Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking Skills: Assignment 2- Assessing Arguments (these counts
Part 1: Identifying Reasons (10 marks)
In each question choose the answer that could be a reason for the conclusion. Say why this is the correct answer and the others are not. Don’t worry about whether or not the reason is true, just whether or not it supports the conclusion.
1. Conclusion: Those people who die from drowning are more likely to be swimmers than non-swimmers. a. People who cannot swim are much more likely to avoid risky water sports. b. Many deaths from drowning happen because people on leisure boats do not always wear life-jackets. c. Even swimmers may panic if they fall in the water.
REASON =
a. relevant because the non-swimmers have less possibility to drown since they always want to avoid water sports.
b. irrelevant because the conclusion is about the swimmers and non-swimmers and it is not about safety.
c. irrelevant because the swimmers cannot be panic as they know how to swim
2. Conclusion: A vegetarian diet may be beneficial to health. a. A vegetarian diet lacks some important vitamins b. A vegetarian diet does not contain animal fats which can cause heart disease c. A vegetarian diet does not contain fish oil which is thought to be beneficial to health
REASON =
a. irrelevant because the conclusion is not about vitamins but it is about beneficial health.
b. relevant because vegetables are free from animal fats and it give benefit to health
c. irrelevant because the argument is doubt about the contains of fish oil in the vegetables 3. Conclusion: Blood donors should be paid for giving blood. a. The blood service is expensive to run b. People who give blood usually do so because they want to help others c. There is a shortage of donors and payment would encourage more people to volunteer
REASON =
a. irrelevant because if the blood service is expensive to run then the one that should be paid is the
Part 1: Identifying Reasons (10 marks)
In each question choose the answer that could be a reason for the conclusion. Say why this is the correct answer and the others are not. Don’t worry about whether or not the reason is true, just whether or not it supports the conclusion.
1. Conclusion: Those people who die from drowning are more likely to be swimmers than non-swimmers. a. People who cannot swim are much more likely to avoid risky water sports. b. Many deaths from drowning happen because people on leisure boats do not always wear life-jackets. c. Even swimmers may panic if they fall in the water.
REASON =
a. relevant because the non-swimmers have less possibility to drown since they always want to avoid water sports.
b. irrelevant because the conclusion is about the swimmers and non-swimmers and it is not about safety.
c. irrelevant because the swimmers cannot be panic as they know how to swim
2. Conclusion: A vegetarian diet may be beneficial to health. a. A vegetarian diet lacks some important vitamins b. A vegetarian diet does not contain animal fats which can cause heart disease c. A vegetarian diet does not contain fish oil which is thought to be beneficial to health
REASON =
a. irrelevant because the conclusion is not about vitamins but it is about beneficial health.
b. relevant because vegetables are free from animal fats and it give benefit to health
c. irrelevant because the argument is doubt about the contains of fish oil in the vegetables 3. Conclusion: Blood donors should be paid for giving blood. a. The blood service is expensive to run b. People who give blood usually do so because they want to help others c. There is a shortage of donors and payment would encourage more people to volunteer
REASON =
a. irrelevant because if the blood service is expensive to run then the one that should be paid is the