Good Reasoning Matters! : A Constructive Approach to Critical Thinking

by Groarke, Leo A.; Tindale, Christopher W.

• ISBN13: 9780195425413
• ISBN10: 0195425413
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-04-21
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Summary

We are inundated every day with competing messages from a range of sources, from Internet pop-up windows to bumper stickers. Whether they're soliciting our support for a cause or exhorting us to buy a product, these messages contain arguments and counter-arguments that, taken together, are sometimes contradictory and often confusing.

Author Biography

Christopher W. Tindale is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Windsor.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. xi
Acknowledgements	p. xiii
Getting Started: Looking for an Argument	p. 1
Arguments	p. 1
Exercise 1A	p. 4
Arguers, Audiences, and Opponents	p. 5
Exercise 1B	p. 9
Simple and Extended Arguments	p. 10
Exercise 1C	p. 11
Distinguishing Arguments from Non-arguments: Logical Indicators	p. 12
Exercise 1D	p. 14
Arguments without Indicator Words	p. 5
Exercise 1E	p. 19
Arguments and Explanations	p. 20
Exercise 1F	p. 24
Argument Narratives	p. 25
Exercise 1G	p. 25
Major Exercise 1M	p. 26
Argument Diagrams: Pointing the Way	p. 33
Argument Diagrams	p. 33
Exercise 2A	p. 38
Linked and Convergent Premises	p. 38
Exercise 2B	p. 43
Supplemented Diagrams	p. 44
Exercise 2C	p. 46
Diagramming Your Own Arguments	p. 48
Exercise 2D	p. 49
Major Exercise 2M	p. 50
Implicit Argument Components: Filling in the Blanks	p. 53
Speech Acts and the Principles of Communication	p. 53
Exercise 3A	p. 55
Hidden Conclusions	p. 56
Exercise 3B	p. 58
Hidden Premises	p. 59
Exercise 3C	p. 62
Non-verbal Elements in Argument: Flags and Demonstrations	p. 63
Exercise 3D	p. 69
Symbolic References and Metaphors	p. 69
Exercise 3E	p. 77
A Note on Argument Construction	p. 78
Exercise 3F	p. 79
Major Exercise 3M	p. 79
Definitions: Saying What You Mean	p. 84
Using Words Precisely	p. 85
Exercise 4A	p. 87
Vagueness and Ambiguity	p. 88
Exercise 4B	p. 92
Formulating Definitions	p. 96
Exercise 4C	p. 100
Rules for Good Definitions	p. 103
Exercise 4D	p. 106
Expressing Your Intended Meaning	p. 109
Major Exercise 4M	p. 110
Bias: Reading between the Lines	p. 114
Bias and Perspective	p. 114
Exercise 5A	p. 120
Detecting Illegitimate Biases	p. 121
Exercise 5B	p. 128
Difficult Cases	p. 128
Exercise 5C	p. 132
Major Exercise 5M	p. 132
Strong and Weak Arguments: Preparing for Evaluations	p. 139
Strong Arguments	p. 140
Exercise 6A	p. 143
Burden of Proof	p. 144
Exercise 6B	p. 145
Valid and Invalid Arguments	p. 146
Exercise 6C	p. 149
Argument Schemes	p. 150
Exercise 6D	p. 153
Major Exercise 6M	p. 154
Syllogisms I: Classifying Arguments	p. 160
Categorical Statements	p. 161
Exercise 7A	p. 165
Immediate Inferences	p. 166
Exercise 7B	p. 170
Categorical Syllogisms	p. 170
Exercise 7C	p. 173
Venn Diagrams	p. 174
Major Exercise 7M	p. 185
Syllogisms II: Testing Classes	p. 190
Full Schematization	p. 190
Exercise 8A	p. 192
Rules of Validity	p. 192
Exercise 8B	p. 196
Procedural Points	p. 196
Exercise 8C	p. 197
Major Exercise 8M	p. 198
Propositional Logic I: Some Ifs, Ands, and Buts	p. 202
Simple and Complex Propositions	p. 202
Exercise 9A	p. 206
Disjunctions and Conditionals	p. 207
Exercise 9B	p. 210
Translation	p. 212
Exercise 9C	p. 216
Propositional Schemes and Proofs	p. 218
Exercise 9D	p. 227
Major Exercise 9M	p. 229
Propositional Logic II: Conditional Proofs, Dilemmas, and Reductios	p. 234
Conditional Proofs	p. 234
Exercise 10A	p. 237
Reductio ad Absurdum	p. 237
Exercise 10B	p. 240
Dilemmas	p. 240
Exercise 10C	p. 245
De Morgan's Laws	p. 245
Exercise 10D	p. 246
Summary: Rules of Inference	p. 246
Major Exercise 10M	p. 247
Ordinary Reasoning: Assessing the Basics	p. 255
Acceptability	p. 257
Exercise 11A	p. 260
Belief Systems and Acceptability	p. 260
Exercise 11B	p. 263
Premise Acceptability	p. 264
Exercise 11C	p. 268
Further Conditions of Unacceptability	p. 268
Exercise 11D	p. 271
Internal Relevance	p. 272
Exercise 11E	p. 275
Contextual Relevance	p. 277
Exercise 11F	p. 281
Sufficiency	p. 281
Exercise 11G	p. 284
Applying the Criteria	p. 285
Major Exercise 11M	p. 288
Empirical Schemes of Argument: Nothing but the Facts	p. 293
Generalizations	p. 294
Exercise 12A	p. 300
Polling	p. 301
Exercise 12B	p. 307
Causal Reasoning	p. 311
Exercise 12C	p. 317
Appeals to Ignorance	p. 319
Exercise 12D	p. 321
The Methods of Science	p. 322
Exercise 12E	p. 328
Major Exercise 12M	p. 329
Moral and Political Reasoning: Schemes of Value	p. 336
Slippery-slope Arguments	p. 337
Exercise 13A	p. 340
Arguments from Analogy	p. 340
Exercise 13B	p. 347
Appeals to Precedent	p. 349
Exercise 13C	p. 351
Two-wrongs Reasoning	p. 352
Exercise 13D	p. 360
Major Exercise 13M	p. 361
Ethotic Schemes: Judging Character	p. 367
Pro Homine	p. 368
Exercise 14A	p. 369
Ad Populum Arguments	p. 370
Exercise 14B	p. 372
Arguments from Authority	p. 372
Exercise 14C	p. 378
Ad Hominem	p. 378
Exercise 14D	p. 381
Arguments Against Authority	p. 382
Exercise 14E	p. 384
Guilt (and Honour) by Association	p. 384
Exercise 14F	p. 387
Other Cases	p. 387
Exercise 14G	p. 389
Major Exercise 14M	p. 389
Argumentative Writing: Essaying an Argument	p. 397
The Good Evaluative Critique	p. 398
Exercise 15A	p. 401
The Good Argumentative Essay	p. 405
Exercise 15B	p. 410
A Student's Paper	p. 410
Conclusion	p. 420
Major Exercise 15M	p. 420
Selected Answers	p. 421
Index	p. 491
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