Chapter 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Appeal to popularity (or masses)

A

The view that some belief or practice is acceptable “merely” because it is popular

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2
Q

Peer Pressure

A

Social pressure to conform in one’s beliefs or practices

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3
Q

Philosphical skepticism

A

Awareness of the fallibility of human knowledge

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4
Q

Philosophical skeptics

A

Those (including all critical thinkers) who embrace some degree of skepticism

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5
Q

Social Relativism

A

View that truth is relative to societies

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6
Q

Subjective Relativism

A

View that truth depends on individual belief

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7
Q

Subjectivist Fallacy

A

Supporting a claim on the basis of subjective relativism

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8
Q

Stereotyping

A

Drawing hasty conclusions about groups of people without sufficient evidence

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9
Q

Worldview

A

Philosophy of life - what kind of world we live in, what should be the case in this world and what we know about it.

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10
Q

The environment of critical thinking and mistakes

A

We all make fallacies (mistakes!)

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11
Q

What should be do to avoid fallacies

A
  • Watch for errors in thinking
  • Restrain any attitudes and feelings that can distort or warp our reasoning
  • Achieve a level of objectivity
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12
Q

3 elements to help us become better critical thinkers

A
  • Awareness
  • Practice
  • Motivation
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13
Q

The study of how to persuade people

A

Rhetoric

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14
Q

The power of persuasion (rhetoric) can be used for _________.

A

Good or bad

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15
Q

Common impediments to critical thinking (categories)

A
  1. Hinderances (problems, barriers) from HOW we think (fears, motivations, attitudes etc.)
  2. Hinderances from WHAT we think (philosophical beliefs or ideas)
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16
Q

Problems with HOW we think

A
  1. You - focused on self preservation + self-interested thinking
  2. Everyone else
17
Q

Problem with critical thinking?

A

Self-interest

18
Q

Example of self-interest

A

“The province should lower tax; it would be good for my business!”

19
Q

A rule of arguments and self-interest

A

Every argument should be judged objectively and in its own terms

20
Q

Does self-interest & psychological motivation change quality of the argument?

A

NO!

It is still an argument

21
Q

Accepting a claim because its in your interests.

A

That is a problem!

Ie. do i believe in lower tuition because that is what I WANT or do I really believe it is BETTER FOR EVERYONE?

22
Q

Self-interested thinking can:

A
  1. limit critical inquiry
  2. blind you to facts
  3. lead you to ignore evidence
  4. encourage wishful thinking
  5. provoke self-deception
23
Q

How to overcome self-interested thinking

A
  1. Watch out when things get personal
  2. Ensure nothing has been left out
  3. Be aware to how critical thinking can be undermined
24
Q

Appeals to common practice

A

Refers to something people DO and argues that we should do it too because most people do it

25
Q

What is the case with common beliefs?

A

Many things common;y believed are false

26
Q

Rule of common practice

A

Generally just because this is how things have been done DOES NOT mean that is how it should be done.

Ex. Everyone speeds, so I shouldn’t get a ticket officer.

27
Q

Example of subjective relativism

A

“2+2=4”

“Ottawa is the capital of Canada”

28
Q

Problems with social relativism

A
  • It implies that societies are infallible
  • It is self-defeating
  • How big must the group be?
29
Q

Modern meaning of skepticism

A

Questioning or doubting