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Preface | |
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The Benefit of Asking the Right Questions Introduction Critical Thinking to the Rescue | |
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The Sponge and Panning for Gold: Alternative Thinking Styles | |
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An Example of the Panning-for-Gold | |
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Approach Panning for Gold: Asking Critical Questions | |
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The Myth of the ldquo;Right Answerrdquo; Thinking and Feeling | |
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The Purpose of Asking the Question, ldquo;Who Cares?rdquo; | |
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Weak-Sense and Strong-Sense Critical Thinking | |
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The Satisfaction of Using the Panning-for-Gold | |
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Approach Trying Out New Answers | |
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Effective Communication and Critical Thinking | |
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The Importance of Practice The Right Questions | |
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What Are the Issue and the Conclusion? | |
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Kinds of Issues Searching for the Issue | |
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Searching for the Authorrsquo;s or Speakerrsquo;s | |
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Conclusion Clues to Discovery: How to Find the Conclusion Critical | |
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Thinking and Your Own Writing and Speaking | |
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Practice | |
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Exercises | |
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What Are the Reasons? | |
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Reasons + Conclusion = Argument Initiating the Questioning | |
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Process Words That Identify | |
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Reasons Kinds of Reasons | |
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Keeping the Reasons and Conclusions | |
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Straight Reasons First, Then Conclusions | |
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ldquo;Freshrdquo; Reasons and Your Growth Critical | |
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Thinking and Your Own Writing and Speaking | |
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Practice | |
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Exercises | |
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What Words or Phrases Are Ambiguous? | |
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The Confusing Flexibility of Words Locating Key Terms and Phrases Checking for Ambiguity | |
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Determining Ambiguity Context and Ambiguity | |
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Ambiguity, Definitions, and the Dictionary | |
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Ambiguity and Loaded Language | |
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Limits of Your Responsibility to Clarify Ambiguity | |
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Ambiguity and Your Own Writing and Speaking | |
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Summary | |
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Practice | |
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Exercises | |
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What Are the Value Conflicts and Assumptions? | |
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General Guide for Identifying Assumptions Value Conflicts and Assumptions Discovering Values | |
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From Values to Value Assumptions | |
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Typical Value Conflicts | |
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The Communicatorrsquo;s Background as a Clue to Value Assumptions | |
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Consequences as Clues to Value Assumptions | |
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More Hints for Finding Value Assumptions | |
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Avoiding a Typical Difficulty When Identifying Value Assumptions | |
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Finding Value Assumptions on Your Own Values and Relativism | |
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Summary | |
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Practice | |
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Exercises | |
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What Are the Descriptive Assumptions? | |
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Illustrating Descriptive Assumptions | |
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Clues for Locating Assumptions | |
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Applying the Clues | |
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Avoiding Analysis of Trivial Assumptions | |
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Assumptions and Your Own Writing and Speaking | |
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Summary | |
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Practice | |
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Exercises | |
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Are There Any Fallacies in the Reasoning? | |
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A Questioning Approach to Finding Reasoning | |
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Fallacies Evaluating Assumptions as a Starting Point | |
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Discovering Other Common Reasoning Fallacies | |
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Looking for Diversions Sleight of Hand: Begging the Question | |
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Summary of Reasoning Errors | |
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Expanding Your Knowledge of Fallacies | |
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Fallacies and Your Own Writing and Speaking | |
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Practice | |
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Exercises | |
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How Good Is the Evidence: Intuition, Personal Experience, Testimonials, and Appeals to Authority? | |
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The Need for Evidence | |
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Locating Factual Claims Sources of Evidence | |
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I | |