suggests we should try to
understand ideas before criticizing them.
14. CONFIRMATION BIAS: the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's
existing beliefs or theories.
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ONE!) Questions and Answers
1. PROPOSITIONS: Are statements that can be true or false
2. NON-PROPOSITONS: Are sentences that are not statements about matters of fact or fiction.
They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
3. SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS: Have no internal logic structure, meaning whether they are true or
false does not depend on whether a part of them is true or false. They are simply true or false on their
own. (Example: Harry Potter wears glasses. The sky is blue.)
4. COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS: Have internal logic structure, meaning they are composed of
simple propo-
sitions. 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. The cat ate the food, but he did not like it. The
GDP of Canada is either $3 trillion or $12 trillion.)
5. CONCLUSION INDICATORS: THEREORE, IT FOLLOWS THAT, AS A RESULT, THUS, &
CONSEQUENTLY.
Acronym to remember:
ACT IT
1/
16
,As a result
Consequentl
y
Therefore
It follows
that Thus
6. PREMISE INDICATORS: BECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS, SINCE, AS INDICATED BY &
WHEREAS.
Acronym to
remember:
FAB SWAG
Fo
r
As
Because
Since
Whereas
As indicated by
2/
16
, Given that
7. DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS: Arguments where the premises guarantee or necessitate the
conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
8. INDUCTION ARGUMENTS: Arguments where the premises make the conclusion
probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
9. INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION: Arguments where
the best available explanation is chosen as the correct explanation.
10. FORMAL FALLACY: Concerns the structure of an argument
11. INFORMAL FALLACY: Concerns the informational content of an argument
12. A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF: Bad Argument Structure
13. PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY: The principle of charity suggests we should try to
understand ideas before criticizing them.
14. CONFIRMATION BIAS: the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's
existing beliefs or theories.
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