Basic Critical Thinking Skills

Essentials of Clear Thinking:

Claims and Issues
Notes on Claims
A claim is a statement that is either true or
false, though this cannot always be
determined at any particular time.
Notes on Claims
A claim is a statement that is either true or
false, though this cannot always be
determined at any particular time.
Claim: Al Gore received a majority of the popular vote
in the 2000 election.
Claim: Unprotected sex will kill you.
Claim: God loves us.
Not a claim: Got milk?
Notes on Claims
A claim is a statement that is either true or
false, though this cannot always be
determined at any particular time.
Claims about matters of opinion are either
truthful or not.
Notes on Claims
A claim is a statement that is either true or
false, though this cannot always be
determined at any particular time.
Claims about matters of opinion are either
truthful or not.
That color looks really good on you.
One should always tell the truth.
Notes on Claims
A claim is a statement that is either true or
false, though this cannot always be
determined at any particular time.
Claims about matters of opinion are either
truthful or not.
Accepting a claim means taking it as true.
Notes on Claims
A claim is a statement that is either true or
false, though this cannot always be
determined at any particular time.
Claims about matters of opinion are either
truthful or not.
Accepting a claim means taking it as true.
Rejecting a claim and suspending judgment
both evaluate logically to FALSE.
About claims and issues...
Issues arise when a claim is in question.
About claims and issues...
Issues arise when a claim is in question.
I wonder if I should register to vote.
The question is whether enforcement of the
noise ordinance is fair.
About claims and issues...
Issues arise when a claim is in question.
Two kinds of questions: (1) What is the
position being taken?
About claims and issues...
Issues arise when a claim is in question.
Two kinds of questions: (1) What is the
position being taken? (2) Is that position
correct?
About claims and issues...
Issues arise when a claim is in question.
Two kinds of questions: (1) What is the
position being taken? (2) Is that position
correct?
The second question, in other words, is
whether a claim should be accepted or
rejected, or whether the most responsible
position would be to suspend judgment.
About claims and issues...
Key concept: Arguments present reasons to
decide an issue one way or another.
Arguments only make sense if the meanings
of claims are clear.
Even after an argument has been presented,
one can still suspend judgment about the
acceptability (truth) of a claim.