AICE Thinking Skills Exam Review

Main Conclusion

A statement of something that the writer (or speaker) wants the reader (or listener) to accept based on the reasons given.

Intermediate Conclusion

Secondary conclusion which ties back to the main conclusion

Argument

Conclusion + Reason(s)

Counterargument

An additional argument that's against, or counter to, what the conclusion seeks to establish.

Assertion

A forceful, confident reason regarding a belief or fact.

Counter-assertion

A contrary claim that is introduced without reasons backing it.

Evidence

Factual information is presented numerically or as statistical data in order to support reasons, which in turn supports the conclusion.

Claim

An unsupported conclusion

Reasoning

A statement that aims to persuade the reader to accept a conclusion.

Reliability

How much you can depend on reasoning/evidence to be factual.

R. Reputation

How well known a source is.

A. Ability to See

Whether or not the individual has the ability to see the event.

V. Vested Interest

Whether or not the individual has any reason to present information in a specific way.

E. Expertise

Whether or not the individual has any knowledge on the subject and how knowledgeable they are.

N. Neutrality (Bias)

How neutral (biased) an individual is in a given situation.

Unstated Assumption

A premise or idea that isn't said or written but is automatically thought by the speaker/writer.

Analogy

Like a similarity or comparison between something you already know to something u don't to help you understand.

Confusing Necessary and Sufficient Conditions

A necessary condition is a condition that must be present for an event to occur. A sufficient condition is or set of conditions that'll produce the event.

Slippery Slope

Starts off harmless and ends out disastrous.

Ad Hominem

To attack the person rather than dealing with the real issue in dispute

Tu Quoque

An arguer argues against something and proceeds to do the same.

Straw Man

An arguer gives very bad reasoning.

Post Hoc (False Cause)

To assume that just because one event come after another, that the first event caused the second.

Hasty Generalization

When you draw a conclusion based off a biased or too small of a sample.

Sweeping Generalization

The reasoning goes from some to all.

False Dichotomy (Either-or)

The arguer sets up a situation, so it looks like there's only 2 options, then eliminates the one that goes against the one they want.

Invalid Deduction: Affirming the Consequent

1. If A, then B

2. B

Therefore, A.

Invalid Deduction: Denying the Antecedent

1. If A, then B.

2. Not A

Therefore, not B.

Equivocation

To use an ambiguous word/phrase in more than 1 sense.

Conflation

The act of combining 2 or mor separate things into 1 whole.

Circular Argument

An argument that keeps returning to the same points and isn't effective.

Begging the Question

when an argument's premises assume the truth of the conclusion, instead of supporting it.

Appeal to Authority

When we accept a claim because someone says that an authority figure supports it.

Appeal to Popularity (Band Wagon)

When an argument relies on public opinion to determine its outcome.

Appeal to Emotion

When someone tries to win an argument by evoking emotion without using facts or logic.

Appeal to Tradition

To ignore the evidence that should be changed because you've been doing it for a long time.

Appeal to Novelty

When a proposal is claimed to be better because it's newer

The use of reason or logic in an argument.