Chapter 6: Critical Thinking & Reasoning
By Terri Russ, J.D., Ph.D.
Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
- Understand and explain the importance of critical thinking
- Identify the core skills associated with critical thinking
- Demonstrate the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning
- Construct a logically sound and well-reasoned argument
- Avoid the various fallacies that can arise through the misuse of logic
- Apply chapter concepts in final questions and activities
Chapter Outline
- Introduction
- Critical Thinking
- Critical Thinking Defined
- Critical Thinking Traits and Skills
- The Value of Critical Thinking
- Logic and the Role of Arguments
- Defining Arguments
- Defining Deduction
- Defining Induction
- Understanding Fallacies
- Formal Fallacies
- Bad Reasons Fallacy
- Masked Man Fallacy
- Fallacy of Quantitative Logic
- Informal Fallacies
- Accident Fallacy
- Ad Hominem
- Fallacy of Ambiguity
- Fallacies of Appeal
- Begging the Question
- Black and White Fallacy
- Fallacy of Composition
- Fallacy of Division
- Non causa, pro causa Fallacy
- Red Herring Fallacy
- Slippery Slope Fallacy
- Weak Analogy Fallacy
- Conclusion
- Review Questions and Activities
- Glossary
- References