Buch, Englisch, 600 Seiten, Paperback, Format (B × H): 258 mm x 205 mm, Gewicht: 1066 g
Buch, Englisch, 600 Seiten, Paperback, Format (B × H): 258 mm x 205 mm, Gewicht: 1066 g
ISBN: 978-1-55481-393-3
Verlag: Broadview Press Ltd
The Critical Thinking Book covers not only standard topics such as definitions, fallacies, and argument identification, but also other pertinent themes such as consumer choice in a market economy and political choice in a representative democracy. Interesting historical asides are included throughout, as are images, diagrams, and reflective questions. A wealth of exercises is provided, both within the text and on a supplemental website for instructors.
Autoren/Hrsg.
Weitere Infos & Material
Part One: The Elements of Critical Thinking: Statements, Questions, Arguments, Cases, and DialoguesChapter 1: Critical Thinking: Developing an Effective Worldview - 1. Critical Thinking and Mental Models
- 2. Clarity and Consistency
- 3. Relevance
- 4. Justification and Explanatory/Predictive Power
- 5. The Usefulness of Critical Thinking
- 6. Impediments to Critical Thinking
- 7. Critical Thinking as an Academic Discipline
- 8. The Organization of This Book
Chapter 2: Assertions - 1. Assertions and Sentences
- 2. Statement Forms: Simple and Compound
- 3. Statement Forms: Particular and General
- 4. Statement Content: Necessary versus Contingent
- 5. Statement Content: Descriptive versus Evaluative
Chapter 3: Questions - 1. Questions and Sentences
- 2. Types of Questions
- 3. Responsive Answers
- 4. Fallacies of Questions
Chapter 4: Identifying Single Arguments - 1. Premises and Conclusions
- 2. Identifying Single Arguments: Rhetorical Devices
- 3. Identifying Single Arguments: Rhetorical Expansion
- 4. Identifying Single Arguments: Rhetorical Compression
- 5. Telling Arguments from Other Things
- 6. The Uses of Arguments
- 7. Two Types of Evidential Relations
- 8. Deductive Argument Forms
- 9. Inductive Argument Forms and the IBE
Chapter 5: Multiple Arguments, Cases, and Dialogues - 1. Diagramming Multiple Arguments
- 2. The Case Structure
- 3. The IBE as a Compressed Case
- 4. Dialogues
Part Two: The Goals of Critical Thinking: Clarity, Relevance, Consistency, Justification, and Explanatory PowerChapter 6: Pitfalls of Language - 1. Pitfalls of Language
- 2. Verbosity and Jargon
- 3. Vagueness
- 4. Loaded Language and Circular Argument
- 5. Understatement and Overstatement
- 6. Ambiguity
- 7. Synonymy
- 8. Figurative Language
- 9. Review of Major Fallacies Discussed so Far
Chapter 7: Definition, Classification, and Concept Mapping - 1. Three Tools for Organizing Thought and Clarifying Language
- 2. Types of Definition
- 3. Sense and Reference
- 4. Methods of Definition
- 5. Rules for Explicit Definitions
- 6. Analogical Definition
- 7. Classification
- 8. Concept Mapping
Chapter 8: Topical Relevance - 1. Relevance and Questions
- 2. Fallacies of Refusing to Answer
- 3. Fallacies of Irrelevant Emotional Appeal
- 4. Fallacies of Ignoring the Issue
- 5. How to Explain Fallacies of Relevance
- 6. Review of the Major Fallacies Discussed so Far
Chapter 9: Deductive Reasoning I: Truth-Functional Logic - 1. Two Types of Consistency
- 2. Cognitive Dissonance Theory
- 3. Basic Concepts of Deductive Logic
- 4. Truth Table Calculations
- 5. Symbolization
- 6. Truth Table Testing for Consistency
- 7. Truth Table Testing for Implication and Validity
- 8. Truth Table Testing for Other Deductive Concepts
- 9. Summary
Chapter 10: Deductive Reasoning II: Class Logic - 1. A Closer Look at Statements
- 2. Statements Involving Two Classes
- 3. Venn Testing for Consistency
- 4. Venn Testing for Implication and Validity
- 5. Venn Testing for Other Concepts
- 6. Summary of Concepts
- 7. The Limitations of Truth-Functional and Class Logic
Chapter 11: Inductive Reasoning I: Observation, Memory, and Testimony - 1. Sensing, Observing, and Reporting
- 2. Assessing Observation
- 3. Special Issues Concerning Observation in Natural Science
- 4. Assessing Memory
- 5. Assessing Eyewitness Testimony
- 6. Assessing Expert Testimony
- 7. The Fallacy of Faulty Appeal to Authority
- 8. Special Issues Concerning Expert Testimony in Journalism
- 9. Special Issues Concerning Expert Testimony in Legal Proceedings
- 10. Observation, Memory, and Testimony IBE and CBE
Chapter 12: Inductive Reasoning II: Inductive Generalization and Inductive Instantiation - 1. The Pervasiveness of Inductive Generalization
- 2. Criteria for Assessing Generalizations
- 3. The Fallacy of Faulty Generalization
- 4. Defeasibility and General Rules
- 5. The Statistical Syllogism
- 6. The Fallacy of Faulty Instantiation
- 7. A Common Confusion
- 8. Inductive Generalization and Inductive Instantiation as IBE and CBE
- 9. Stereotypes and Prejudice
Chapter 13: Inductive Reasoning III: Analogies - 1. The Uses of Analogy
- 2. Descriptive and Definitional Analogies
- 3. Assessing Analogical Arguments
- 4. The Heuristic Use of Analogies
- 5. Models in Science
- 6. Analogies in Legal Reasoning
- 7. Analogical Arguments as IBE and CBE
Chapter 14: Inductive Reasoning IV: Causal Inference - 1. The Relation of Cause and Effect
- 2. Evidence for Causal Claims: Temporal and Statistical Linkages
- 3. Establishing Deterministic Causes
- 4. A More Formal Approach to Causal Reasoning
- 5. Establishing Statistical Causes
- 6. Special Issues in Medical and Pharmaceutical Research
- 7. The Fallacy of Faulty Causal Reasoning
- 8. Causal Inference as IBE and CBE
- 9. Review of the Five Inductive Fallacies
- 10. Review of All of the Previous Major Fallacies
Chapter 15: Inductive Reasoning V: Explanation, Hypothesis, and Prediction - 1. Key Concepts
- 2. Types of Explanation
- 3. A Closer Look at Causal Explanations
- 4. Rules for Forming Hypotheses
- 5. Rules for Assessing Hypotheses
Part Three: Applications of Critical Thinking: Decisions in a Democratic Market EconomyChapter 16: Classical Decision Theory: Its Uses and Problems - 1. Utility and Preferences
- 2. Decision under Certainty: The Rational Choice Model
- 3. Decision under Risk
- 4. Decision under Uncertainty
- 5. Decision under Conflict
- 6. Challenges to Classical Decision Theory I: Several Narrow Criticisms
- 7. Challenges to Classical Decision Theory II: The Opacity of Costs and Benefits
- 8. Challenges to Classical Decision Theory III: Behavioral Decision Theory
- 9. Challenges to Classical Decision Theory IV: Manipulation by Others
Chapter 17: Application I: Rational versus Irrational Marketing - 1. Two Main Branches of Rhetoric
- 2. When Is Marketing Rational?
- 3. Why Is Marketing so Often Irrational?
- 4. Psychological Mechanisms Exploited by Marketing Agents
- 5. Examples of Irrational Marketing Techniques
- 6. Special Issues in Advertising to Children
- 7. How to Combat Deceptive Marketing
Chapter 18: Application II: Rational versus Irrational Propaganda - 1. Political Agents and Propaganda
- 2. Is Deceptive Propaganda More Prevalent Than Deceptive Marketing?
- 3. Examples of Irrational Propaganda Techniques
- 4. How to Combat Deceptive Propaganda
- 5. Propaganda in a Dictatorship
Chapter 19: Application III: Science versus Pseudo-Science - 1. Healthy Science versus Pseudo-Science
- 2. Symptoms of Pseudo-Science
- 3. First Example of Pseudo-Science: Astrology
- 4. Second Example of Pseudo-Science: Lysenkoism
- 5. A Borderline Case
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
