Asking the Right Questions, A Guide to Critical Thinking, 8th Ed

212 Index
Question (s):
begging the, 96-97
"right". See Critical thinking, questions
to ask in
"Who cares?" (assessing consequences
of a controversy), 9
Questionnaires/surveys, bias/distortion in,
124-126
Range, 157-158. See also Statistics
Reasons/reasoning, 25-35
argument and, 26-27
conclusion and, 19, 26, 31, 33
deceptive (three common tricks), 84
diagramming structure of, 31
evidence as, 29
"fresh" reasons, 32
identifying/organizing, 27-29, 31-32, 35
kinds of, 29-31
practice exercises in identifying, 33-35
Red herring fallacy, 95, 96
Research studies as evidence 107, 118-127,
134, 139-141, 143-144, 148
biased surveys/questionnaires, 120, 124—126
clues for evaluating, 122-123
example, critical evaluation of, 126-127
generalizing from, 123-124
importance of evaluating, 136
practice in evaluating claims supported by,
134-136
problems with findings from, 119-121
rival causes (evaluating for), 139-141
Reverse logic, 32
Reverse role-playing, 63, 75, 81
Rival causes. See Causation, rival causes
Sampling, 123-124
Scientific method, 119. See also Research
studies as evidence
Social questions: myth of the "right
answer", 7-8
Solomon, Norman, 47
Sources, primary vs. secondary, 111-112
Sponge model thinking, 3-4, 11, 72
Statistics, 155-165
clues for assessing, 162
conclusion vs. proof, 158-159
confusing averages (mean/median/
mode), 156-158
distribution, 157-158
importance of assessing, 165
mean/median/mode, 156-158
omitted information, 110, 171
practice exercises, 163-164
range, 157-158
unknowable/biased, 156
Straw person fallacy, 91, 101-102
Striking example (vs. proof), case study as, 128
Strong-sense critical thinking, 10, 122
Structure of reasoning, diagramming, 31
Surveys/questionnaires, bias/distortion in,
123,124-126
Testimonials as evidence, 107, 109-110
bias, 109
context of, 169
omitted information, 110, 170
practice in evaluating claims supported by,
114-116
selectivity, 109. See also Personal observation/experience
as evidence
Thinking:
causal (indicators of), 138. See also Causation
critical. See Critical thinking
dichotomous, 182-183
feeling and, 8-9
panning-for-gold style of, 3-7, 11, 36
sponge style of, 3-4, 11, 72
wishful, 92-93, 101
Value (s), 53-69
assumptions, 53-69, 169
communicator's background and, 61
conflicts and, 56-57, 60-61
consequences and, 61-62
defined, 54-55
group membership and, 61
importance of identifying, 69
patterns of behavior and, 66-67
practice exercises, 68-69
sample controversies, 60
defined, 54-55
judgments, 58-59
list of common, 58
missing preferences, perspectives, 169
priorities, 62
Weak-sense critical thinking, 10, 32
Wishful thinking (fallacy), 92-93, 101
Writing/speaking, your own, 21, 33, 48-49,
67,78,99, 113, 150, 176