Eng 327 Ethics and Critical Reasoning Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards derived from Eng 327 lecture notes covering principles of ethics, critical reasoning, fallibilism, and paper writing structure.

Questions of meaning

Simple questions asking what something means, which come before questions of truth (whether a statement is true or false) to cut down misunderstandings that could be avoided.

The Principle of Charity

The principle that each person deserves to have their own views interpreted in the best way possible, which helps with finding evidence in arguments that are weak.

Step 1 of the Principle of Charity

Assume the person speaking is intelligent and has important things to say.

Step 2 of the Principle of Charity

Take what the person has said, written, or communicated and make it as strong as possible.

Step 3 of the Principle of Charity

Evaluate the revised material to find its strengths and weaknesses, being open-minded and fair about it.

Step 4 of the Principle of Charity

Draw a conclusion based on the evidence regarding how well the person made their case.

Fallibilism

Believing that you could be wrong about any belief, judgment, or value you have made, even if you feel most certain about it.

Three Key Questions for Critical Reasoning Papers

1. What is the problem? 2. What should we do to solve/manage the problem? 3. What should we do to reduce the chances of it not happening again?

First Paragraph of Paper

The introductory paragraph that states what the problem is, presents a plausible and probably correct solution, and explains how detailed, developed evidence will justify the solution to make it the most probable and plausible.

Claim

An assertion or statement which could be a true claim, a false claim, or a miscommunication.