Critical Thinking Flashcards

A UMAT argument states: 'Since crime rates dropped after the new policing policy, the policy caused the drop.' What alternative explanation should be considered?

Answer: Crime rates may have dropped due to unrelated economic or social factors

When evaluating causal claims, alternative explanations such as confounding variables must be considered before attributing change to a specific intervention.

The phrase 'straw man fallacy' refers to:

Answer: Misrepresenting an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack

A straw man fallacy involves distorting or exaggerating an opponent's position to argue against a weaker version of it rather than the actual argument.

Which of the following is an inductive argument?

Answer: Every patient we have treated with this drug recovered; therefore the drug is likely effective

Inductive arguments draw probable conclusions from observed evidence and do not guarantee the conclusion in the way deductive arguments do.

A UMAT passage presents a graph showing hospital admissions spike every winter. The best critical interpretation is that winter admissions spikes are:

Answer: Possibly caused by seasonal illnesses, with cold weather as one contributing factor

Data patterns suggest associations but not definitive single causes; multiple factors such as flu season and cold-induced health conditions may contribute to winter spikes.

What does 'begging the question' mean as a logical fallacy?

Answer: Using the conclusion as one of the premises in an argument

Begging the question (circular reasoning) occurs when the conclusion of an argument is assumed within one of its premises, making the argument logically circular.

A study finds students in smaller classes perform better. A school administrator concludes reducing all class sizes will improve outcomes. What critical question must first be asked?

Answer: Was the finding statistically significant and are there confounding factors like teacher quality?

Before applying study findings to policy, one must assess statistical significance and whether confounding variables rather than class size alone explain the results.