Critical thinking writing assignment

Critical​ ​Thinking​ ​Rules

1. Only​ ​accept​ ​or​ ​maintain​ ​a​ ​belief​ ​if​ ​there​ ​is​ ​good​ ​reason​ ​to​ ​do​ ​so. 2. Always​ ​proportion​ ​the​ ​confidence​ ​in​ ​a​ ​belief​ ​with​ ​the​ ​strength​ ​of​ ​evidence​ ​for​ ​that​ ​belief. 3. Always​ ​ensure​ ​that​ ​no​ ​barriers​ ​to​ ​critical​ ​thinking​ ​are​ ​in​ ​effect. 4. Reject​ ​the​ ​use​ ​of​ ​rhetorical​ ​devices​ ​in​ ​language;​ ​never​ ​employ​ ​rhetoric. 5. Rest​ ​only​ ​on​ ​explicitly​ ​stated​ ​adequate​ ​definitions​ ​for​ ​key​ ​terms. 6. Never​ ​accept​ ​the​ ​conclusion​ ​of​ ​a​ ​fallacious​ ​argument;​ ​never​ ​employ​ ​fallacies. 7. If​ ​a​ ​claim​ ​conflicts​ ​with​ ​background​ ​knowledge,​ ​expert​ ​claims,​ ​or​ ​other​ ​verified,

rationally​ ​supported​ ​claims​ ​then​ ​we​ ​have​ ​one​ ​good​ ​reason​ ​to​ ​doubt​ ​that​ ​initial​ ​claim. 8. Only​ ​use​ ​personal​ ​experience​ ​as​ ​a​ ​source​ ​of​ ​knowledge​ ​if​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​reason​ ​to​ ​doubt​ ​it. 9. Make​ ​sure​ ​that​ ​experts​ ​are​ ​verified​ ​by​ ​criteria​ ​and​ ​their​ ​knowledge​ ​is​ ​used​ ​appropriately.

Prof.​ ​Eckel,​ ​U.​ ​Toledo,​ ​FA17