TOPIC 7

ARGUMENTATION & REASONING

1
Critical thinking is the art of reasoning
well. Since good reasoning involves
arguments, we start with them
Learning outcomes

Students will be able to:

APPLY CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS in life by:

making reasonable evaluations of claims
making reasonable evaluations of
arguments
explaining differences of claims and
arguments
 Arguments and Claims in Critical
Thinking
• Thinking can be shown by expression of opinion
• Think effectively – confidence in giving opinions
• OPINIONS - EXPRESSED IN THE FORM OF ARGUMENT OR
CLAIM
• ARGUMENT AND CLAIM – TO CONVINCE OTHERS
• Argument is presented TO ARRIVE AT A TRUE CONCLUSION.
• To give an argument is to make a claim as reasons for its
acceptance
• Thus, an argument is a set of claims, one of which is to be
supported by the others.
• Ability to think, plan and discuss from different perspectives can
avoid irrational decision.
• Important to convince people with proper statement.
You should settle this work because…
You should attend that course because…
 CLAIMS
• Reasoning based on obtained information
• Quality of reasoning will be affected by quality of
obtained information
• Most direct way to convey information through – to
make statements (to utter sentences to describe the
way things are)
• “Statement” – also refer to claims and assertion
- Statement: Watson left the room.
- Question: Did Watson leave the room?
- Request: Watson, please leave the room
- Command: Watson, get out of the room!
Features of a claim

Consists of declarative** sentence

Having truth value even the sentence is true or not

Language used in the statement can be understood

** A declarative sentence:
• is used to convey information or to make statements.
• a sentence in the form of a statement (in contrast to a command, a question, or an exclamation)
• the subject normally precedes the verb. A declarative sentence ends with a period.
Non-claim statement

Opinion Question

Command Hope

Idiom
Examples of NON-CLAIM sentences:
• Close the door! (command)
• How many times have I told you to take off your
shoes? (Question or command)
• Dear God, Please grant me the wish to be a
millionaire one day! (hope)
• He who laughs last laughs the loudest! (idiom)
False claim Un-tested claim
Statement about Vague, ambiguous,
the real world or incomplete claim
refuted by the OR factual claim for
evidence which evidence is
yet unavailable
 ARGUMENT AND CLAIMS
Features of argument :
• Aims to support a claim or a set of claims
• To arrive at a conclusion whose truth and validity
entails from a claim or set of claims.
• Premise is different argument which used to support
the conclusion in argument .
• A conclusion is a claim meant to be supported by
reasons offered in the argument.
• A premise is a claim put forth as a reason for a
conclusion
 Opinion vs. Arguable Claim
Opinion
• Durians are delicious.
• I like dance music.
• I think AIRLINE 1 is better than
AIRLINE 1.
Argument/Arguable claim
• Durians taste better than other fruits
because of their texture, their creamy
taste, and their golden appearance.
• Dance music has become popular for
reasons that have nothing to do with
the quality of the music; rather, the
clear, fast beats respond to the need of
people on amphetamines to move, and
to move quickly.
• AIRLINE1 is a more effective airline
than AIRLINE2 because of punctuality
(i.e. on-time performance) in arrival
and departure time.
Activity

How to argue intelligently?

Your own value, stand or standard
to reflect who you are
• How to argue intelligently?
• “Just how charitable are you supposed to be when criticizing
the views of an opponent?”
Four Steps to Arguing Intelligently

You should attempt

You should list any
to re-express your
points of
target’s position so Only then are you
agreement You should
clearly, vividly, and permitted to say so
(especially if they mention anything
fairly that your much as a word of
are not matters of you have learned
target says, rebuttal or
general or from your target
“Thanks, I wish I’d criticism
widespread
thought of putting
agreement)
it that way”
 Different psychological tests that are
used to evaluate critical thinking skills

• The standard version consists
of multiple choice questions
for an hour-long test. There
are two versions (A & B) that
are supposed to be equivalent
and so can be used to
measure changes in critical
thinking over a period of time
• A more recent test that can
also be completed online,
with sub-scores for different
categories such as analysis,
inference, induction, etc.
• focuses on five dimensions of
critical thinking: verbal
reasoning, argument analysis,
thinking as hypothesis testing,
likelihood and uncertainty,
and decision making and
problem solving

Watson-Glaser California Critical The Halpern Critical

Critical Thinking Thinking Skills Test Thinking
Appraisal (WGCTA) (CCTST Assessment (HCTA)
 Basic Concepts:
Claims, Arguments, Premises, & Conclusions
CLAIM
• A declarative sentence
used in such a way that it is
either true or false (but not
both)
PREMISES
• A claim that supports
another claim; A statement
in an argument that
provides reason or support
for the conclusion
ARGUMENT
• A collection of claims; A
group of statements/claims
including one or more
premises and one and only
one conclusion
CONCLUSION
• A statement in an
argument that indicates of
what the arguer is trying to
convince the
reader/listener
PRACTICE USE WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED ABOUT JOINING WORDS TO
IDENTIFY THE PREMISES AND CONCLUSION(S) IN THE FOLLOWING
ARGUMENT.

Most Americans eat at fast-food establishments more than once a week,

and many researchers agree that such eating habits are the leading (if not
primary) cause of obesity in the U.S.A. Obesity-related diseases such as
diabetes and hypertension burden our healthcare system by billions of
dollars each year. Whether through healthcare-insurance premiums or
state and federal taxes, you suffer the consequences even if you eat only
healthful, home-cooked meals. Therefore, we should impose a small tax on
every high-calorie meal served at fast-food chains in this country. This
would not only offset obesity-related healthcare costs, but force consumers
to seek out more healthful options when looking for lunch.
 Quiz 1
Since all humans have the
capacity for creative thought
and all capacities should be
developed and used, it
follows that all humans
should think creatively.
Is this an argument??
If yes, how many P(s)?

Indicate the conclusion.

 Quiz 2
Research universities also must aggressively
support teaching. After all, a significant
percentage of their students are
undergraduates, and such institutions are clearly
obligated to provide them a quality education.

Ernest L. Boyer, Scholarship Reconsidered, 1990)

Is this an argument??
If yes, how many P(s)?

Indicate the conclusion.