Critical Thinking

578 Pages·2012·9.743 MB·English

by  Brooke Noel Moore , Richard Parker

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Tenth
Edition
Critical
Thinking
Brooke Noel Moore
Richard Parker
California State University, Chico
Chapter 13
by Nina Rosenstand and Anita Silversa
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Moore, Brooke Noel.
Critical thinking / Brooke Noel Moore, Richard Parker. — 10th ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-07-803828-0 (alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-07-803828-6 (alk. paper)
1. Critical thinking. I. Parker, Richard (Richard B.). II. Title.
B105.T54M66 2012
160—dc22
2010050768

The Internet addresses listed in the text were accurate at the time of publication. The inclusion of a website does
not indicate an endorsement by the authors or McGraw-Hill, and McGraw-Hill does not guarantee the accuracy
of the information presented at these sites.

www.mhhe.com
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CONTENTS iii
Brief Table of Contents
Chapter 1 What Is Critical Thinking, Anyway? 1
Chapter 2 Two Kinds of Reasoning 37
Chapter 3 Clear Thinking, Critical Thinking,
and Clear Writing 69
Chapter 4 Credibility 104
Chapter 5 Persuasion Through Rhetoric: Common
Devices and Techniques 146
Chapter 6 More Rhetorical Devices: Psychological
and Related Fallacies 184
Chapter 7 More Fallacies 210
Chapter 8 Deductive Arguments I: Categorical
Logic 253
Chapter 9 Deductive Arguments II: Truth-Functional
Logic 295
Chapter 10 Thinking Critically About Inductive
Reasoning 349
Chapter 11 Causal Explanation 389
Chapter 12 Moral, Legal, and Aesthetic
Reasoning 439
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CONTENTS v
Table of Contents
Preface xxii
Acknowledgments xxiv
A Note to Our Colleagues xxvi
About the Authors xxviii
Chapter 1 What Is Critical Thinking, Anyway? 1
In Depth Critical Thinking, the Long Version 3
Beliefs and Claims 4
Objective Claims and Subjective Claims 5
In Depth Thinking About Thinking 6
Fact and Opinion 6
Moral Subjectivism 6
Issues 7
Arguments 8
Cognitive Biases 17
In Depth Rational Choice? 19
Truth and Knowledge 23
What Critical Thinking Can and Can’t Do 24
A Word About the Exercises 24
Recap 25
Additional Exercises 26
Chapter 2 Two Kinds of Reasoning 37
Arguments: General Features 37
Conclusions Used as Premises 38
Unstated Premises and Conclusions 38
In Depth Conclusion Indicators 39
Two Kinds of Arguments 39
Deductive Arguments 39
In Depth Premise Indicators 40
Inductive Arguments 40
Real Life Abe Lincoln Knew His Logic 41
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt 43
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vi CONTENTS
Deduction, Induction, and Unstated Premises 43
In the Media Is an Ad Photo an Argument? 45
“Balance of Considerations” and IBEs 45
What Are Not Premises, Conclusions, or Arguments 46
Pictures 46
If . . . then . . . Sentences 47
Lists of Facts 47
“A because B” 47
Ethos, Pathos, and Logos 48
Techniques for Understanding Arguments 52
Clarifying an Argument’s Structure 52
Distinguishing Arguments from Window Dressing 54
On Language Stupid Liberal! 55
Evaluating Arguments 56
Recap 56
Additional Exercises 57
Chapter 3 Clear Thinking, Critical Thinking,
and Clear Writing 69
Vagueness 71
In the Media Say What?? . . . 71
Real Life Vagueness at the Border 72
In the Media A Subtle Ambiguity 74
Ambiguity 74
Semantic Ambiguity 75
Grouping Ambiguity 76
In Depth Composition and the First Cause Argument 77
Syntactic Ambiguity 77
In Depth More Examples of the Composition and Division Fallacies 78
On Language Making Ambiguity Work for You 79
Generality 80
Defining Terms 83
Purposes of Defi nitions 84
Kinds of Defi nitions 85
Some Tips on Defi nitions 86
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CONTENTS vii
In Depth Are We Innately Selfish? 86
Writing Argumentative Essays 87
Good Writing Practices 89
Essay Types to Avoid 90
On Language And While We’re on the Subject of Writing 90
Persuasive Writing 91
Writing in a Diverse Society 91
Recap 93
Additional Exercises 93
Chapter 4 Credibility 104
Real Life The Nigerian Advance Fee 4-1-9 Fraud: The Internet’s
Longest-Running Scam Is Still Running Strong 105
The Claim and Its Source 106
In the Media Guaranteeing an Interested Party, or the Fox Audits
the Henhouse 107
Assessing the Content of the Claim 108
Does the Claim Confl ict with Our Personal Observations? 108
In the Media Incredible Claims! 108
Real Life When Personal Observation Fails . . . 109
In Depth Incredible but True 111
Does the Claim Confl ict with Our Background Information? 111
Real Life Do Your Ears Stick Straight Out? 112
Real Life Fib Wizards 113
The Credibility of Sources 115
Interested Parties 115
Real Life Not All That Glitters 115
Physical and Other Characteristics 116
Real Life Whom Do You Trust? 116
Expertise 118
Real Life War-Making Policies and Interested Parties 118
Real Life Smoking and Not Paying Attention Can Be Deadly 120
Credibility and the News Media 122
Consolidation of Media Ownership 122
Government Management of the News 123
Bias Within the Media 124
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viii CONTENTS
In the Media Jumping to Conclusions in the News 124
In the Media Saving Private Lynch 125
Talk Radio 127
Advocacy Television 127
The Internet, Generally 127
In the Media Evaluating Website Credibility: A Tip from the
Professionals 128
In the Media Webcheckers 130
Advertising 131
Real Life When Is an Ad Not an Ad? When It’s a Product
Placement! 133
On Language WAY Too Good To Be True! 134
Recap 135
Additional Exercises 136
Chapter 5 Persuasion Through Rhetoric: Common
Devices and Techniques 146
Rhetorical Devices I 147
Euphemisms and Dysphemisms 147
Real Life The Death Tax 148
Weaselers 149
In the Media Innuendo with Statistics 149
Downplayers 150
Rhetorical Devices II 152
Stereotypes 152
In the Media We Get Dumber in Company of Blondes 153
Innuendo 154
Loaded Questions 155
Rhetorical Devices III 156
Ridicule/Sarcasm 156
Hyperbole 157
Rhetorical Devices IV 158
Rhetorical Defi nitions and Rhetorical Explanations 158
On Language Legislative Misnomers 158
Rhetorical Analogies and Misleading Comparisons 159
In the Media A Misleading Mathematical Visual 161
Real Life Cause for Alarm? 162
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