Overview

CRITICAL THINKING: A USER'S MANUAL offers an innovative skill-based approach to critical thinking that provides step-by-step tools for examining arguments. Students build a complete skill set by recognizing, analyzing, diagramming, and evaluating arguments; later chapters encourage application of the basic skills to categorical, truth-functional, analogical, generalization, and causal arguments as well as fallacies. The exercises throughout the text engage readers in active learning, integrate writing as part of the critical thinking process, and emphasize skill transference. A special feature, called Your Turn! encourages students to not just skim through the book's explanations, but stop, think, and apply what they are learning.

Full Product Details

Author:   Debra Jackson, RN, CommNursCert, BHSc(Nurs) MNurs, PhD ,  Paul Newberry
Publisher:   Cengage Learning, Inc
Imprint:   Wadsworth Publishing Co Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 20.40cm , Height: 1.60cm , Length: 25.40cm
Weight:   0.744kg
ISBN:  

9780495814078

ISBN 10:   0495814075
Pages:   368
Publication Date:   01 January 2011
Audience:   Adult education ,  Further / Higher Education
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Print
Availability:   Awaiting stock  

Table of Contents

Preface. Acknowledgements. 1. GETTING STARTED. Using Critical Thinking in the Classroom. Using Critical Thinking in the Workplace. Using Critical Thinking in the Martketplace. Forging an Examined Life. Developing Critical Thinking Skills. 2. RECOGNIZING ARGUMENTS. Identifying Claims. Counting Claims. Distinguishing Arguments from Explanations. Distinguishing Arguments from Other Non-Arguments. Putting it All Together: Recognizing Arguments. 3. ANALYZING ARGUMENTS. Analyzing Arguments with Inference Indicators. Analyzing Arguments without Inference Indicators. Analyzing Arguments with Extra Claims. Analyzing Arguments with Unstated Conclusions. Analyzing Arguments with Implied Claims. Analyzing Multiple Arguments Putting it All Together: Writing a Basic Analysis. 4. DIAGRAMMING ARGUMENTS. Diagramming Arguments. Utilizing Inference Indicators. Diagramming Arguments with Unstated Conclusions. Diagramming Arguments with Implied Claims. Diagramming Multiple Arguments. Checking Your Work. Diagramming Extended Arguments. Putting it All Together: A Basic Analysis with Argument Diagram. 5. DETECTING FALLICIES. Begging the Question. Appeal to Ignorance. Appeal to Illegitimate Authority. Ad Hominem Strawman. Red Herring. Putting it All Together: A Basic Analysis plus Fallacy Identification. 6. PREPARING TO EVALUATE ARGUMENTS. Distinguishing Two Styles of Reasoning. Distinguishing Two Kinds of Deductive Arguments. Distinguishing Three Kinds of Inductive Arguments. Choosing Proper Evaluative Terms. Putting it All Together: Writing a Complete Analysis. 7. EVALUATING CATEGORICAL ARGUMENTS. Recognizing Categorical Claims. Translating Categorical Claims. Recognizing Categorical Arguments. Analyzing Categorical Arguments. Evaluating Categorical Syllogisms. Using Venn Diagrams to Determine Validity. Using Rules to Determine Validity. Using Rules to Complete Categorical Arguments. Putting it All Together: A Complete Analysis plus Evaluation. 8. EVALUATING TRUTH-FUNCTIONAL ARGUMENTS. Recognizing Truth-Functional Claims. Translating Truth-Functional Claims. Using Proper Punctuation. Analyzing Truth-Functional Arguments. Identifying Argument Forms to Determine Validity. Applying Truth-Functional Definitions. Using the Truth Table Method to Determine Validity. Using the Shortcut Method to Determine Validity. Putting it All Together: A Complete Analysis plus Evaluation. 9. EVALUATING ANALOGICAL ARGUMENTS. Recognizing Analogical Arguments. Analyzing Analogical Arguments. Evaluating the Evidence for the Analogy. Evaluating the Relevance of the Analogy. Putting it All Together: A Complete Analysis plus Evaluation. 10. EVALUATING INDUCTIVE GENERALIZATIONS. Recognizing Inductive Generalizations. Analyzing Inductive Generalizations. Evaluating the Randomness of the Sample. Evaluating the Sample Size. Putting it All Together: A Complete Analysis plus Evaluation. 11. EVALUATING CAUSAL ARGUMENTS. Recognizing Causal Arguments. Analyzing Causal Arguments. Evaluating Causal Arguments. Putting it All Together: A Complete Analysis plus Evaluation. 12. CONSTRUCTING ARGUMENTS. Formulating Your Argument. Introducing Your Argument. Supporting Your Conclusion. Considering Objections. Summarizing Your Argument. Citing Your Sources. A1: Answers to Selected Exercises. A2: Glossary. A3: Index.

Reviews

This text is a one of a kind, user-friendly, viable resource that will benefit students in understanding the process of critical thinking. -- Judy Covington, Trident Technical College

Author Information

Dr. Debra Jackson has taught at CSU Bakersfield since 2002 and has been tenure-track faculty since 2005. She completed her PhD in Philosophy with a minor in Women's Studies at Purdue University in 2002. Dr. Paul Newberry received his PhD from Claremont Graduate University. He is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Cal State Bakersfield and served on the faculty task force that helped develop the CSUB general education assessment plan and co-directed the first critical thinking assessment.

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