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Chapter 1 Pages 12 22 Descriptions Vs Inferences Good description provides us with essential features of the thing by listing its qualities or characteristics An inference is an answer to the question What s it about What story does it tell Descriptions are statements about what is or is not the case o Usually most helpful if straight forward and impartial as possible o Each item in description is verifiable by examination o Ex we might describe a friend by giving her height weight eye color hair color o Occasionally an inference sneaks in as a description o Ex he s tall slim and a real hunk o Have to watch what is included in descriptions o Descriptions often act as support for inferences o An inference may or may not be well supported by the evidence behind it o Descriptions and inferences get intertwined and out own values or points of view can influence the description Inference conclusion drawn on the basis of description or other sorts of evidence o Not necessarily impartial and often involve an attempt to make sense of the evidence not just to repot what they see or hear o Ex From her description of all the chaos Salamon infers the system is dysfunctional When we offer a description we need to be aware of our own Frames of References Note any potential for bias or for interference in giving a fair and detailed description Background knowledge is not necessary and may even get in the war Descriptions Vs Arguments Arguments may take many forms but they differ from descriptions and inferences If you draw an inference on the basis of a description then you have a conclusion to an argument Combination of description and inference forms an argument Description is different from argument because it lacks a conclusion Drawing Inferences People conclude one thing or another on the basis of what they see or hear They are drawing inferences Some inferences we draw are well founded some are not Not all inferences have the sort of fallout as the case above We draw inferences as part of our work Inference same as a conclusion Role of Ideas in Analysis In situations that require us to dismantle reasoning or solve problems our analytic skills are critical Another aspect of analysis is ability to work on the level of ideas Through ideas and insights we are able to move forward solve problems break deadlocks and overcome mental paralysis Two key aspects in role of ideas in critical thinking 1 Having ideas 2 Applying and examining ideas Includes assessing the various parameters that may act as constraints such as time money and available resources


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DREXEL PHIL 105 - Lecture notes

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