Chapter 1: The Power of Critical Thinking

Vocabulary flashcards covering the core concepts, definitions, and components of critical thinking from Chapter 1.

Critical thinking

The systematic evaluation or formulation of beliefs, or statements, by rational standards.

Systematic

In critical thinking, this means following distinct procedures and methods, rather than hunches, moods, or whatever happens to feel right.

Evaluation

In critical thinking, judging beliefs you already hold, or that someone hands you.

Formulation

In critical thinking, devising new beliefs of your own.

Rational standards

Judging beliefs by how well reasons support them, not by who holds them or how popular they are.

Logic

The study of good reasoning, or inference, and the rules that govern it.

Post-truth

Circumstances in which objective facts matter less to public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.

Statement

An assertion that something is or is not the case; also referred to interchangeably with belief or claim.

Reason

A statement that gives us grounds for believing another statement is true.

Premise

A statement offered in support of another statement.

Conclusion

The statement the premises are intended to support.

Argument

A group of statements in which some (the premises) are intended to support another (the conclusion).

Inference

The process of reasoning from premises to a conclusion based on them.

Indicator words

Words that frequently accompany arguments and signal that a premise or conclusion is present.

Premise indicators

Words that signal a premise is present, including because, since, for, given that, seeing that, assuming that, inasmuch as, due to the fact that, in view of the fact that, as indicated by, and for the reason that.

Conclusion indicators

Words that signal a conclusion is present, including therefore, thus, so, hence, consequently, ergo, it follows that, as a result, which implies that, which means that, we can conclude that, and it must be that.

Explanation

A statement or passage that tells us why or how something is the case, taking the fact for granted and accounting for it.