Critical Thinking Notes / Examples

Critical thinking revision
Unit F504: Critical Reasoning

In addition to identifying elements of reasoning encountered in previous Units you should also be able to recognise,
identify and describe:
Assumptions: something that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof
Valid arguments: a reasonable or cogent argument
Syllogisms:…

8 Analysis
1 Analysis of the Street Porter passage:
a This is scene setting. It provides the background evidence for the writer's contention
that there is an overweight problem that must be tackled.
b This is an analogy. It serves as a reason for the conclusion `Bring back rationing' by…

`Now we've got more money and allegedly a higher standard of living' (R1), `but no
sense of when to stop eating' (R2), acting as joint reasons.
Obesity is a problem just for the poor because they can afford only fattening foods --
anticipated counter-argument.
`And don't tell me it's about…

9 Evaluation
1 Here is a suggested response covering many of the points that could be made,
though it is unlikely that many candidates would be able to write so much in the time
limit.
Street-Porter's article makes use of emotional appeals, but nevertheless she sometimes
backs up her points…

Street-Porter makes an assumption that somewhat weakens her argument. She
assumes that because as many as a third of 11-year-olds are overweight, this must
affect `all incomes and classes', but this is not necessarily the case. If the problem is
concentrated in the bottom third of the population with respect…

title, university background and the scholarly title of his article, gives more impression
of expertise.
Gard moves on to acknowledge the counter-argument (`While there are some that say
we are about to see life expectancies nose dive'), creating the impression of objectivity,
before referring to what appears to be his…

Overall this is more convincing than Street-Porter's argument. Gard supports his points
more logically, without any of the sweeping generalisations and confusion about possible
solutions to overweight that undermine Street-Porter's. There are points where more
evidence would help to support his case, but the greater willingness to acknowledge other
viewpoints…

10 Writing your own argument
(Don't forget to question phrases in the question!!!)
An argument supporting the conclusion that giving the public free choice of lifestyle
is harmful:
It has become fashionable to criticise the `nanny state', arguing that it is unnecessary
to tell members of the public how to…