This page intentionally left blank Tenth Edition Critical Thinking Brooke Noel Moore Richard Parker California State University, Chico Chapter 13 by Nina Rosenstand and Anita Silversa mmoooo3388228866__ffmm__ii--xxxxxx..iinndddd ii 1122//99//1100 11::4466 PPMM Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright © 2012, 2009, 2007, 2004, 2001, 1998, 1995, 1991 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. Some ancillaries, including electronic and print components, may not be available to customers outside the United States. This book is printed on acid-free paper. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 RJE/RJE 1 0 ISBN: 978-0-07-803828-0 MHID: 0-07-803828-6 Vice President, Editorial: Michael Ryan Director, Editorial: Beth Mejia Sponsoring Editor: Mark Georgiev Development Editor: Susan Messer Editorial Coordinator: Amy Flauaus Marketing Director: Allison Jones Marketing Manager: Pamela Cooper Media Project Manager: Shannon Gattens Production Editor: Ruth Sakata Corley Cover Designer: Laurie Entringer Manager, Photo Research: Brian J. Pecko Buyer II: Louis Swaim Production Service: Matrix Productions, Inc. Composition: 10/12 Trump Medieval by Lachina Publishing Services Printing: 45# New Era Matte by R.R. Donnelley & Sons Cover image: ©Jose Luis Stephens/Radius Images/Getty Images; iPhone: © Kacper Kida / Alamy Credits: The credits section for this book begins on page 535 and is considered an extension of the copyright page. 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 mmoooo3388228866__ffmm__ii--xxxxxx..iinndddd iiii 1122//99//1100 11::4466 PPMM 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 mmoooo3388228866__ffmm__ii--xxxxxx..iinndddd iiiiii 1122//99//1100 11::4466 PPMM This page intentionally left blank 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 mmoooo3388228866__ffmm__ii--xxxxxx..iinndddd vv 1122//99//1100 11::4466 PPMM 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 mmoooo3388228866__ffmm__ii--xxxxxx..iinndddd vvii 1122//99//1100 11::4466 PPMM 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 mmoooo3388228866__ffmm__ii--xxxxxx..iinndddd vviiii 1122//99//1100 11::4466 PPMM 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 mmoooo3388228866__ffmm__ii--xxxxxx..iinndddd vviiiiii 1122//99//1100 11::4466 PPMM