CriticalThinking Tutorial 10 Overheads

1 Chapter 8: Assessing Adequacy1.1 The Criterion of AdequacyThe main things to look out for:1. Strength of the conclusion.2. Strength (of support) of the premises.3. Consequences of the conclusion being false1.2 Appeals to Authority (II)Hughes provides five criteria for an adequate appeal to authority:1. The authority must be identified.2. The authority must be generally recognized by the experts in the field.3. The particular matter in support of which an authority is cited must liewithin his or her field of expertise.4. The field must be one in which there is genuine knowledge.5. There should be consensus among the experts in the field regarding the par-tucular matter in support of which the authority is cited.1.3 Analogical ReasoningIn any argument that uses an analogy one draws an inference about some unkownproperty of some thing A based on a similar property of a thing B and an analogybetween B and A.What to look out for:1. Relevant similarities2. Relevant dissimilaritiesAn analogy fails if there are too few relavent similarities and an any (or signifi-cantly) relevant dissimilarities.1Consider the following example:Giving fathers a period of paid leave when their wives give birth wouldnot be prohibitively expensive. In Sweeden, where such a policy hasbeen in effect for more than a decade, only 12% of Sweedish men takethe leave.What are the relevant similarities? What might be relevant dissimilarities? Is theanalogy strong enough to get you ...