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Critical Thinking and Reasoning
Reasoning and critical thinking concern the analysis and evaluation of arguments, where "argument" refers to the process of proving that one idea is true by appealing to another set of ideas as evidence. Reasoning and critical thinking are commonly understood as one aspect of the field of logic when considered broadly. In modern times, logic is often equated with formal logic, which doesn't concern itself with the truth or falsity of the evidence sited in an argument, focusing instead upon the logical connection between the evidence and the idea whose truth is allegedly established by the evidence. Such connections are called "inferences." Reasoning and critical thinking, however, assess both the evidence sited in an argument and the inferences in virtue of which the conclusion supposedly follows from that evidence. Further, formal logic frequently employs quasi-mathematical methods to assess the strength of an inference. In contrast, reasoning and critical thinking appeal to a wide variety of non-formal techniques when evaluating inferences. A large part of critical thinking also involves identifying fallacies of reasoning and then avoiding them in making one's arguments. |
Websites
| Site Title | Details |
| Zeno's Coffeehouse
| Author: Ron Barnette
Description: collection of puzzles and paradoxes complete with user input and polls (a classic website)
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| CThink: The Critical Thinking Community
| Description: many helpful resources for introducing critical thinking into the classroom
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| The Argument Clinic
| Description: submit an argument and have it evaluated! Also has a nice page with information on arguments and their evaluation.
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| Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum
| Source: Longview Community College
Description: a very useful page with information on critical thinking and basic logic
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| Guide to Logical Fallacies
| Author: Stephen Downes
Description: a very nice resource with dozens of fallacies presented
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| Mission: Critical
| Source: San Jose State University
Description: an interactive tutorial for critical thinking in which you will be introduced to basic concepts through sets of instructions and exercises.
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| Thinking Critically: A Tutorial
| Description: This tutorial is designed as a companion to the textbook Invitation to Critical Thinking (4th ed.) by Joel Rudinow and Vincent E. Barry. It provides a progressive series of self-paced interactive exercises for the student covering material presented in the textbook.
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| The Fallacy Files
| Author: Gary Curtis
Description: A great resource! Includes a massive index of logical fallacies of all kinds, along with helpful tips and examples to improve your critical thinking abilities.
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| Rationale Software
| Description: Educational software helps students identify, evaluate and construct arguments. Designed for critical thinking instruction.
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| AthenaSoft
| Description: Provides software that teaches argumentation, reasoning, and critical thinking. The software is free for non-commmercial uses and has been sponsored by the Swedish Council for the Renewal of Higher Education.
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| Argumentation and Critical Thinking Tutorial
| Description: "A series of tests to help reinforce your knowledge and understanding of some basic concepts associated with making arguments and thinking critically. It specifically focuses on the Classical Logical Stucture of Arguments and Informal Argumentative Fallacies."
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| Bluestorm: The Logic Course
| Description: An extensive critical thinking and formal logic course. Includes over 5,000 exercises, all available for free.
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| Critical Thinking Resource Page
| Description: Has sections for Guidelines, Readings, Logic Puzzles, Fallacies, Books, Links, and more.
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| Chains of Reason
| Description: "A wiki, powered by the same software as Wikipedia, which provides a unique way for anyone to follow, and contribute to, arguments for and against particular beliefs - philosophical, scientific, or whatever. Users work together to ensure that the chains of reasoning behind beliefs, and any accompanying objections to the links in the chain, are as strong as possible, thereby enabling people to make as informed an assessment as possible of the soundness of that reasoning."
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Link Pages
| Site Title | Details |
| The Reasoning Page
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Author: Bruce Janz
Description: a long and categorized listing of resources in critical thinking, formal logic, rhetoric, reasoning in specific contexts, and more.
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| Argumentation and Informal Logic Links
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Author: Douglas Walton
Description: Organized links to software, journals, fallacy/logic sites, and other people in the field.
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| Critical Thinking on the Web
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Author: Tim van Gelder
Description: A great resource, providing categorized links to resources on critical thinking and reasoning, as well as numerous related topics from definitions and teaching to cults, skepticism, and much more. A must see for anyone interested in critical thinking.
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