Deck 5: Analyze Arguments and Diagram Decisions

Question 1

In the context of a discussion between two people where each is presenting arguments, what does the term regardless of often suggest?
(a) a claim
(b) an unspoken assumption
(c) an implicit reason
(d) an abandoned line of reasoning
(e) a counterargument

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Jillian is mapping her co-worker's reasoning process. She puts a few words in brackets. What do the braces signify about the words they enclose?
(a) The words are Jillian's interpretive comments.
(b) The words are a counterargument Jillian thought her co-worker should have considered.
(c) The words express some good ideas that the co-worker failed to include.
(d) Those words clarify what the co-worker meant.
(e) Those words indicate where Jillian disagreed with the point her co-worker was making.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

For the purpose of making a complete, accurate, and objective analysis, what rule of thumb helps us know how many arguments a person is making?

Answer 3

The number of arguments depends on the number of independent reasons the argument maker intends.

Question 4

Jillian is mapping her co-worker's decision-making process. She puts a few words in braces alongside a shaded rectangle. What does the use of the braces signify about the words the braces enclose?
(a) The enclosed words are Jillian's interpretive comments.
(b) The enclosed words indicate that a decision needs to be made.
(c) The enclosed words are good ideas that the co-worker failed to include.
(d) Those enclosed words clarify what the co-worker meant.
(e) Those enclosed words indicate where Jillian disagreed with the point her co-worker was making.

Question 5

In the context of argument making, what do we mean by the word claim? A claim is ________.
(a) the statement the maker of the argument is seeking to show to be true or probably true
(b) the statement the maker of the argument knows is false, but yet wants to convince others is true
(c) the statement the maker of the argument wants to be true, but knows that it is definitely not true
(d) the statement the maker of the argument is trying to prove to be false or very probably false

Question 6

Two friends wanted to decide where to go for dinner. Their conversation went like this: "We need to get something to eat. How about Sharky's so we can watch the game on TV? No, Sharky's is too noisy. Ok, then let's get pizza at the Pie Hub? Sounds good to me." In that conversation the statement "Sharky's is too noisy" would be analyzed and mapped as __________.
(a) a counterargument
(b) the chosen alternative
(c) a rejected alternative
(d) a reason
(e) a recognition of the need to decide

Question 7

In the context of applying our analytical skills to arguments, what is the purpose of the tool called "argument mapping"? Mapping is used ________.
(a) to display how someone's reasoning flows from initial statements to the conclusion the person regards as being supported by those statements
(b) to help understand why people always look up the answer for things that they should be able to figure out themselves
(c) to reveal how to get from one area of town to another area of town that may or may not be difficult to find
(d) to display the differences between how children and adults make decisions

Question 8

In the context of argument analysis, which of pair of words can be used interchangeably?
(a) reason, premise
(b) assertion, fact
(c) assumption, idea
(d) claim, conclusion

Question 9

Why does an argument maker provide a reason or reasons for a claim? The reason or reasons provide the basis by which the argument maker intends to show that ________.
(a) the claim is true or probably true
(b) the claim is false or probably false
(c) the audience is not listening to the statement
(d) the statement is unreasonable

Question 10

Which statement in the following passage is not an explicit or implicit premise of the argument? "The jury ought to ask the judge for guidance because it is confused, and all confused groups of people ought to be allowed to ask for guidance."
(a) The jury is confused.
(b) All confused groups of people ought to be allowed to ask for guidance.
(c) The jury is a group of people.
(d) The judge is the only person from whom a jury may seek guidance.
(e) The jury ought to ask the judge for guidance.

Question 11

Identify the claim in this passage: "The jury is confused, and all confused groups of people ought to be allowed to ask for guidance. So the jury ought to ask the judge for guidance."
(a) The jury is confused.
(b) All confused groups of people ought to be allowed to ask for guidance.
(c) The jury is a group of people.
(d) The judge is the only person from whom a jury may seek guidance.
(e) The jury ought to ask the judge for guidance.

Question 12

Explain what claim and reason mean in the context of argument making.

Question 13

Two friends wanted to decide where to go for dinner. Their conversation went like this: "We need to get something to eat. How about Sharky's so we can watch the game on TV? No, Sharky's is too noisy. Ok, how about we get pizza at the Pie Hub? The Hub is great with me." In that conversation the statement "The Hub is great with me" would be analyzed and mapped as __________.
(a) a counterargument
(b) the chosen alternative
(c) a rejected alternative
(d) a reason
(e) a recognition of the need to decide

Question 14

When initiating the process of mapping the arguments in a complex conversation between two individuals, which of the following questions is the best place to start?
(a) How many arguments does the first person make?
(b) What main conclusion is each person advocating?
(c) Does either person have anything worthwhile to add?
(d) How can the analyst briefly summarize each person's side of the debate?
(e) Do either of the individuals use counterarguments?

Question 15

If you see a gray diamond shape on a map, it indicates that ________.
(a) the person who made the map could not figure out how to analyze that statement
(b) the map represents a decision-making process
(c) all the options under consideration are unacceptable
(d) the analyst has resolved the watershed situation, which had triggered the need to make a decision

Question 16

To what process does the expression "make an argument" refer?

Question 17

Which three objects signify the most basic elements in argument analysis and mapping?

Question 18

Identify the implicit assumption in this passage: "The group of people known as the jury is confused. So the jury ought to ask the judge for guidance."
(a) The jury is confused.
(b) All confused groups of people ought to be allowed to ask for guidance.
(c) The jury is a group of people.
(d) The judge is the only person from whom a jury may seek guidance.
(e) The jury ought to ask the judge for guidance.

Question 19

Identify the explicit reason in this passage: "The jury is confused. So it ought to ask the judge for guidance."
(a) The jury is confused.
(b) All confused groups of people ought to be allowed to ask for guidance.
(c) The jury is a group of people.
(d) The judge is the only person from whom a jury may seek guidance.
(e) The jury ought to ask the judge for guidance.

Question 20

In the middle of a discussion with her colleagues, Sharon says "never mind … moving on." We can safely analyze that as an indication that she has ________.
(a) won the argument
(b) forgotten her own opinion
(c) decided that the discussion was over
(d) abandoned a line of reasoning

Question 21

Explain why correctly analyzing arguments and decisions requires attention to purpose and context. Use your own examples or examples from the text.

Question 22

When a person is using a positive statement to be sarcastic or ironic, the person intends that the statement should not be taken literally. In context the speaker expects that the listener will recognize the irony or sarcasm. How should the analyst handle statements that are spoken ironically or sarcastically?

Question 23

Evelyn is analyzing and mapping the written transcript of a committee's complex decision-making conversation. She interprets the statement "We need to find some way to prevent that from happening" as indicating that one member of the committee realized that further deliberation was needed. To show this on her decision map, Evelyn will put that statement inside of a __________.

Question 24

It is important for the sake of accuracy and completeness that the person doing the analysis and mapping should improve the participants' arguments whenever possible.

Question 25

Why and how is the cloud shape used in argument and decision mapping?

Question 26

When mapping a decision, how many rectangles should the analyst use?

Question 27

What is the speaker's claim in the following passage: "So, let me get this right. You're Harvey's sister's husband. And you're saying that Harvey is actually my uncle. So, this makes his sister my aunt."

Question 28

How are decision maps related to argument maps?

Question 29

In the context of argument analysis what do the authors of the textbook mean when they say "over-simplification masks reality"?

Question 30

When mapping arguments or decisions, what is the evaluative role that the analysis should play?

Question 31

The expressions "Is justified because" and "Let's assume that" generally are used by argument makers to signal _____________.

Question 32

How would the statement "I'm not convinced" in the following passage be analyzed and mapped? "People believe that small class sizes are essential for better learning. They think that because they have seen statistical studies showing that in schools with a richer teacher to student ratio the students' scores on standardized tests tend on average to be higher. I'm not convinced. I say that a good teacher with a large group can be just as effective as a lousy teacher with a small group. And I can give you examples of kids who did really well on standardized tests even though their schools did not have a rich teacher to student ratio."

Question 33

For the purpose of analyzing the reasons people give for the claims they are making, we use the term argument making to refer to engaging in a verbal confrontation or quarrel.

Question 34

Dale notices that one of the lines of reasoning on a complex decision map ends at a red hexagon instead of ending at a green rectangle. This tells Dale that the line of reasoning has been ____________.

Question 35

Explain what the authors of this critical thinking textbook mean by saying "specialized vocabulary poses major problems for talking with people about their critical thinking."

Question 36

Thinking about the potential benefits of the process, one reason for using argument and decision mapping is to be able to share with others our analysis of the arguments being made.