An Introduction to Critical Thinking and Creativity: Think More, Think Better

Contents

Cover

Half Title page

Title page

Copyright page

Dedication

Preface

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Thinking Skills in The Age of Globalization

1.2 Some Misconceptions About Critical Thinking

1.3 Improving Our Thinking

Exercises

Chapter 2: Thinking and Writing Clearly

2.1 Literal Meaning

2.2 Connecting Ideas

2.3 Five Tips for Effective Writing and Presentation

Exercises

Chapter 3: Definitions

3.1 Reportive Definition

3.2 Stipulative Definition

3.3 Precising Definition

3.4 Criteria for Good Definitions

3.5 Definition Techniques

3.6 Three Misconceptions About Definitions

Exercises

Chapter 4: Necessary and Sufficient Conditions

4.1 Necessary Conditions

4.2 Sufficient Conditions

4.3 Describing How Two Things are Connected

4.4 The Write-Off Fallacy

4.5 Different Kinds of Possibility

4.6 Exclusive and Exhaustive Possibilities

Exercises

Chapter 5: Linguistic Pitfalls

5.1 Unclear Meaning

5.2 Distortion

5.3 Empty Meaning

5.4 Gobbledygook Everywhere

Exercises

Chapter 6: Truth

6.1 Relativism

6.2 Statements

6.3 Types of Truth

Exercises

Chapter 7: Basic Logic

7.1 Some Basic Concepts

7.2 Logical Connectives

Exercises

Chapter 8: Identifying Arguments

8.1 What is An Argument?

8.2 Identifying Premises and Conclusions

8.3 Extracting and Formulating Arguments

Exercises

Chapter 9: Valid and Sound Arguments

9.1 Validity and Soundness

9.2 Patterns of Valid Arguments

9.3 Arguments Involving Generalizations

9.4 Soundness

Exercises

Chapter 10: Inductive Reasoning

10.1 Inductive Strength

10.2 Defeasibility ...