Lecture 2: Introduction to Critical Thinking

Overview

• Focus on foundational concepts in critical thinking.
• Emphasis on mastering three interrelated skills.
• Today's focus: Argument Identification.

Importance of Critical Thinking

• Critical thinking involves distinguishing good arguments from bad ones.
• It has a positive connotation in this context.

Definition of an Argument

• An argument is making a case for something via evidence or reasons.
• Consists of a set of statements: premises (supporting reasons) and a conclusion (what is being supported).

Examples of Arguments

• Example 1:
  • Conclusion: You should floss your teeth regularly.
  • Premise: It helps to prevent gum disease.
• Example 2:
  • If you want to be successful, you need to complete your education.
  • You want to be successful, so you need to complete your education.

Components of an Argument

• Premises: Statements providing support.
• Conclusion: Statement being supported.
• Arguments can have multiple premises but only one conclusion.

Understanding Statements

• Statement: A claim with a truth value (true or false).
• Different from exclamations or questions (do not have truth values).

Identifying Parts of an Argument

1. Find the Conclusion: Look for conclusion indicator words.

   • Examples: Therefore, thus, consequently, hence, etc.

2. Identify Premises: If no conclusion indicators, look for premise indicators.

   • Examples: Because, since, as, given that, etc.

3. Evaluate First Statement: When no indicators are present, check if the first statement is the conclusion.

4. Check Subsequent Statements: If needed, evaluate other statements systematically.

Practice Examples

• Example: Chargers making playoffs argument.

  • No indicators: First statement is often the conclusion.
  • Reasons follow to support the initial claim.

• Example: Airplane travel hassle argument.

  • Conclusion in the middle of the argument.
  • Reasons provided before and after conclusion.

Conclusion

• Key skill: Distinguishing between premises and conclusions.
• Review exercises provided post-lecture to reinforce learning.
• Check answers to verify understanding.

Next Steps

• Complete exercises posted in the module.
• Review answer key to confirm mastery.
• Engage in discussion for further clarification if needed.

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These notes capture the essential points from the lecture on understanding and identifying arguments in critical thinking. The structured approach helps in distinguishing parts of an argument effectively.