Critical Thinking D265 WGU (Terms and Examples) latest updated version with complete solutions 2026

Which of these is a true/false statement?

- proposition

- non-proposition

- complex proposition

- simple proposition

A proposition

Which of these is a statement that is neither true or false, is simple (as in only makes one claim), and can be a question?

- simple proposition

- proposition

- complex proposition

- non-proposition

A non-proposition

Which of these is a statement made up of two simple propositions put together, uses internal logic (how the parts relate to each-other), and is only true if both parts are true?

- complex proposition

- non-proposition

- simple proposition

- proposition

A complex proposition

Which of these consists of one or more premises and one conclusion?

- complex proposition

- argument

- non-argument

- Fallacy

An argument

What is being referred to below?

How propositions relate to each-other, usually indicated by these words (either/or, and, if/then)

Internal logic

What is being referred to below?

A statement that supports a conclusion, introduces a proposition that provides evidence, a reasoning for an argument, or is indicated by these words (because, for, given that, as, since, as indicated by)

A premise

What term is indicated by these words?

(Either/or, and, if/then)

Internal Logic Indicators/independent statements

What term do these words indicate ?

(Because, for, given that, as, since, as indicated by)

A premise

What is being referred to below?

A statement/claim supported by an arguments reasons, and is what is believed in the argument. Indicated by the words (Therefore, so, it follows that, thus, we may conclude that, as a result)

A conclusion

What term do these words indicate ?

(Therefore, so, it follows that, thus, we may conclude that, as a result)

A conclusion

Which of these consists of a proposition without an argument being made, and includes explanations, stories, and statements that stand on their own?

- argument

- non-argument

- complex proposition

- inference

A non-argument

Which of these establishes a conclusion in a way that doubt or exceptions are not possible, and the premises/reasons provide evidence the conclusion must be true?

- argument

- inductive argument

- non-argument

- deductive argument

A deductive argument

Which of these contain premises/reasons which provide evidence that it's conclusion is (probably/likely) to be true?

- argument

- deductive argument

- inductive argument

- non-argument

A inductive argument

Which of these terms demonstrate when a conclusion follows from the premises/reasons, and is based off the structure of the argument and not about whether the statement is realistically true?

- valid

- sound

- strong

- uncogent

A Valid argument

Which of these relies on an argument being valid first, and then also having true premises?

- valid

- sound

- strong

- cogent

A sound argument

Which of these terms demonstrate when premises are true, and a conclusion is likely to be true, though not guaranteed, and provided sufficient evidence to lead us to conclude with confidence?

- valid

- sound

- strong

- weak

A strong Argument

Which of these relies on an argument being strong first, and then also having true premises?

- sound

- cogent

- uncogent

- strong

A cogent argument

What is the following an example of?

All fruits are sweet. Tomatoes are fruit. Therefore tomatoes are sweet.

A deductive argument

What is the following an example of?

It looks like a duck. It also quacks like a duck. Therefore, it probably is a duck.

A inductive argument

What is an argument that contains bad reasoning ?

- weak argument

- uncogent argument

- fallacy

- bias

A fallacy

What is an argument that contains an invalid structure, and occurs in deductive reasoning?

- fallacy

- formal fallacy

- informal fallacy

- invalid argument

A formal fallacy

What is an argument that contains bad content, and occurs in inductive reasoning?

- fallacy

- weak argument

- informal fallacy

- formal fallacy

A informal fallacy

What is a formal fallacy that uses the following invalid structure ?

If A, then C. C. Therefore, A.

Affirming the consequent

What is a formal fallacy that uses the following invalid structure ?

If A, then C. Not A. Therefore, not C.

Denying the antecedent

What is an informal fallacy that uses the following bad context, and invokes the conclusion to support the conclusion, without evidence or support.

X; therefore X

Begging the question

What is an informal fallacy that uses the following bad context, and uses an error in reasoning that may be irrelevant to the conclusion as evidence, and uses this to show the conclusion is false?

The argument for C commits a fallacy; Therefore, X is false.

The fallacy fallacy

What is a tendency to have opinions that gravitate in a certain direction based on desires and mental shortcuts rather than clear and careful thought ? As well as present in everyday formation of opinions?

Bias

What is the tendency to accept evidence that agrees or supports our existing thoughts and beliefs; while also rejecting evidence that disagrees or challenges, our existing thoughts and beliefs?

- Alief

- cognitive bias

- confirmation bias

- selection bias

Confirmation bias

What is the tendency to make systemic mistakes in categorizing and interpreting information we used to make decisions and can affect almost all our decision making processes?

- confirmation bias

- alief

- Cognitive bias

- Selection bias

Cognitive bias

What is an automatic belief-like attitude that can explain how our instinctual responses can conflict with our reasoned out beliefs?

- Cognitive bias

- Selection bias

- confirmation bias

- alief

An alief

What is the following an example of?

Do you believe that a glass skywalk is safe, but your automatic response is to fear of falling through the glass under your feet.

An Alief

What is a cognitive bias in which we categorize a new situation based on similarities to a previous situation?

- anchoring and adjustment bias

- availability bias

- Selection bias

- Representativeness bias

Representativeness

What is the following an example of?

When someone walks into a bank, wearing a ski mask, you search your memory to see what resembles the current situation then decide it is a bank robbery .

Representativeness

What is it when you give others the benefit of the doubt to make their argument?

The principle of charity

What is the tendency to get stuck on a first impression of something and then adjust up or down from there?

- Alief

- representativeness bias

- Anchoring and adjustment bias

- Availability bias

Anchoring an adjustment bias

What is the process of drawing conclusions based on the most easily available information, and can lead to a bias towards simplistic conclusions that lack depth analysis or insight?

- representativeness bias

- Anchoring and adjustment bias

- Availability bias

- alief

Availability bias

What is a hasty generalization which happens when the sample we generalize from is too small or is not representative of the larger target population?

- representativeness bias

- selection bias

- Anchoring and adjustment bias

- Availability bias

Selection bias

What is the following an example of?

American idol is not a good survey of what "Americans" think because the only people voting are those who watch the show.

- selection bias

- Anchoring and adjustment bias

- selective reporting

- Availability bias

Selection bias

What is it called when the same data is reported differently to achieve different rhetorical goals?

- Anchoring and adjustment bias

- selection bias

- selective reporting

- Availability bias

Selective reporting

What is a fast, automatic, and emotional way of thinking, such as finding the sum of 2+2, or determining the sound behind you?

System 1 thinking

What is a slow, deliberate, and calculating way of thinking, such as finding the product of 17×24 or determining how to hit a difficult putt?

System 2 thinking

What is it called when one attacks the person making an argument rather than the argument itself?

- straw figure fallacy

- Ad hominem fallacy

- Appeal to authority fallacy

- Equivocation fallacy

Ad hominem fallacy

What is it called when one focuses on the origins of an argument as a reason to accept or reject the idea or argument?

- Appeal to authority fallacy

- Straw figure fallacy

- genetic fallacy

- Ad hominem fallacy

Genetic fallacy

What is it called when one purposely misrepresents another's argument in order to attack the weaker and misrepresented argument, rather than the stronger actual argument?

- genetic fallacy

- Ad hominem fallacy

- Appeal to authority fallacy

- Straw figure fallacy

Straw figure fallacy

What is it called when one introduces a new irrelevant topic that distracts others from the original argument?

- Equivocation fallacy

- Red herring fallacy

- Appeal to consequences fallacy

- Appeal to ignorance fallacy

Red herring fallacy

What is it called when one appeals to an unqualified authority figure to support one's claims even if the authority figure is not an expert in that discipline, but is in another irrelevant discipline?

- Ad hominem fallacy

- appeal to popularity fallacy

- Appeal to authority fallacy

- Straw figure fallacy

Appeal to authority fallacy

What is it called when one uses a threat to compel another to agree with one's argument?

- Ad hominem fallacy

- appeal to consequences fallacy

- appeal to force fallacy

- Straw figure fallacy

Appeal to force fallacy

What is it called when one uses the popularity of a belief as a reason to affirm the truth of an argument?

- Appeal to authority fallacy

- appeal to consequences fallacy

- appeal to popularity fallacy

- Straw figure fallacy

Appeal to popularity fallacy

What is it called when one appeals to the bad or good consequences of accepting a claim as a reason to reject or accept an argument as true?

- Appeal to authority fallacy

- appeal to consequences fallacy

- appeal to popularity fallacy

- Straw figure fallacy

Appeal to consequences fallacy

What is the following an example of?

The latest sales projections cannot be accurate because if they are, the company will go bankrupt and that is too horrible to believe .

Appeal to consequences fallacy

What is it called when one uses the same word in two different ways, In an argument, to deceive?

- equivocation fallacy

- appeal to consequences fallacy

- Ad hominem fallacy

- Straw figure fallacy

Equivocation fallacy

What are arguments that are weak because of bad reasoning, involve cause-and-effect, generalizations, or lack of proof for certain claims ?

- fallacies of presumption

- Fallacies of weak induction

- hasty, generalization fallacy

- Slippery slope, fallacy

Fallacies of weak induction

What is it called when someone reasons from lack of knowledge, that one's claim is false, and then concludes that the claim is true, and vice versa?

- appeal to ignorance fallacy

- Post hoc fallacy

- hasty generalization fallacy

- Equivocation fallacy

Appeal to ignorance fallacy

What is it called when one argues without sufficient reason that one event will lead to a series of events, ending in a final event, which is usually disastrous?

- slippery slope fallacy

- Post hoc fallacy

- hasty generalization fallacy

- Equivocation fallacy

Slippery slope fallacy

What is it called when one "cherry-picks" evidence only if it supports their desired conclusion?

- Post hoc fallacy

- hasty generalization fallacy

- Texas sharpshooter fallacy

- Equivocation fallacy

Texas sharpshooter fallacy

What is it called when one claims an event caused the second event, only because it happened prior to the second event?

- hasty generalization fallacy

- Texas sharpshooter fallacy

- Post hoc fallacy

- Equivocation fallacy

Post hoc fallacy

What is it called when someone generalizes too quickly about a group of people, things, or events?

- Texas sharpshooter fallacy

- Post hoc fallacy

- Equivocation fallacy

- hasty generalization fallacy

Hasty generalization fallacy

What is it called when the premises or reasons are used in a way they end up presuming what they are meant to prove?

- fallacies of presumption

- Fallacies of weak induction

- False dilemma fallacy

- begging the question fallacy

Fallacies of presumption

What is it called when one presumes that there are only two options available, or fewer options than actually available, and ignores all other logical possibilities?

- Equivocation fallacy

- Appeal to consequences fallacy

- false dilemma fallacy

- Appeal to ignorance fallacy

False dilemma fallacy

What is it called when one presumes that one's difficult to believe claim is justified unless someone else proves otherwise?

- Equivocation fallacy

- Burden of proof shifting fallacy

- false dilemma fallacy

- Appeal to ignorance fallacy

Burden of proof shifting fallacy

What is it called when you draw a diagram on how the premises are supposed to lead to the conclusions, and how the argument works?

Argument mapping

What is the final conclusion of an argument called?

The main conclusion

What is a premise directly supporting the main conclusion called?

The main premise

What is an inference from a premise to another premise called?

Sub inference

What is a premise in a sub inference called?

A sub premise

What is a conclusion in a sub inference called?

A sub conclusion

What is it called when each premise seems like an argument for the conclusion by itself?

- independent support

- Conjoint support

- Direct support

- Indirect support

Independent support

what is it called when a premise doesn't seem to support the conclusion without the help of other premises or reasons?

- Indirect support

- independent support

- Direct support

- Conjoint support

Conjoint support

What is it called in a pair of premises, when one is a generalization, and the other is a specific claim about something, under the same generalization?

- hidden assumption

- The general-specific pattern

- direct support

- conjoint support

The general-specific pattern

What is it called when a sub premise provides support for the main conclusion, by supporting a main premise?

Indirect support

What is it called when a main premise supports the main conclusion?

Direct support

What is it called when theres a missing premise that must be true for an inference to work, and that always offers, conjoint support, for its conclusion, or sub conclusion ?

Hidden assumption

How can heuristics be advantageous?

- They enable individuals to make quick decisions

- They remind individuals to slow their thought process

- They conform to the principle charity

- They help individuals avoid cognitive bias

They enable individuals to make quick decisions

What is the right way to respond to bias?

- be aware of its influence on our reasoning

- take steps to counteract the influence when possible

- start the habit of slowing down periodically (system 2 thinking)

Which of the examples is a valid argument and which is a invalid argument?

1. All Texans are Americans. Anna is an American. Therefore, Anna is a Texan.

2. If Jones is a baseball player, then Jones is an athlete. Jones is a baseball player. thus Jones is an athlete.

1. Invalid argument and all invalid arguments are unsound.

2. A valid argument

Which of these examples is a sound argument, and which is an unsound argument?

1. All Californians are Canadians. Burt is a Californian. Therefore, Burt is a Canadian.

2. Everyone who lives in Los Angeles lives in California everyone who lives in California lives in the United States there for everyone who lives in Los Angeles lives in the United States.

1. Valid, and unsound

2. Valid, and sound

Which of these examples is a strong argument and which is a weak argument?

1. In the past it has snowed in Alaska every winter for the last 100 years. Therefore, it will probably snow in Alaska next winter.

2. In 1962, it snowed in downtown Los Angeles. Therefore, it will probably snow in downtown Los Angeles next winter.

1. Strong argument and cogent

2. Weak argument and all weak arguments are also uncogent.

Which of these examples is a cogent argument, and which is an uncogent argument?

1. In the past it has snowed in Miami Florida every summer. Therefore, it will probably snow in Miami next summer.

2. An individual drops hundreds of objects and each time they fall to the ground. the individual therefore concludes that if someone drops a pencil it will fall.

1. Strong, and uncogent

2. Strong, and cogent

Which of these examples is an inductive argument, and which is a deductive argument?

1. All dogs can fly. Ginger is a dog therefore ginger can fly.

2. In my experience almost every time it is about to rain my knee hurts my knee hurts now, so it is probably going to rain soon.

1. Deductive and valid, unsound

2. Inductive and strong, uncogent

Is the following example offering independent, conjoint, direct, or indirect support?

(1) We have been out in the sun all day. (2) It is unhealthy to spend a lot of time in the sun so (3) we should go inside.

Conjoint as both premises are needed together for the conclusion to make sense

What is reasoning, offered in support of a conclusion, and contained in all arguments?

Inference

Is the following example offering independent, conjoint, direct, or indirect support?

(1) everyone loves fruit (2) Emma loves bananas (3) Mario loves apples (4) Tyler loves bananas

Independent as each premise can stand on its own, and is not needed conjointly for the conclusion to make sense.

Is the following example offering independent, conjoint, direct, or indirect support?

(1) Bigfoot is real (2) my sister saw a bigfoot while camping (3) my sister told me so, and wouldn't lie to me

Sub premise (3) provides (indirect) support for the main conclusion (1) by supporting the main premise (2) which (directly) supports the main conclusion.

What is the unstated assumption in this argument?

Since I received high marks in the course I conclude that professor Murdoch is a good teacher.

- Students like and respect Mrs. Murdoch.

- Mrs. Murdochs class is lacking in educational Rigor.

- Students who do homework and study for exams get good grades.

- A teacher is good if the teacher gives good grades.

A teacher is good if the teacher gives good grades.

What is the following an example of?

Peter singers claim that it is morally wrong to spend money on personal luxuries rather than give to charity is obviously false, because singer is a hypocrite who does not practice what he preaches.

- appeal to authority fallacy

- Straw figure fallacy

- Ad hominem fallacy

- Equivocation fallacy

Ad hominem fallacy

What is the following an example of?

My opponent opposes the proposed tax levy to pay for the new high school football stadium. It is shameful she is unwilling to invest in her children's education.

- appeal to authority fallacy

- Straw figure fallacy

- Ad hominem fallacy

- Equivocation fallacy

Straw figure fallacy

What is the following an example of?

Taking a logic class helps you learn to argue (reason well). But there are too many people who argue (angrily disagree) with each other already.

- appeal to authority fallacy

- Ad hominem fallacy

- Equivocation fallacy

- Straw figure fallacy

Equivocation fallacy

What is the following an example of?

Aliens have visited earth because nobody can prove that they have not.

Aliens have not visited earth because nobody can prove that they have visited.

- appeal to authority fallacy

- appeal to ignorance fallacy

- Ad hominem fallacy

- Equivocation fallacy

appeal to ignorance fallacy

What is the following an example of?

Blake thinks vaccines are unsafe and only pays attention to evidence like anecdotes about vaccine injuries or doctors who make claims about vaccines being dangerous at the same time. Blake ignores evidence showing vaccines are safe.

- Ad hominem fallacy

- hasty generalization fallacy

- Texas sharpshooter fallacy

- post-hoc fallacy

Texas sharpshooter fallacy

What is the following an example of?

Raising taxes on the rich, will either cause an economic boom or a recession. since It will not cause a Boom, it follows that raising taxes on the rich will lead to recession.

- Texas sharpshooter fallacy

- false dilemma fallacy

- post-hoc fallacy

- hasty generalization fallacy

false dilemma fallacy

What does the following an example of?

Do you think more or fewer than 3 million people live in Wyoming?

- Selection bias

- Anchoring and adjustment

- Availability bias

- Representativeness

Anchoring and adjustment, as the question would lead you to believe that it is somewhere around 3 million when it is actually half a million.

What is the following an example of?

Because I believe that dark chocolate is healthy I trust any new research, showing its benefits and dismiss studies showing negative impact on health .

- Anchoring and adjustment bias

- Confirmation bias

- Cognitive bias

- Alief

Confirmation bias

What is the following an example of?

A person is considering what transportation to use when visiting a friend in a different city. The first thing that comes to mind is a recent news story about a train crash. They decide that the train is not a safe travel option.

- Confirmation bias

- Anchoring bias

- Availability bias

- Selection bias

Availability bias