A Workbook for Arguments: A Complete Course in Critical Thinking

Front cover......Page 1
Half title page......Page 2
Title page......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
Contents......Page 6
Preface to the Third Edition......Page 16
Note about Companion Web Site and Twitter Account......Page 19
Introduction......Page 20
Part 1......Page 24
Rule 1: Resolve premises and conclusion......Page 26
Exercise Set 1.1: Distinguishing premises from conclusions......Page 27
Rule 2: Unfold your ideas in a natural order......Page 31
Exercise Set 1.2: Outlining arguments in premise-and-conclusion form......Page 33
Exercise Set 1.3: Analyzing visual arguments......Page 38
Exercise Set 1.4: Identifying reliable and unreliable premises......Page 40
Exercise Set 1.5: Decomplexifying artificially abstruse quotations......Page 46
Rule 5: Build on substance, not overtone......Page 49
Exercise Set 1.6: Diagnosing loaded language......Page 50
Rule 6: Use consistent terms......Page 55
Exercise Set 1.7: Evaluating letters to the editor......Page 56
Chapter II: Arguments by Example......Page 63
Rule 7: Use more than one example......Page 64
Exercise Set 2.1: Finding relevant examples......Page 65
Rule 8: Use representative examples......Page 67
Exercise Set 2.2: Improving biased samples......Page 68
Rule 9: Background rates are often crucial......Page 74
Exercise Set 2.3: Identifying relevant background rates......Page 75
Rule 10: Statistics need a critical eye......Page 80
Exercise Set 2.4: Evaluating simple arguments that use numbers......Page 82
Rule 11: Reckon with counterexamples......Page 87
Exercise Set 2.5: Finding counterexamples......Page 89
Exercise Set 2.6: Evaluating arguments for generalizations......Page 92
Exercise Set 2.7: Arguing for and against generalizations......Page 98
Chapter III: Arguments by Analogy......Page 100
Rule 12: Analogies require relevantly similar examples......Page 101
Exercise Set 3.1: Identifying important similarities......Page 103
Exercise Set 3.2: Identifying important differences......Page 105
Exercise Set 3.3: Evaluating arguments by analogy......Page 106
Exercise Set 3.4: Constructing arguments by analogy......Page 112
Rule 13: Cite your sources......Page 116
Rule 14: Seek informed sources......Page 117
Rule 15: Seek impartial sources......Page 119
Exercise Set 4.1: Identifying biased sources......Page 120
Rule 16: Cross-check sources......Page 123
Exercise Set 4.2: Identifying independent sources......Page 124
Rule 17: Build your Internet savvy......Page 126
Exercise Set 4.3: Evaluating arguments that use sources......Page 128
Exercise Set 4.4: Using sources in arguments......Page 134
Rule 18: Causal arguments start with correlations......Page 137
Rule 19: Correlations may have alternative explanations......Page 138
Exercise Set 5.1: Brainstorming explanations for correlations......Page 139
Rule 20: Work toward the most likely explanation......Page 143
Exercise Set 5.2: Identifying the most likely explanation......Page 144
Rule 21: Expect complexity......Page 146
Exercise Set 5.3: Evaluating arguments about causes......Page 147
Exercise Set 5.4: Constructing arguments about causes......Page 153
Chapter VI: Deductive Arguments......Page 156
Rule 23: Modus tollens......Page 157
Rule 24: Hypothetical syllogism......Page 158
Rule 25: Disjunctive syllogism......Page 159
Rule 26: Dilemma......Page 160
Exercise Set 6.1: Identifying deductive argument forms......Page 161
Exercise Set 6.2: Identifying deductive arguments in more complex passages......Page 166
Exercise Set 6.3: Drawing conclusions with deductive arguments......Page 171
Rule 27: Reductio ad absurdum......Page 174
Exercise Set 6.4: Working with reductio ad absurdum......Page 175
Rule 28: Deductive arguments in multiple steps......Page 181
Exercise Set 6.5: Identifying deductive arguments in several steps......Page 184
Rule 29: Explore the issue......Page 190
Exercise Set 7.1: Identifying possible positions......Page 191
Exercise Set 7.2: Exploring issues of your choice......Page 193
Rule 30: Spell out basic ideas as arguments......Page 194
Exercise Set 7.3: Sketching arguments for and against positions......Page 196
Exercise Set 7.4: Sketching arguments about your own topic......Page 198
Rule 31: Defend basic premises with arguments of their own......Page 199
Exercise Set 7.5: Developing arguments in more detail......Page 201
Exercise Set 7.6: Developing your own arguments......Page 205
Rule 32: Reckon with objections......Page 206
Exercise Set 7.7: Working out objections......Page 207
Rule 33: Explore alternatives......Page 209
Exercise Set 7.9: Brainstorming alternatives......Page 211
Exercise Set 7.10: Considering alternatives to your own conclusions......Page 215
Rule 34: Jump right in......Page 217
Exercise Set 8.1: Writing good leads......Page 218
Rule 35: Urge a definite claim or proposal......Page 223
Exercise Set 8.2: Making definite claims and proposals......Page 224
Rule 36: Your argument is your outline......Page 226
Exercise Set 8.3: Writing out your arguments......Page 227
Rule 37: Detail objections and meet them......Page 230
Exercise Set 8.4: Detailing and meeting objections......Page 231
Exercise Set 8.5: Considering objections to your own arguments......Page 237
Rule 38: Seek feedback and use it......Page 238
Rule 39: Modesty, please!......Page 239
Rule 40: Ask for a hearing......Page 240
Exercise Set 9.1: Reaching out to your audience......Page 241
Rule 41: Be fully present......Page 243
Rule 42: Signpost energetically......Page 244
Exercise Set 9.2: Signposting your own arguments......Page 245
Rule 43: Hew your visuals to your argument......Page 247
Exercise Set 9.3: Ending in style......Page 248
Exercise Set 9.4: Evaluating oral presentations......Page 250
Rule 45: Do argument proud......Page 252
Rule 46: Listen, learn, leverage......Page 253
Exercise Set 10.1: Listening even when it hurts......Page 254
Exercise Set 10.2: Preparing for dialogue......Page 261
Exercise Set 10.3: Reframing arguments in a positive way......Page 264
Rule 48: Work from common ground......Page 270
Exercise Set 10.4: Finding common ground......Page 271
Rule 49: At least be civil......Page 281
Rule 50: Leave them thinking when you go......Page 282
Exercise Set 10.5: Posing good questions......Page 284
Appendix I: Some Common Fallacies......Page 287
Exercise Set 11.1: Identifying fallacies (part 1)......Page 293
Exercise Set 11.2: Reinterpreting and revising fallacious arguments (part 1)......Page 299
Exercise Set 11.3: Identifying fallacies (part 2)......Page 303
Exercise Set 11.4: Reinterpreting and revising fallacious arguments (part 2)......Page 308
Exercise Set 11.5: Two deductive fallacies......Page 311
Exercise Set 11.6: Constructing fallacious arguments......Page 315
Rule D1: When terms are unclear, get specific......Page 318
Exercise Set 12.1: Making definitions more precise......Page 320
Rule D2: When terms are contested, work from the clear cases......Page 324
Exercise Set 12.2: Starting from clear cases......Page 325
Rule D3: Definitions don’t replace arguments......Page 328
Appendix III: Argument Mapping......Page 330
Exercise Set 13.1: Mapping simple arguments......Page 335
Exercise Set 13.2: Mapping complex arguments......Page 340
Part 2......Page 348
Model responses for Exercise Set 1.1......Page 350
Model responses for Exercise Set 1.2......Page 353
Model responses for Exercise Set 1.4......Page 356
Model responses for Exercise Set 1.5......Page 361
Model responses for Exercise Set 1.6......Page 362
Model responses for Exercise Set 1.7......Page 364
Model responses for Exercise Set 2.1......Page 370
Model responses for Exercise Set 2.2......Page 372
Model responses for Exercise Set 2.3......Page 375
Model responses for Exercise Set 2.4......Page 378
Model responses for Exercise Set 2.5......Page 382
Model responses for Exercise Set 2.6......Page 384
Model responses for Exercise Set 2.7......Page 388
Model responses for Exercise Set 3.1......Page 392
Model responses for Exercise Set 3.2......Page 395
Model responses for Exercise Set 3.3......Page 397
Model responses for Exercise Set 3.4......Page 403
Model responses for Exercise Set 4.1......Page 405
Model responses for Exercise Set 4.2......Page 407
Model responses for Exercise Set 4.3......Page 409
Model responses for Exercise Set 4.4......Page 412
Model responses for Exercise Set 5.1......Page 414
Model responses for Exercise Set 5.2......Page 416
Model responses for Exercise Set 5.3......Page 419
Model responses for Exercise Set 5.4......Page 424
Model responses for Exercise Set 6.1......Page 427
Model responses for Exercise Set 6.2......Page 429
Model responses for Exercise Set 6.3......Page 431
Model responses for Exercise Set 6.4......Page 434
Model responses for Exercise Set 6.5......Page 438
Model responses for Exercise Set 7.1......Page 441
Model responses for Exercise Set 7.3......Page 443
Model responses for Exercise Set 7.5......Page 447
Model responses for Exercise Set 7.7......Page 449
Model responses for Exercise Set 7.9......Page 452
Model responses for Exercise Set 8.1......Page 455
Model responses for Exercise Set 8.2......Page 457
Model responses for Exercise Set 8.4......Page 460
Model responses for Exercise Set 9.1......Page 464
Model responses for Exercise Set 9.3......Page 467
Model responses for Exercise Set 9.4......Page 468
Model responses for Exercise Set 10.1......Page 469
Model responses for Exercise Set 10.2......Page 472
Model responses for Exercise Set 10.3......Page 477
Model responses for Exercise Set 10.4......Page 482
Model responses for Exercise Set 10.5......Page 485
Model responses for Exercise Set 11.1......Page 489
Model responses for Exercise Set 11.2......Page 492
Model responses for Exercise Set 11.3......Page 494
Model responses for Exercise Set 11.4......Page 497
Model responses for Exercise Set 11.5......Page 499
Model responses for Exercise Set 11.6......Page 501
Model responses for Exercise Set 12.1......Page 504
Model responses for Exercise Set 12.2......Page 510
Model responses for Exercise Set 13.1......Page 513
Model responses for Exercise Set 13.2......Page 517
Part 3......Page 524
Found arguments......Page 526
Creating a visual argument......Page 527
Writing a letter to the editor......Page 528
Analyzing unadapted arguments......Page 529
Reconstructing scientific reasoning......Page 535
Activities for Chapter II......Page 536
Finding misleading statistics......Page 544
Generalizations about your classroom......Page 545
Using analogies to understandunusual objects......Page 546
Using analogies in ethical reasoning......Page 547
Recognizing reliable Web sources......Page 548
Finding good sources......Page 549
Bluffing about causal explanations......Page 550
Recognizing deductive argument forms......Page 551
Compiling your research into an extended outline......Page 556
Improving a sample paper......Page 557
Compiling a draft of an argumentative essay......Page 560
Peer-review workshop......Page 561
Writing opening lines......Page 564
Creating a visual aid......Page 565
Oral presentations......Page 566
Unpopular opinions......Page 567
In-class debates......Page 568
Extended in-class group debates......Page 570
Best of enemies......Page 572
Constructive debate with outside partners......Page 573
Relating rules and fallacies......Page 575
Identifying, reinterpreting, and revising fallacies......Page 577
Critical-thinking public service announcements......Page 578
Defining key terms in an essay......Page 579
Defining difficult terms......Page 580
Argument mapping workshop......Page 581
Developing your own arguments using argument maps......Page 582
Index......Page 584