Unit 2: LOGIC AND REASONING Flashcards
1
Q
LOGIC
A
the study of how we reason
2
Q
Formal Logic
A
studies of the principles that set apart good reasoning and arguments from the bad
3
Q
Informal Logic (Critical Thinking)
A
Looks at the reasoning people use in everyday life and why they think/reason that way
- Why do politicians say certain things
- What arguments do businessmen use and how is that used to persuade people?
4
Q
Reasoning
A
The process of giving reasons in support of an idea or action
-The process of forming conclusions, judgments, and inferences from facts and premises
5
Q
Argument
A
The use of one or more reasons to support an idea
6
Q
Premises
A
An assumption that something is true
-An argument always has at least 2 premises and a conclusion
7
Q
Conclusion
A
Declarative sentence or position
8
Q
Inference
A
Using existing information to form new information
9
Q
Logical Fallacies
A
A misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning
-The concept of making an error in terms of reasoning. It is crucial to understand them and avoid them so the mistake is not made during persuasion
10
Q
Proposition
A
A statement that can be either true or false
-It’s 5 pm. He left his room.
11
Q
3 main laws of formal contradiction
A
- Identity
- Non-contradiction
- Excluding Middle
12
Q
Law #1
A
- Law of Identity
- Something is that of which it is
- Things cannot have more than 1 identity
13
Q
Law #2
A
- Non-Contradiction
- A proposition cannot be true and false at the same time
14
Q
Law #3
A
- Exclude middle
- A position must be true OR false with no middle ground
- As long as terms are defined (law of Identity) then there is no middle ground
15
Q
Occam’s Razor
A
- With all things being equal, it is usually the simplest conclusion that is typically the right answer
- Arguments with the fewest assumptions are typically right
16
Q
Inductive Reasoning
A
- Reasons from specific to general
- Notices many facts and comes to a general conclusion
- No certainty possible
- EXCEPTION TO THE CONCLUSION
17
Q
Deductive Reasoning
A
- Reasoning from general to specific
- Starts with a hypothesis and inserts a fact and comes to conclusion based on the hypothesis
- Certainly can be possible if the valid and true syllogism
- NO EXCEPTION TO CONCLUSION
18
Q
Syllogism
A
-Applies deductive reasoning to an argument to arrive at a conclusion based on 2 or more propositions
19
Q
Invalid Syllogism
A
-The problem in the order of the premises
20
Q
False Syllogism
A
-Problem with the major premises
21
Q
Modus Pronens
A
- If A then B,
- A
- Therefore B
- In the spring, birds are chirping
- The birds are chirping
- Therefore it is spring
22
Q
Modus Tollen
A
- If A then B
- Not A
- Therefore, not B
- If it’s spring, then the birds are chirping
- the birds aren’t Chirping
- Therefore, not spring
23
Q
Hypothetical Syllogism
A
- If A then B
- If B then C
- Then A is C
- If we developed nuclear fusion power, then electricity would be cheaper
- If power becomes cheap and plentiful then the economy will benefit
- If we develop nuclear Fusion power, the economy will benefit
24
Q
Disjunctive Reasoning
A
- A or B
- Not A
- B
- Either Romney won in 2012 or Obama
- Romney didn’t win
- Obama did
25
Conspirism
- Based on paranoia
- A type of disorder in which it takes healthy scepticism and turns it into hardened suspicion and outside views seem malicious
26
Suspicions
- A feeling or thought that something is possible usually towards a certain group of people
- Immigrants
- People of Colour
- Different Religious groups
27
Conspiracy Theory
- unsubstantial allegations of a conspiracy
- Competes with a more plausible explanations
- Assumes deception and misinformation
28
Why do people believe in conspiracies
-Conspiracy-thinking helps more people deal with their own lack of information, empowering people to feel like they have the actual answers
29
Physocilogical Explanation for why?
- Structure of beliefs
- Demographic
- Personality
- Cognitive Bias
30
Structure of Beliefs
-If a person accepts one conspiracy theory, they will likely accept all since they are all connected
31
Demographic
- who believes in the conspiracies
- Age?
- Sex?
- income?
- Education?
32
Personality
Who believes in conspiracies?
- Paranoia?
- Powerlessness?
- Openness?
33
Cognitive Biases
- we come to the conclusions we reach mainly by following our intuitions and the things that we already have an understanding or belief of
34
4 cognitive Biases that make conspiracy theories possible
- Proportionality Biases
- Patternicity
- Projection Biases
- Conformation Baises
35
Proportionality biases
Big events have big causes
36
Patternicity
Finding meaningful patterns in inexact stimuli
37
Projection Bises
the assumption that people think and act in the same way as "i" do
38
Confirmation Bias
- seeking information or opinions that confirm the beliefs you already have
39
Relevance
Have value on the matter at hand
40
Empirical Value
information that can be verified or obtained through a sense of judgement that can be verified through further observation rather than a personal opinion
41
Biases
having a certain view on politics, people, religion and many other topics that can be caused by your upbringing and other personal factors
42
Reliability
information and sources that can be judged to be trusted due to varying levels of degrees and credibility
- Examine a sources credentials
- Examine a sources past information
- Examines a sources reputation
43
Ad hominem
A logical fallacies known as the personal attack which is when one argues criticises the other based on something personal that has nothing to do with the argument
-"why would I listen to yours? you're a Republican"
44
Guilt by Association
the assumption that people will act a certain way because of the people or objects around them
"don't trust Hailey with money, her mom was arrested for robbery last year."
45
Strawman
Attacking an argument or position that your opponent does not hold and then saying that their argument is wrong
46
Post Hoc
- "After this, therefore because of this"
- Assuming that A preceded B, then A must have caused B
- Karma: you were gossiping about someone and later that day your car broke down.
47
Hasty conclusions / generalization
- Jumping to a conclusion with no real evidence
- Josh is vegan therefor josh loves animals
- Stereotype
48
Inconsistency
-an inconsistent argument is one that has an exception so it can be either true or false
49
false dichotomy
-when you are only given 2 options to rebut the argument when the reality is that there are many more
50
Glittery Generality
- gives no detail whatsoever
| - General statement surrounded by emotional or glittery words
51
Card staking
an argument with no real evidence to back it and only show the evidence that agrees with the argument and none that goes against
52
argument for Authority
when an argument is made by someone who doesn't have the legitimate authority to talk on the topic
-just because you watch Dr.phil doesn't mean you can diagnose people
53
Bandwagon
use popularity or popular opinion as a reason to do something
54
Slippery slope
forecasting a series of events that will happen (usually unfortunate ones) if the first step in the process is taken
55
Red herring
bringing up a side issue that takes away focus from the real on
-We can't worry about the environment we are at war
56
Circular reasoning
promising support for your cliam but providing none
57
Self contradiction
using 2 premises that can not be true at the same time
58
Appeal to ignorance
Argueing that a lack of evidence proves something
59
False analogy
asumeing that if 2 things are alike in one way they are also alike in many others
60
Non Sequester
- "does not follow"
| - Linking 2 or more ideas together that have no logical connection
61
Oversimplifying
reducing the relationship between cause and effect
62
Quibbiling
nitpicking at insignificant things in someone elses argument even of the argument itself if valid
