Critical Thinking: A Student’s Introduction 6th Edition by Gregory Bassham, ISBN-13: 978-0078038396

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Critical Thinking: A Student’s Introduction 6th Edition by Gregory Bassham, ISBN-13: 978-0078038396

[PDF eBook eTextbook]

• Publisher: ‎ McGraw Hill; 6th edition (December 4, 2018)
• Language: ‎ English
• 544 pages
• ISBN-10: ‎ 0078038391
• ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0078038396

In a hyper-connected digital world buzzing with both information and illogic, facts and spin, critical thinking has never been more challenging or important. This popular, learner-friendly text gives today’s students the critical reasoning tools they need to survive and thrive–in school, in their careers, and in life. It covers all the basics of critical thinking, using class-tested real-world examples and a proven step-by-step approach. Its comprehensiveness allows instructors to tailor the material to their individual teaching styles, resulting in an exceptionally versatile text.

Table of Contents:

Preface

CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Critical Thinking

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical Thinking Standards

Clarity

Precision

Accuracy

Relevance

Consistency

Logical Correctness

Completeness

Fairness

The Benefits of Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking in the Classroom

Critical Thinking in the Workplace

Critical Thinking in Life

Barriers to Critical Thinking

Egocentrism

Sociocentrism

Unwarranted Assumptions and Stereotypes

Relativistic Thinking

Wishful Thinking

Qualities of a Critical Thinker

CHAPTER 2 Recognizing Arguments

What Is an Argument?

Identifying Premises and Conclusions

What Is Not an Argument?

Reports

Unsupported Assertions

Conditional Statements

Illustrations

Explanations

CHAPTER 3 Basic Logical Concepts

Deduction and Induction

How Can We Tell Whether an Argument Is Deductive or

Inductive?

The Indicator Word Test

The Strict Necessity Test

The Common Pattern Test

The Principle of Charity Test

Exceptions to the Strict Necessity Test

Common Patterns of Deductive Reasoning

Hypothetical Syllogism

Categorical Syllogism

Argument by Elimination

Argument Based on Mathematics

Argument from Definition

Common Patterns of Inductive Reasoning

Inductive Generalization

Predictive Argument

Argument from Authority

Causal Argument

Statistical Argument

Argument from Analogy

Deductive Validity

Inductive Strength

CHAPTER 4 Language

Finding the Right Words: The Need for Precision

Vagueness

Overgenerality

Ambiguity

The Importance of Precise Definitions

Types of Definitions

Strategies for Defining

Rules for Constructing Good Lexical Definitions

Emotive Language: Slanting the Truth

The Emotive Power of Words

Euphemisms and Political Correctness

CHAPTER 5 Logical Fallacies—I

The Concept of Relevance

Fallacies of Relevance

Personal Attack (Ad Hominem)

Attacking the Motive

Look Who’s Talking (Tu Quoque)

Two Wrongs Make a Right

Scare Tactics

Appeal to Pity

Bandwagon Argument

Straw Man

Red Herring

Equivocation

Begging the Question

CHAPTER 6 Logical Fallacies—II

Fallacies of Insufficient Evidence

Inappropriate Appeal to Authority

Appeal to Ignorance

False Alternatives

Loaded Question

Questionable Cause

Hasty Generalization

Slippery Slope

Weak Analogy

Inconsistency

Composition and Division

CHAPTER 7 Analyzing Arguments

Diagramming Short Arguments

Tips on Diagramming Arguments

Summarizing Longer Arguments

Paraphrasing

Finding Missing Premises and Conclusions

Summarizing Extended Arguments

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Standardizing Arguments

CHAPTER 8 Evaluating Arguments and Truth Claims

When Is An Argument a Good One?

What “Good Argument” Does Not Mean

What “Good Argument” Does Mean

When Is It Reasonable To Accept a Premise?

Refuting Arguments

Appendix: Sample Critical Essay

In Defense of Cheating by Joe Kribs

Sample Critical Essay

CHAPTER 9 A Little Categorical Logic

Categorical Statements

Translating into Standard Categorical Form

Categorical Syllogisms

CHAPTER 10 A Little Propositional Logic

Conjunction

Conjunction and Validity

Negation

Deeper Analysis of Negation and Conjunction

Disjunction

Conditional Statements

CHAPTER 11 Inductive Reasoning

Introduction to Induction

Inductive Generalizations

Evaluating Inductive Generalizations

Opinion Polls and Inductive Generalizations

Statistical Arguments

Reference Class

Induction and Analogy

What Is an Analogy?

How Can We Argue by Analogy?

Evaluating Arguments from Analogy

Arguing by Analogy

Induction and Causal Arguments

Correlation and Cause

A Few Words about Probability

A Closer Look at a Priori Probability

CHAPTER 12 Finding, Evaluating, and Using Sources

Finding Sources

Refining Your Search: Questions and Keywords

Directional Sources

Informational Sources

Evaluating Informational Sources

Content: Facts and Everything Else

The Author and the Publisher

The Audience

Evaluating Internet Sources

Taking Notes

Bibliographical Information

Content Notes: Quotes, Summaries, and Paraphrases

Using Sources

Acknowledging Sources

Incorporating Sources

CHAPTER 13 Writing Argumentative Essays

Writing a Successful Argument

Before You Write

Know Yourself

Know Your Audience

Choose and Narrow Your Topic

Write a Sentence That Expresses Your Claim

Gather Ideas: Brainstorm and Research

Organize Your Ideas

Writing the First Draft

Provide an Interesting Opening

Include a Thesis Statement

Develop Your Body Paragraphs

Provide a Satisfying Conclusion

After the First Draft

Read What You Have Written and Revise

Consider What You Have Not Written and Revise

Show Your Work

Edit Your Work

Hand It In

Sample Argumentative Essay

CHAPTER 14 Thinking Critically about the Media

Mass Media and Social Media

The News

Critically Analyzing News Sources

Social Media and the Rise of Fake News

News Media Bias

Bias toward Business Interests

Bias toward Entertainment

Political Bias

Media Literacy

Advertising

What Ads Do

Defenses of Advertising

Criticisms of Advertising

Common Advertising Ploys

CHAPTER 15 Science and Pseudoscience

The Basic Pattern of Scientific Reasoning

The Limitations of Science

How to Distinguish Science from Pseudoscience

A Case Study in Pseudoscientific Thinking: Astrology

Appendix: The Six Habits of Effective Problem Solvers

Answers to Selected Exercises

Index

Gregory Bassham is Professor and Chair of the Philosophy Department at King’s College (Pa.). He is the author or editor of seven books, including The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy (2003), The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy (Wiley, 2010), and The Hobbit and Philosophy (forthcoming 2012).

William Irwin is Professor of Philosophy at King’s College, author of eleven books, and Series Editor of the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series.

Henry Nardone is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at King’s College. His publications include scholarly articles on critical thinking and aesthetics.

James M. Wallace, Professor of English at King’s College, is the author or co-author of two books, including Critical Thinking (4th ed., 2011).

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