Critical Thinking Answer Key

1 One of the following statements is not an aspect of critical thinking. Which one is it? 1 Skilfully conceptualising and analysing ideas. 2 Accepting information without active thought. 3 Questioning the ideas and beliefs of others. 4 Challenging dogma and authority. 2 Critical thinking is the opposite of dogma. Why is this? 1 Dogma allows one to engage with the world in an ethical and politically conscious manner, whereas critical reasoning does not. 2 Critical reasoning allows one to engage with the world in such a way as to ensure that one can easily accept ideas, whereas dogma does not. 3 Critical reasoning enables one to conceptualise, question, and evaluate ideas, whereas dogma does not. 4 Dogma allows one to critically engage with the world whereas critical reasoning does not. 3 Fill in the missing word(s)/phrase(s). ______________ are generalisations that people make about the ______________ of all members of a groups, based on an image (often wrong) about what people in that group are like. 1 Stereotypes; characteristics 2 Social ideas; characteristics 3 Assumptions; differences 4 Fallacies; differences For questions 4─7 identify the type of fallacy being used in the statements to follow: 4 ‘If we give students one extension for an assignment due to late delivery of study material, then they will expect it for every single assessment. Next thing you know, students will want to set their own deadlines!’ 1 Slippery slope argument 2 Straw man argument 3 Begging the question 4 Equivocation 5 ‘My teacher told me that all living beings evolved. I simply cannot see how I am the daughter of an ape!’ 1 Begging the question 2 False appeal to authority 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Straw man argument 6 ‘Do not trust atoms. They make up everything.’ 1 Faulty analogy 2 Slippery slope argument 3 Equivocation 4 Faulty analogy 7 ‘People who drink coffee every day are just as bad as alcoholics. Both alcoholics and coffee drinkers have an addiction.’ 1 Begging the question 2 Equivocation 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Faulty analogy 9 A fallacy that leads one from initially and seemingly true first premises to exaggerated consequences in the conclusion is called: 1 Complex question 2 Hasty generalisation 3 Slippery slope argument 4 None of the above 10 A fallacy is committed below. Which one? ‘There is an advertisement on TV where Beyoncé says that this toothpaste is the best for preventing cavities. It makes sense then to buy this brand.’ 1 Complex question 2 Hasty generalisation 3 False appeal to authority 4 False dilemma 11 A fallacy is committed below. Which one? ‘Lesedi said that the food in this restaurant is exceptionally well done. I don’t see how that can be, as this steak I ordered is very rare.’ 1 Ad hominem argument 2 Equivocation 3 Hasty generalization 4 False dilemma 12 Fill in the missing word(s)/phrase(s). A _____________ is when a generalisation is made on the basis of insufficient evidence. 1 Hasty generalisation 2 Equivocation 3 Ad hominem argument 4 False dilemma 13 Fill in the missing word(s)/phrase(s). ____________ are those statements in an argument that have the function of supporting the _________________. 1 Premises; conclusion 2 Conclusions; premise 3 Arguments; conclusion 4 Fallacies; conclusion 14 Which of the following terms is not a premise indicator? 1 because 2 since 3 moreover 4 hence 15 What is the principle of charitable interpretation? 1 The argument should be interpreted in such a way that the premises give the weakest support for the conclusion. 2 The argument should be interpreted in such a way that the premises give the strongest support for the conclusion. 3 The argument should be interpreted in such a way that the premises do not support the conclusion. 4 The argument should be interpreted in such a way that the conclusion is not supported by any premises. 8 Which fallacy occurs when two or more questions are disguised as one question? 1 Complex question 2 Equivocation 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Faulty analogy 1 A1 S2 2019 1 What is an argument in the context of critical reasoning? 1 It is [a] premise[s] and conclusion[s] that aim to convince another of a certain point of view. 2 It is a quarrel or verbal fight between two interlocutors, where one speaker is shouting. 3 It is what follows if the antecedent condition is assumed true. 4 It is when a speaker appeals to force to convince another of her point of view. 2 Which of the following sentences best summarises critical thinking? 1 Critical thinking is the ability to engage in independent thought and reflect on one’s own biases. 2 Critical thinking is the ability to participate in a debate and ensure that fallacies are always believed. 3 Critical thinking is about embracing information without the intervention of active thought or criticism. 4 Critical thinking necessitates an acceptance of all given information in order to ease our daily life. 3 Which term is not an example of an obstacle to clear reasoning in critical thought? 1 Inductive thinking 2 Stereotypes 3 Social conditioning 4 Labelling For questions 4─7 identify the type of fallacy being used in the statements to follow: 4 “Are you still accepting bribes?” 1 Slippery slope argument 2 Straw man argument 3 Begging the question 4 Complex question 5 “Just like a watch needs a watchmaker, so too the universe needs a designer.” 1 Faulty analogy 2 Equivocation 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Straw man argument 6 “A good novel is very rare these days. We know that rare things are quite expensive. That would explain the high book prices.” 1 Begging the question 2 Equivocation 3 Appeal to the masses 4 Faulty analogy 7 ‘Stanley is so popular because everyone likes him.’ 1 Complex question 2 Begging the question 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Faulty analogy 8 Match the fallacy in Column A with the description in Column B. Column A Column B a) Ad hominem argument i) Two or more questions are disguised as one question b) False dilemma ii) Attacking the character of the person who is making a claim c) Hasty generalisation iii) Presenting an ‘either-or’ choice, when there are more alternatives d) Complex question iv) Making a claim on the basis of insufficient evidence 1 (a): (i); (b): (iii); (c): (iv); (d): (ii) 2 (a): (ii); (b): (iii); (c): (i); (d): (iv) 3 (a): (ii); (b): (iii); (c): (iv); (d): (i) 4 (a): (iv); (b): (iii); (c): (ii); (d): (i) Answer: 3 9 Fill in the missing word(s)/phrase(s). ____________ is the type of ambiguity which occurs when a single word or phrase is ambigous, and the ambuity is not grammatical but lexical. 1 Ambivalence 2 Circularity 3 Distraction 4 Equivocation 10 When does the error of faulty analogy occur? 1 When a comparison is made between two similar things and there are no relevant differences between them. 2 When a comparison is made between two things and there are some similarities between them. 3 When a comparison is made between two different things and there are similarities between them. 4 When a comparison is made between two different things and there are no relevant similarities between them. 11 One particular fallacy occurs when what is supposedly proved by the conclusion of an argument is already assumed to be true in the premised. Which fallacy is this? 1 Slippery slope argument 2 Complex question 3 Begging the question 4 Faulty analogy 12 Fill in the missing word(s)/phrase(s). A(n) ____________ asserts that some empirically determinable facts hold, whilst a(n) _____________ asserts a claim of preference or a moral judgement about right and wrong, good and bad. 1 value argument; empirical argument 2 empirical argument; value argument 3 inductive argument; deductive argument 4 deductive argument; inductive argument 13 Which of the following terms is not a conclusion indicator? 1 therefore 2 since 3 thus 4 hence 14 What role do premises play in arguments? 1 Premises provide reasons for accepting the conclusion. 2 Premises are statements that contain fallacies. 3 Premises are statements that indicate validity. 4 Premises provide structural soundness. 15 Fill in the missing word(s)/phrase(s). An argument is a group of ________________. One of these statements is the ________________ of the argument. The other statements are ________________ that are intended to convince the reader that the conclusion is true. 1 conclusions; premise; statements 2 premises; conclusion; statements 3 statements; premise; conclusion 4 statements; conclusion; premises statements are the premises that are intended to convince the reader that the conclusion is true” (Van den Berg 2014: 47). This means option 4 is correct. 2 A2 S2 2019 1 Which of the following is not a step in evaluating arguments? 1 Understand the meaning of the argument. 2 Identify the conclusion of the argument. 3 Convert the entire argument into symbolic language. 4 Locate the reasons that support the argument. 2 Which of the options below is not able to complete the following statement? Philosophical reasoning is characterised by… 1 … a critical attitude to the ideas and beliefs of other people. 2 … a closed minded scepticism of ideas contrary to one’s own. 3 … a highly critical attitude to one’s own ideas and beliefs. 4 … an open minded approach to the ideas and beliefs of others. 3 Which of the following is not a fallacy category? 1 Emotion fallacies 2 Critical fallacies 3 Distraction fallacies 4 Structural fallacies 4 Which of the following sentences best describes a “conclusion”? 1 It is what is said to follow if the antecedent condition is assumed to be true. 2 It is an argument in which the premises are claimed to give sufficient support for the conclusion to follow. 3 It is the main claim in an argument that the premises are intended to prove. 4 It is a kind of argument in which it is argued that a particular event or effect occurs on the basis of specific antecedent conditions. 5 Which word/phrase completes the sentence? “__________ refers to a structural issue in argumentation and looks at the relationship between the premises and the conclusion of the argument.” 1 Complexity 2 Soundness 3 Statistical extrapolations 4 Validity 6 Which word or phrase completes the sentence? ‘__________ refers to the truth or strength of the premises of an argument.’ 1 Soundness 2 Validity 3 Statistical extrapolations 4 Complexity Examine the following argument and answer questions 7, 8 and 9 that follow. If one eats a plant-based diet, then one will probably not struggle with high cholesterol. Mbali doesn’t have high cholesterol. Therefore, she eats a plant-based diet. 7 What type of argument is this an example of? 1 Deductive value argument 2 Inductive value argument 3 Inductive empirical argument 4 Deductive empirical argument 8 This argument also contains a fallacy – which one? 1 Affirming the consequent 2 Argumentum ad populum 3 Denying the antecedent 4 Complex question 9 Which structure best represents the fallacy committed in this argument? 1 Premise 1: If P then Q 2 Premise 1: If P then Q Premise 2: P Premise 2: Q Conclusion: Q Conclusion: P 3 Premise 1: If P then Q Premise 2: not P Conclusion: not Q 4 Premise 1: If P then Q Premise 2: not Q Conclusion: not P 10 Read the following sentence and answer the question that follows. “A frog is an amphibian of the class amphibia. All amphibians are cold-bloooded vertebrates that don’t have scales. They inhabit both aquatic and terrestrial habitats.” What type of definition is this? 1 A stipulative definition 2 A logical definition 3 A persuasive definition 4 A denotative definition 11 Read the following sentence and answer the question that follows. “A good detective is someone like Sherlock Holmes – he has strong analytic skills, is a keen observer and is great at making deductions.” What type of definition is this? 1 A denotative definition 2 A stipulative definition 3 A persuasive definition 4 A logical definition 12 The fallacy of begging the question is known in Latin as: 1 Ad hominem 2 Ad baculum 3 Petitio principii 4 Ad vericundiam 13 Match the examples of fallacies in Column A with the correct name of the fallacies in Column B. Column A Column B a) I would not recommend i) Hasty generalisation going to Greece. My mom went to Greece for a week and it was raining the whole time! b) Either you support the EFF, ii) Affirming / consequent or you want to see the poor people of South African remaining disenfranchised. c) Are you still supporting iii) Complex question that corrupt political party? d) If you walk under a ladder, iv) False dilemma then you will have many years of bad luck. With all the bad luck you have had in the past few years, you must have walked under a ladder. 1 (a): (i); (b): (ii); (c): (iii); (d): (iv) 2 (a): (iv); (b): (iii); (c): (i); (d): (ii) 3 (a): (i); (b): (iv); (c): (iii); (d): (ii) 4 (a): (i); (b): (iv); (c): (ii); (d): (iii) 3 14 What is an argumentum ad populum? 1 It is a fallacy that occurs when a generalisation is drawn based on insufficient evidence. 2 It is a fallacy that occurs when a comparison is drawn between two different cases with no relevant similarities between them. 3 It is a fallacy characterised by an attempt to persuade based on patriotism, mass sentiment or popular feelings. 4 It is a fallacy that occurs when someone attacks the character her interlocutor, instead of her argument. Read the following argument and answer questions 15 and 16 that follow. “Happiness is more important than money. The amount of stuff one is able to afford can only bring temporary, fleeting joy. Happiness stems from being a good person, spending time with those closest to you, and giving, rather than receiving.” 15 What type of argument is represented in the argument above? 1 Deductive, empirical argument. 2 Fallacious deductive argument. 3 Value inductive argument. 4 Verifiable inductive argument. 16 What is the conclusion of the above argument? 1 Happiness is more important than money. 2 The amount of stuff one is able to afford can only bring temporary, fleeting joy. 3 Happiness stems from being a good person, spending time with those closest to you, and giving, rather than receiving. 4 There is an implicit conclusion. Read the following argument and then answer questions 1719. Each statement has a letter after it; the letters in the answers refer to the corresponding statements in the argument. Legalising abortion is wrong (a). This is not because of its moral implications (b). It is because of its social considerations (c). Once abortion is legalised, any pregnant woman can have an abortion on demand (d). And once this is the case, the population growth will decline (e). Soon there will not be enough people to do the jobs that are required by society (f). And this will have devastating consequences for the economy of this country (g). 17 Which of the following statements best gives the main conclusion of the argument? 1 (e) 2 (a) 3 (f) 4 (g) 18 What kind of argument is being made in the passage? 1 a valid deductive argument 2 a sound inductive argument 3 an unsound inductive argument 4 an invalid deductive argument 19 What is the argument’s main flaw? 1 This is a bad argument because all the statements are based on unfounded assumptions. 2 The arguer unfairly discriminates against pregnant women. 3 The conclusion is false because it does not follow from the premises. 4 The argument is fallacious because it commits the slippery slope fallacy. 20 Fill in the missing words. “___________ means that two things or events are closely related. ___________ means that a certain fact or event produced something else, its effect of result.” 1 Cause; Correlation 2 Confirmation; Corroboration 3 Empirical; Value 4 Correlation; Cause A2 S1 2018 1 What is an argument in the context of critical reasoning? 1 It is a quarrel or verbal fight between two interlocutors, where one speaker is shouting. 2 It is [a] premise[s] and conclusion[s] that aim to convince another of a certain point of view. 3 It is what follows if the antecedent condition is assumed true. 4 It is when a speaker appeals to force to convince another of her point of view. 2 Of what is the following sentence an example? Isis targeted civilians celebrating Ramadan in Baghdad with two car bombs on the 30th of May 2017. 1 Statement 2 Premise 3 Conclusion 4 Argument Answer questions 3, 4, and 5 based on the following paragraph. One can try to justify terrorism in the following way. Even though victims may be non-combatants or common citizens, they are not innocent of the wrongs the terrorists are fighting against. In addition, one can say that even though victims are innocent, the consequences of terror acts may justify their means. Terrorism can thus be justified. (Primoratz, 2015) 3 Of what is the preceding paragraph an example? 1 Statement 2 Premise 3 Conclusion 4 Argument 4 Which of the following statements best reflects the preceding paragraph? 1 It is someone’s mistaken opinion about terrorism. 2 It is a fallacious argument. 3 It is a deductive, empirical argument. 4 It is an inductive, value argument. 5 What is the conclusion of the above paragraph? 1 It does not have a conclusion, since it is not an argument. 2 It has an implicit conclusion. 3 ‘One can try to justify terrorism in the following way.’ 4 ‘Terrorism can be justified.’ Answer questions 6, 7, and 8 based on the following argument. [One way of holding the executive accountable is through a secret ballot] - a. [With a secret ballot, the fear of persecution is eliminated] - b, and [people will be able to vote according to their conscience] - c. (Adapted from Munusamy, 2017). 6 What is the conclusion of the argument? 1 One way of holding the executive accountable is through a secret ballot 2 With an open vote, people may vote against their conscience, due to party loyalty 3 With a secret ballot, the fear of persecution is eliminated 4 People will be able to vote according to their conscience 7 Which of the following statements best reflects the preceding argument? 1 It is a chain argument. 2 It is a simple argument. 3 It is a chain, deductive, empirical argument. 4 It is a simple, inductive, value argument. 4 8 What structure best represents this argument? 1 Simple argument Main conclusion (c) Premises for main conclusion (b), (a) 2 Simple argument Main conclusion There is an implicit conclusion Premises for main conclusion (a), (b), (c) 3 Simple argument Main conclusion (a) Premises for main conclusion (b), (c) 4 Simple argument Main conclusion (b) Premises for main conclusion (a), (c) 14 What is the main conclusion of the above argument? 1 There are good reasons to pursue the cloning of human beings. 2 It is important to treat cloned children as well as other children. 3 A cloned person is not different from an identical twin. 4 Cloning treats infertility and genetic diseases. 9 What is the missing premise in the following argument? Thabo can’t go see the movie Transformers. He has not turned sixteen yet. 1 Sixteen year old boys do not like movies. 2 The movie Transformers has an age restriction of sixteen. 3 The movie Transformers contains a lot of violence. 4 The movie Transformers is made for a teenage audience. Read the following argument and answer questions 15 to 17 that follow. [L]arge-scale land acquisitions can result in local people losing access to the resources on which they depend for their food security and livelihoods. Local residents may be directly dispossessed of the land they live on, often their long-standing heritage. More indirect impacts may also be of major significance, though these are often more difficult to measure. They include loss of seasonal resource access for nonresident groups such as transhumant pastoralists, or shifts of power from women to men as land gains in commercial value. 10 Fill in the missing word/phrase: A ________________________ is also called ‘definition by example’. 1 denotative definition 2 logical definition 3 stipulative definition 4 persuasive definition 15 What type of argument is the above? 1 Empirical, inductive argument 2 Value, deductive argument 3 Value, inductive argument 4 Empirical deductive argument 11 What kind of definition is the following sentence an example of? Radical economic transformation [means] changing the composition of output that the economy is producing and ownership and control patterns – who owns the entities that are making most of the production in the economy, and who manages, who makes decisions about investment patterns, employment patterns, pay in the labour market. 1 denotative definition 2 logical definition 3 stipulative definition 4 persuasive definition 16 What is the conclusion of the above argument? 1 They include loss of seasonal resource access for nonresident groups such as transhumant pastoralists, or shifts of power from women to men as land gains in commercial value. 2 More indirect impacts may also be of major significance, though these are often more difficult to measure. 3 Local residents may be directly dispossessed of the land they live on, often their long-standing heritage. 4 Large-scale land acquisitions can result in local people losing access to the resources on which they depend for their food security and livelihoods. 12 If women have a right to their bodies, then abortion should be legal. Women have a right to their bodies. Therefore, abortion should be legal. What type of argument is the above? 1 Empirical, inductive argument 2 Value, deductive argument 3 Value, inductive argument 4 Empirical deductive argument Read the following argument and answer questions 13 to 14 that follow. Even though there are strong emotional reactions against the cloning of human beings, there are nevertheless reasons to pursue this. It is more important to treat a child well after it is born, than to fret about how it was ‘conceived’. Furthermore, the cloning of human being is not substantially different from the birth of identical twins. Cloning can also be used to remedy infertility and genetic diseases. (Palmer, 2011) 13 What type of argument is the above? 1 Empirical, inductive argument 2 Value, deductive argument 3 Value, inductive argument 4 Empirical deductive argument 17 What kind of argument is employed below? If one sees a watch lying in the street, one would not assume that it came to be all by itself. Rather, one would pick it up, examine it, and establish that it is a very intricate artefact. One could safely conclude that there was a watchmaker who made this watch. The universe resembles a watch. Just like the watch is an intricate artefact, and therefore has a maker, so too the universe is an intricate phenomenon. Therefore, one can conclude that the universe is a product of intelligent design. 1 Statistical extrapolation 2 Argument from analogy 3 Cause and effect reasoning 4 Empirical, deductive argument Identify the fallacies in the following arguments in questions 18 to 20. 18 Of course smoking causes cancer! Don’t you know that cigarettes are carcinogenic? 1 Petitio principii 2 Appeal to force 3 Ad hominem argument 4 False dilemma 5 19 Person A: ‘I am an atheist.’ Person B: ‘So, you just think the universe created itself out of nothing, and that life is meaningless and futile?’ 1 Faulty analogy 2 Hasty generalisation 3 Ad hominem argument 4 Straw man fallacy 20 Person A: ‘I support a person’s right to decide when to die. Euthanasia should thus be legal.’ Person B: ‘How can you think that it is morally acceptable for doctors to go around killing people? Doctors are supposed to save lives, not end them!’ 1 Complex question 2 Straw man fallacy 3 Ad hominem argument 4 False dilemma A1 S1 2018 1 Why is critical thinking the opposite of dogma? 1 Dogma allows one to engage with the world in an ethical and politically conscious manner, whereas critical reasoning does not. 2 Critical reasoning allows one to engage with the world in such a way as to ensure that one can easily accept ideas, whereas dogma does not. 3 Critical reasoning enables one to conceptualise, question, and evaluate ideas, whereas dogma does not. 4 Dogma allows one to critically engage with the world whereas critical reasoning does not. 2 Which of the following sentences best summarises critical thinking? 1 Critical thinking is about embracing information without the intervention of active thought or criticism. 2 Critical thinking is the ability to participate in a debate and ensure that fallacies are always believed. 3 Critical thinking is the ability to engage in independent thought and reflect on one’s own biases. 4 Critical thinking necessitates an acceptance of all given information in order to ease our daily life. 3 Which of the following terms is not a critical reasoning competency? 1 Thinking for yourself 2 Informed reasoning 3 Critical self-reflection 4 Accepting positions 4 Which of the following best illustrates that a preconceived idea can be a barrier to critical thinking? 1 Assuming that people with tattoos make bad employees. 2 Assuming that people who wear suits and carry briefcases may be businesspeople. 3 Assuming that the person standing behind the counter works at the shop. 4 Assuming that people who arrive at the sports club with sneakers and active wear may engage in physical activity. 5 Which term is not an example of an obstacle to clear reasoning in critical thought? 1 Labelling 2 Stereotypes 3 Social conditioning 4 Inductive thinking 6 In many cases, labelling helps one focus on a particular feature of a person or group of people. However, in other cases, labelling can be an obstacle to clear thinking. Which of these provide an example of a label that is not an obstacle to clear thinking? 1 Looking around for someone with a white coat and a stethoscope when someone collapses in a shopping centre. 2 Assuming that someone with the title ‘Doctor’ will always be male. 3 Thinking that someone with different religious beliefs than yourself is a morally bad person. 4 Assuming that a ‘married couple’ necessarily consist of one man and one woman. 7 Which of the following is an example of a stereotype? 1 Owls are a bad omen. 2 During World War II, Jewish people were viewed as greedy and stingy by the Nazi regime. 3 Infants have not achieved fluency in their speech. 4 A Rabbi usually knows a great deal about the Torah. 8 Fill in the missing words/phrases: A ____________ is an obstacle to clear thinking. It employs ____________ ____________ to persuade one to accept a claim. However, the reasons given are either ____________ or ____________. 1 fallacy, good argumentation, convincing, unconvincing. 2 fallacy, deceptive argumentation, convincing, good. 3 fallacy, deceptive argumentation, irrelevant, unconvincing. 4 fallacy, deceptive argumentation, irrelevant, inappropriate. For questions 9─15 identify the type of fallacy being used in the statements to follow: 9 ‘We really ought not to criticise the president. If people criticise the president, then people will start questioning every authority figure. When that happens, the country will become ungovernable, and will descend into a state of anarchy. No, we should just accept whatever the president does.’ 1 Begging the question 2 Straw man argument 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Equivocation 10 ‘I do not agree with the whole idea behind critical reasoning. Critical reasoning teaches you how to argue. How is that a good thing? There is enough fighting in this world!’ 1 Begging the question 2 Straw man argument 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Equivocation 11 A young university student attended a lecture in political philosophy that explained the importance of justice. Her partner had just cheated on her the day before, so after the lecture she found his car in the parking lot, and kicked it so hard that it left a big dent. She felt good for exacting justice! 1 Begging the question 2 Equivocation 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Confirming the consequent 6 12 ‘I don’t understand why it is such a big issue if I drink a shot of vodka every couple of hours at work to keep going. Many people drink coffee or smoke during the day to stay awake, and no one thinks they have a problem.’ 1 Faulty analogy 2 Equivocation 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Begging the question 13 ‘You really should not listen to Dr. Khumalo when she tells you to watch your weight. I heard that she doesn’t like dogs. Any person who doesn’t like dogs is weird!’ 1 Faulty analogy 2 Equivocation 3 Ad hominem argument 4 False dilemma 14 ‘Women are bad at mathematics. My sister failed her Grade 7 maths exam terribly, and my aunt could barely count past 10.’ 1 Faulty analogy 2 Hasty generalisation 3 Ad hominem argument 4 False dilemma 15 ‘I see you now have a boyfriend. When did you decide to stop being a lonely failure?’ 1 Complex question 2 Hasty generalisation 3 Ad hominem argument 4 False dilemma A1 S2 2018 1 Which of the following is not an aspect of critical thinking? 1 Accepting information without active thought. 2 Skilfully conceptualising and analysing ideas. 3 Questioning the ideas and beliefs of others. 4 Challenging dogma and authority. 2 An important aspect of critical thinking is the ability to think for oneself. What does this mean? 1 It means that you always prioritise yourself above everyone else. 2 It means that you should think independently and with modesty. 3 It means that you should always accept information uncritically. 4 It means that once you hold a position, you must never change it. 3 Which of the following is not part of thinking in an informed way? 1 Learning as much as you can about a topic through research. 2 Reading a variety of sources that have different viewpoints. 3 Asking pertinent questions about a topic from trusted sources. 4 Avoiding introspection at all costs to be sure of yourself. 4 Fill in the missing word(s)/phrase(s). ______________ are generalisations that people make about the ______________ of all members of a groups, based on an image (often wrong) about what people in that group are like. 1 Stereotypes; differences 2 Stereotypes; characteristics 3 Assumptions; differences 4 Fallacies; differences 5 Fill in the missing word(s)/phrase(s). A _____________is a _________________________ that tries to persuade us to accept the claim that is being advanced, but the reasons in support of the claim are _______________. 1 Fallacy; good argument; obvious 2 Label; deceptive argument; inappropriate 3 Fallacy; deceptive argument; inappropriate 4 Stereotype; convincing argument; inappropriate 6 Which of the following is not a version of the ad hominem fallacy? 1 A personal attack on a person’s character. 2 An attack on the circumstances of the person advancing the claim. 3 Taking offense when someone challenges your claim. 4 An attack on a person’s interests. For questions 7─10 identify the type of fallacy being used in the statements to follow: 7 ‘It is really ridiculous that the South African Police Service insists on gun-owners applying for gun licences. Next thing you know, we will be living in a nanny state where every little action will be governed by the police.’ 1 Begging the question 2 Straw man argument 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Equivocation 8 ‘It is really ridiculous that the South African Police Service insists on gun-owners applying for gun licences. The police just wants to control every little thing citizens do.’ 1 Begging the question 2 Straw man argument 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Equivocation 9 ‘If the EFF wants more seats in parliament, they should just go to the furniture store and buy some chairs to take to parliament. That way, they can have as many seats as they want.’ 1 Begging the question 2 Equivocation 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Faulty analogy 10 ‘The university is just like a business – it needs to be profitable to be successful.’ 1 Faulty analogy 2 Equivocation 3 Slippery slope argument 4 Begging the question 11 Match the fallacy in Column A with the description in Column B. Column A Column B 1. Ad hominem argument a. Two or more questions are disguised as one question 2. False dilemma b. Attacking the character of the person who is making a claim 3. Hasty generalisation c. Presenting an ‘either-or’ choice, when there are more alternatives 4. Complex question d. Making a claim on the basis of insufficient evidence 1 1 – a; 2 – c; 3 – d; 4 – b 2 1 – b; 2 – c; 3 – a; 4 – d 3 1 – d; 2 – c; 3 – b; 4 – a 4 1 – b; 2 – c; 3 – d; 4 – a. 12 Which fallacy occur when an authority or famous person is quoted in order to get to the conclusion the speaker wants? 1 Faulty analogy 2 Hasty generalisation 3 Ad hominem argument 4 False appeal to authority 7 13 A fallacy is committed below. Which one? ‘It is impossible to be both a socialist and an ANCsupporter – one has to choose. This is because the party is against socialism.’ 1 Complex question 2 Hasty generalisation 3 Ad hominem argument 4 False dilemma 4 Which of the following statements best reflects the preceding paragraph? 1 It is someone’s mistaken opinion about the death penalty. 2 It is a fallacious argument. 3 It is a deductive, empirical argument. 4 It is an inductive, value argument. 14 A fallacy that leads one from initially and seemingly true first premises to exaggerated consequences in the conclusion is called: 1 Complex question 2 Hasty generalisation 3 Ad hominem argument 4 None of the above 5 What structure best represents this argument? 1 Chain argument Main conclusion (a) Premises for main conclusion (b), (c), (f) Sub-conclusion (f) Premise for sub-conclusion (d), (e) 2 Chain argument Main conclusion (f) Premises for main conclusion (d), (e) Sub-conclusion (a) Premise for sub-conclusion (b), (c) 3 Simple argument Main conclusion (a) Premises for main conclusion (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) 4 Simple argument Main conclusion (d) Premises for main conclusion (a), (b), (c), (e), (f) 15. A fallacy is committed below. Which one? ‘Sibusiso said that the food in this restaurant is exceptionally well done. I don’t see how that can be, as this steak I ordered is very rare.’ 1 Equivocation 2 Hasty generalisation 3 Ad hominem argument 4 False dilemma A2 S2 2018 1 Which option below best completes the following statement: An argument in the context of critical reasoning is…. 1 … a quarrel or verbal fight between two interlocutors, where one speaker is shouting. 2 … [a] premise[s] and conclusion[s] that aim to convince another of a certain point of view. 3 … what follows if the antecedent condition is assumed true. 4 … when a speaker appeals to force to convince another of her point of view. 2 Which of the options below is not able to complete the following statement? Philosophical reasoning is characterised by… 1 … a critical attitude to the ideas and beliefs of other people. 2 … a highly critical attitude to one’s own ideas and beliefs. 3 … a closed minded scepticism of ideas contrary to one’s own. 4 … an open minded approach to the ideas and beliefs of others. Answer questions 3, 4, and 5 based on the following paragraph. [The death penalty should thus be abolished] – a. [[T]he death penalty inherently violates the constitutional ban against cruel and unusual punishment] – b. Furthermore, [the state should not give itself the right to kill human beings] – c. [Capital punishment is an intolerable denial of civil liberties] – d and [is inconsistent with the fundamental values of our democratic system] – e. [The death penalty is uncivilized in theory and unfair and inequitable in practice] – f. 3 What is the conclusion of the above paragraph? 1 ‘The death penalty should thus be abolished’. 2 ‘[T]he state should not give itself the right to kill human beings’. 3 ‘The death penalty is uncivilized in theory and unfair and inequitable in practice’. 4 ‘Capital punishment is an intolerable denial of civil liberties’. Answer questions 6, 7, and 8 based on the following argument. [With the threat of death, would-be murderers will be deterred from committing these murders] – a. [Capital punishment is a just punishment for those found guilty of murder] – b. [Furthermore, the death penalty saves lives by taking murderers off the streets] – c. [Even when murderers are incarcerated, they often end up committing murders in the jails where they are held] – d. [The death penalty should therefore be reinstated in South Africa] – e. 6 What is the conclusion of the argument? 1 With the threat of death, would-be murderers will be deterred from committing these murders. 2 Capital punishment is a just punishment for those found guilty of murder. 3 The death penalty should therefore be reinstated in South Africa. 4 Furthermore, the death penalty saves lives by taking murderers off the streets. 7 Which of the following statements best reflects the preceding argument? 1 It is a fallacious, deductive argument. 2 It is a fallacious, empirical argument. 3 It is a chain, deductive, empirical argument. 4 It is a simple, inductive, value argument. 8 What structure best represents this argument? 1 Chain argument Main conclusion (a) Premises for main conclusion (b), (c) Sub-conclusion (d) Premise for main conclusion (e) 2 Chain argument Main conclusion (d) Premises for main conclusion (b), (c) Sub-conclusion (a) Premise for main conclusion (e) 3 Simple argument Main conclusion (a) Premises for main conclusion (b), (c), (d), (e) 4 Simple argument Main conclusion (e) Premises for main conclusion (a), (b), (c), (d) 8 9 What is the missing premise in the following argument? Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, is a very special natural satellite. Some scientists think that it may be capable of supporting life. 1 Special natural satellites are those capable of supporting life. 2 Large moons are natural satellites. 3 Scientists like to research large moons. 4 The planet Saturn has many moons. 10 Which of the following cannot be considered a type of writing from the perspective of critical reasoning? 1 Denotative writing 2 Argumentative writing 3 Descriptive writing 4 Narrative writing 11 What kind of definition suggests that a particular term should be used in a particular way? 1 Denotative definition 2 Logical definition 3 Stipulative definition 4 Persuasive definition 12 If both parents have parental rights, then fathers should be able to stop their partners from having an abortion. Both parents have parental rights. Therefore, a father should be able to stop his partner from having an abortion. What type of argument is the above? 1 Empirical, inductive argument 2 Empirical, deductive argument 3 Value, inductive argument 4 Value, deductive argument Read the following argument and answer questions 13 to 14 that follow. Without exception, consenting adults ought to engage in whatever romantic relationships they choose. Polyamory takes place in many cultures all over the world. In addition, a legal marriage protects the material, economic and emotional security of all parties. It thus follows that polyamorous marriages should be legally recognised. 13 What type of argument is the above? 1 Empirical, inductive argument 2 Empirical, deductive argument 3 Value, inductive argument 4 Value, deductive argument 14 What is the conclusion of the above argument? 1 Without exception, consenting adults ought to engage in whatever romantic relationships they choose. 2 In addition, a legal marriage protects the material, economic and emotional security of all parties. 3 It thus follows that polyamorous marriages should be legally recognised. 4 Polyamory takes place in many cultures all over the world. Read the following argument and answer questions 15 to 17 that follow. [People should not be allowed to kill themselves] – a. [When one kills oneself, one does wrenching damage to the community] – b. [Suicide could lead to other people also harming themselves] – c. [If a parent commits suicide, his or her children are between two and four times as likely to do so (usually after ten or twenty years of misery)] – d. 15 What type of argument is the above? 1 Empirical, inductive argument 2 Value, deductive argument 3 Value, inductive argument 4 Empirical deductive argument 16 What is the main conclusion of the above argument? 1a 2 b. 3c 4d 17 What structure best represents this argument? 1 Chain argument Main conclusion (c) Premises for main conclusion (b) Sub-conclusion (d) Premise for sub-conclusion (a) 2 Chain argument Main conclusion (a) Premises for main conclusion (b), (c) Sub-conclusion (c) Premise for sub-conclusion (d) 3 Simple argument Main conclusion (a) Premises for main conclusion (b), (c), (d) 4 Simple argument Main conclusion (d) Premises for main conclusion (a), (b), (c) 18 What kind of argument is employed below? A recent survey found that almost two-thirds of the 3471 eligible voters surveyed wanted Jacob Zuma to quit. Thus, we can predict that the ANC will lose significant power if Jacob Zuma does not step down. 1 Statistical extrapolation 2 Argument from analogy 3 Cause and effect reasoning 4 Empirical, deductive argument Identify the fallacies in questions 19 and 20. 19 If Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is the president of the ANC, then the country will be in economic turmoil. The country is already in economic turmoil. Thus, it Dlamini-Zuma is already president. 1 Petitio principii 2 Appeal to force 3 Ad hominem argument 4 Confirming the antecedent 20 Bananas are part of a healthy diet. Any healthy eating plan always includes bananas. 1 Petitio principii 2 Hasty generalisation 3 Ad hominem argument 4 Straw man fallacy 9 A2 S1 2019 1 Which option below best completes the following statement: An argument in the context of critical reasoning is… 1 … a quarrel or verbal fight between two interlocutors, where one speaker is shouting. 2 … when a speaker appeals to force to convince another of her point of view. 3 … what follows if the antecedent condition is assumed true. 4 … [a] premise[s] and conclusion[s] that aim to convince another of a certain point of view. 2 Fill in the missing word/term: A(n) _________________ contains flaws in reasoning because its form or structure is invalid. It appears to be valid because of a counterfeit resemblance to the form of a valid argument. 1 emotion fallacy 2 distraction fallacy 3 critical fallacy 4 structural fallacy 3 Identify the conclusion in the following argument: ‘Yoga is good for you. Studies have shown that yoga reduces the chances of heart disease. Furthermore, it relieves stress. Yoga has also been shown to decrease appetite, which assists with weight loss and it also positively affects one’s mood.’ 1 Yoga relieves stress. 2 Yoga decreases appetite and assists with weight loss. 3 Yoga is good for you. 4 Studies have shown that yoga reduces the chances of heart disease. 4 Identify the fallacy in the following argument: ‘We cannot allow children to be exposed to excessive screen time. If they are exposed to too much screen time at a young age, then they will become lazy adults. If they are lazy adults, then the collapse of modern society is certain.’ 1 Argumentum ad baculum 2 Slippery slope argument 3 Equivocation 4 Argumentum ad hominem 5 Identify the fallacy in the following argument. ‘Carrying a gun is as American as apple pie and baseball. In order to prevent shootings in school, we must equip teachers with guns to protect themselves. Restricting guns would be un-American, and we cannot allow that to happen!’ 1 False appeal to authority 2 Slippery slope 3 Appeal to the masses 4 Appeal to force Examine the following argument and answer questions 6, 7 and 8 that follow. ‘If the repo rate is increased by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), then the economy will slow down and inflation will increase. At a news conference yesterday, the SARB increased the repo rate. Therefore, we are likely to see the economy slowing down and inflation increasing.’ 6 What type of argument is this an example of? 1 Deductive empirical argument 2 Inductive value argument 3 Deductive value argument 4 Inductive empirical argument 7 Which of the following phrases best describes the argument? 1 Modus ponens argument 2 Modus tollens argument 3 Denying the antecedent 4 Confirming d consequent 8 Which structure best represents this argument? 1 Premise1: If P then Q 2 Premise1: If P then Q Premise 2: not P Premise 2: Q Conclusion: not Q Conclusion: P 3 Premise1: If P then Q 4 Premise1: If P then Q Premise 2: P Premise 2: not Q Conclusion: Q Conclusion: not P 9 Which of the following options is not a type of inductive reasoning? 1 Statistical extrapolations 2 Arguments from analogy 3 Modus ponens arguments 4 Arguments using cause-and-effect reasoning 10 Fill in the missing word/term: A _________________ is an argument an arguer constructs in answer to another argument. 1 contraindication 2 counterexample 3 conclusion 4 counterargument 11 Identify the word that completes the sentence. ‘A(n) __________ argument is one that takes us beyond the limits of existing evidence to conclusions about the unknown. There is some degree of support for the conclusion, but the conclusion is not contained in the premises.’ 1 inductive 2 value 3 empirical 4 deductive 12 What word completes the sentence? ‘A(n) __________ argument is one where the premises give sufficient support for the conclusion to follow and arrives at a specific conclusion based on generalisations.’ 1 deductive 2 inductive 3 empirical 4 value Examine the following argument and answer questions 13 and 14. Person A: ‘Studies have shown that the use of medicinal marijuana can have positive effects for people struggling from persistent inflammation, anxiety and depression. In the correct dosages, there are no harmful side effects. It seems like legalising the use of medical marijuana could be a very positive thing.’ Person B: ‘That’s a terrible idea! Do you want an entire society that is just high all the time under the guise of “medicine”? If we legalise marijuana, crime will surely increase.’ 13 What fallacy is committed in Person B’s response? 1 Begging the question. 2 Straw man argument. 3 Appeal to authority. 4 Affirming the consequent. 14 Based on your answer in question 13, answer the following question: What is the definition of the fallacy committed in this argument? 1 When a generalisation is drawn on the basis of illconsidered or insufficient evidence. 2 Citing an authoritative or famous person who is not an expert in the field under discussion. 3 Making one’s own position appear strong by ridiculing the opposition’s argument. 4 When the consequent in a conditional statement is affirmed and the antecedent is taken to be true on these grounds. 10 15 Match the definition types in Column A to their definitions in Column B. Column A Column B (a) Persuasive definition (i) A definition which selects properties that are shared by and confined to all the entities covered by the term. (b) Stipulative definition (ii) A definition which makes use of examples of particular phenomena, thus marking down what it comprises of. (c) Logical definition (iii) A definition which suggests how a given term should be used, oftentimes ‘coining’ a new term. (d) Denotative definition (iv) A definition which attempts to influence the reader by providing a new meaning for a term already widely used. 1 (a): (i); (b): (ii); (c): (iv); (d): (iii) 2 (a): (iv); (b): (iii); (c): (ii); (d): (i) 3 (a): (iv); (b): (iii); (c): (i); (d): (ii) 4 (a): (iii); (b): (iv); (c): (i); (d): (ii) Read the following argument, and answer questions 16 to 17 that follow. ‘Protest action amounts to vandalism of public property, and vandalism of public property is an offense to the larger community. It follows that protest action should be banned.’ 16 There is a hidden premise in the above argument. What is the hidden premise? 1 Protest action is undemocratic. 2 Protest action should not be done in public. 3 Activities that offend the community should be banned. 4 Destruction of public property is vandalism. 17 What is the conclusion of the above argument? 1 Protest action amounts to vandalism. 2 Vandalism is an offense to the community. 3 There is a hidden conclusion. 4 Protest action should be banned. 18 Which of the following most accurately describes the argument? 1 Empirical inductive argument with a hidden premise. 2 Value inductive argument with a hidden premise. 3 Value inductive argument without a hidden premise. 4 Value inductive argument with a hidden conclusion. 19 There is a fallacy in the following argument. Person A: ‘I don’t agree with Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa’s view on the redistribution of land without compensation. Khanyi Mbau, South African actress, vehemently opposes his view on land reform. Mbau says land redistribution of land without compensation will collapse our economy.’ Which fallacy is committed in this argument? 1 argumentum ad baculum 2 argumentum ad vericundiam 3 petitio principia 4 argumentum ad populum 20 Identify the fallacy in the following argument. ‘Since we have the right to freedom of speech, it follows that I am right to say what I want with impunity.’ 1 Equivocation 2 Appeal to force 3 Faulty analogy 4 Slippery slope 11