Course Outline - Clear Thinking and Arguments in Philosophy

According to the course outline, what are the tools-of-the-trade for the student of Philosophy?

• Rules and techniques

• Books and articles

• Experiments and observations

• Computers and software

What is an argument in philosophy? An argument is a set of statements where one statement, called the ________, is supported by other statements called ________, essentially presenting reasons or evidence to persuade someone to believe a particular point of view or claim.

• conclusion, premises

• premise, conclusions

• evidence, claims

• reason, evidence

According to the passage, why is knowledge of the techniques of clear thinking valuable in our everyday lives?

• Because it helps us to be clear-headed, reason well, and avoid fallacies, which is important at home, university, college, work, and in dealing with social, political, moral, and religious issues.

• Because it allows us to memorize facts quickly and efficiently for exams.

• Because it ensures we always agree with others in discussions and debates.

• Because it helps us avoid making any decisions in complex situations.

In the first part of the course, what will be described?

• Some common errors in thought and argument (viz. Fallacies).

• The history of philosophy in ancient Greece.

• The structure of scientific experiments.

• Famous philosophical personalities.

There are many common errors we make, and sometimes we are not aware of that. Some of the errors we make are: ________; drawing broad conclusions based on a single event, often using words like "always" or "never".

• Overgeneralization

• Confirmation bias

• Selective abstraction

• Personalization

There are many common errors we make, and sometimes we are not aware of that. Some of the errors we make are: ________; focusing solely on negative aspects of a situation while ignoring positive ones.

• Mental Filtering

• Overgeneralization

• Personalization

• Catastrophizing

There are many common errors we make, and sometimes we are not aware of that. Some of the errors we make are: ________; believing that negative events are directly your fault, even when they are not.

• Personalization

• Overgeneralization

• Catastrophizing

• Filtering

There are many common errors we make, and sometimes we are not aware of that. Some of the errors we make are: ________; making quick judgements without considering all the facts.

• Jumping into conclusions

• Taking your time to decide

• Analyzing every detail

• Ignoring your instincts

There are many common errors we make, and sometimes we are not aware of that. Some of the errors we make are: ________; assuming you know what someone else is thinking without any evidence.

• Mind reading

• Overgeneralization

• Catastrophizing

• Personalization

What is a verbal fallacy?

• A type of reasoning mistake in which language is confused or used wrongly, or an argument with flawed (unsound) reasoning or extraneous points.

• A mathematical error in calculation.

• A physical law that cannot be broken.

• A type of scientific experiment.