Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking

The process of using one’s mind to consider or reason about something deeply, discerning different paths and judgments.

Proposition

A statement that has a truth value, meaning it can be answered with yes or no, true or false.

Conclusion

The main point of an argument that is well-supported by premises.

Premise

The evidence or reasons that support a conclusion in an argument.

Inference

The process of drawing logical conclusions from premises.

Argument

A set of propositions where at least one is a conclusion and the others are premises.

Etymology of ‘critical’

Derived from the Greek root krinein, meaning to judge or discern.

Deductive Argument

An argument that can provide 100% certainty, assessed according to its logical form.

Inductive Argument

An argument that offers probable truth, based on experience and past occurrences.

Sound Argument

A deductive argument that is both valid and has true premises.

Cogent Argument

An inductive argument that has a high degree of probability and warranted premises.

Conclusion Indicator

Words or phrases such as 'therefore,' 'thus,' and 'hence,' that signal a conclusion in an argument.

Premise Indicator

Words or phrases like 'since,' 'because,' and 'given that,' that signal premises in an argument.

Deductions vs Inductions

Deductions provide 100% certainty if premises are true, while inductions suggest probable conclusions from specific instances.

Analytic Truth

Truth that can be derived purely from definitions and logical reasoning.

Synthetic Knowledge

Knowledge that provides new insights beyond mere definitions, often resulting from inductive reasoning.

Assumption

A belief or statement taken for granted without proof, which forms the basis for an argument.

Validity and Invalidity

A valid argument has a correct logical form, while an invalid argument does not; validity does not ensure truth.