| Argument | A claim defended with reasons. More precisely, an argument is a set of statements, one of which (called the conclusion) is claimed or intended to be supported by the others (called the premises), 25, 50; cogent, 82--83, 222--223, 310, 312; complex, 32--33; deductive, 52--67, 83; explanation and, 42--43; inductive, 52--62, 67, 71, 83, 305--350; invalid, 74--78, 83; not a fight, 407--409; simple, 32--33; sound, 78, 83, 222--223, 310; strong, 78, 83, 222, 305, 312; uncogent, 82--83, 312; unsound, 78, 83; valid, 74--78, 83, 222, 276, 286; weak, 79-83, 305, 312
|  | | | | Critical thinking | The general term given to a wide range of cognitive skills and intellectual dispositions needed to effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth claims, to discover and overcome personal prejudices and biases, to formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions, and to make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do, 1-2, 222--223; barriers to, 11--20; benefits of, 8--11; standards of, 2--8
| | | | | Good argument | In critical thinking, an argument that satisfies the relevant critical thinking standards that apply in a particular context, including accuracy, logical correctness, clarity, precision, relevance, consistency, completeness, and fairness, 221--223
| | | | | Premises | Statements in an argument offered as reasons or evidence for a conclusion, 25, 50; evaluating, 99-101, 223-227; listing opposing, 422; listing supporting, 420-421
| | | | | Relevance | Pertinence to the subject at issue. In logic, a statement, A, is said to be relevant to another statement, B, just in case A provides evidence for or against B, 3--4, 222-223, 140--142, 159
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2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education