Debate and Argument
Mock Exam
Course Introduction
Debate and Argument is a course designed to enhance students abilities in critical thinking, persuasive communication, and logical reasoning. Through the analysis of contemporary issues and classical debate formats, students will learn to construct coherent arguments, identify logical fallacies, and effectively counter opposing viewpoints. The course emphasizes research skills, evidence evaluation, and ethical considerations in argumentation. Students will participate in debates, both individually and as members of teams, developing confidence in public speaking and fostering an appreciation for diverse perspectives.
Recommended Textbook
Critical Thinking 11th Edition by Brooke Noel Moore
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12 Chapters
1520 Verified Questions
1520 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/3373 Page 2
Chapter 1: What Is Critical Thinking,anyway
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107 Verified Questions
107 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/66957
Sample Questions
Q1) Determine whether the following passage is (or contains)an argument. "Today,there is strong evidence-not only in theory but in practice-that families who try to protect dying children from knowing they're dying rarely serve the child's best interests.This conspiracy of silence,however well-meaning,often puts nurses,relatives,and others who spend the most time with the patient,especially in their lonely moments,on the spot."
-Thomas Scully and Celia Scully,Playing God:The New World of Medical Choices
Answer: Argument.
Q2) Identify each speaker that gives an argument for his or her position in the following passage.
larry:Before we go to Hawaii,let's go to a tanning salon and get a tan.Then we won't look like we just got off the plane,plus we won't get sunburned while we're over there.
laurie:I don't know ...I read that those places can be dangerous.And did you ever check out how much they cost? Let's let it go.
Answer: Larry and Laurie are both giving arguments.
Q3) Determine whether the following passage is (or contains)an argument. You'd better not pet that dog.She looks friendly,but she's been known to bite.
Answer: Argument.
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3
Chapter 2: Two Kinds of Reasoning
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Identify the following passage as containing an argument,two arguments,or no argument;if it contains an argument,identify the conclusion(s);and,if it contains two arguments,indicate which argument is the principal argument. Feldspar works at a restaurant at night and teaches during the day.I'd have to bet he's tired most of the time,and that's a good reason for thinking he won't do well in school this term.
Answer: Two arguments present;conclusions: "he's tired most of the time," and "he won't do well in school this term";"he won't do well ..." is the conclusion of the principal argument.
Q2) Supply a general principle that,assuming it is true,makes the following into a relatively strong inductive argument:
If your only source of information is TV Guide,you are not likely to be very well informed,so Michael is not likely to be well informed.
Answer: Those whose information is limited to TV Guide are not usually well informed.
Q3) Sound arguments are deductive arguments that are _________.
Answer: valid
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Chapter 3: Clear Thinking,critical Thinking,and Clear Writing
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345 Verified Questions
345 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Classify the following:"A miracle:an event described by those to whom it was told by men who did not see it."-Elbert Hubbard
A)definition by example
B)definition by synonym
C)analytical definition
Answer: C
Q2) Define "thin person" by synonyms,using one synonym that carries a complimentary meaning and one that carries a derogatory emotive meaning.
Answer: Our suggestions: slender person;skinny person.
Q3) Considering the context in which it was most likely uttered,would you say the following claim is ambiguous,too vague,or neither?
Why You Want Sex Changes as You Age
-American Health/Psychology Today
Answer: Ambiguous.
Q4) Define "government worker" by synonyms,using one synonym that carries a complimentary meaning and one that carries a derogatory emotive meaning.
Answer: Our suggestions: public servant;bureaucrat.
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Credibility
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101 Verified Questions
101 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) For the following issue,discuss which source you'd trust more,and give at least one reason why.You may want to add to or otherwise modify our list of sources.And do keep in mind that we are glad our livelihoods do not depend on a general consensus on our rankings.
Issue:In the O.J.Simpson murder case,did the judge rule correctly in admitting evidence that was obtained at Simpson's house before a search warrant was issued?
a.a well-known defense attorney who heads the American Trial Lawyers Association
b.the former district attorney for Los Angeles County
c.a retired judge on the U.S.Court of Appeals
Q2) Assess the following as probably true,as probably false,as requiring further documentation before judgment,or as a claim that cannot properly be evaluated.Consider both the nature of the claim and the source. "Contrary to popular belief,'The Star-Spangled Banner' has been the nation's official song only since 1931."
-James Kilpatrick,syndicated columnist
Q3) In a brief essay,discuss the news media as a source of information about current events.
Q4) In a brief essay,explain what factors help establish someone as an expert.
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Page 6
Chapter 5: Rhetoric,the Art of Persuasion
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111 Verified Questions
111 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Isolate and discuss the rhetorical devices that appear in the following passage: Robert may be a pretty good gardener,all right,but you'll notice he lost nearly everything to the bugs this year.
Q2) Isolate and discuss the rhetorical devices that appear in the following passage: Once,after the owner and the head coach of the Houston Oilers football team had met for more than two hours,the owner announced that the two had "mutually decided" that the coach "would not return as head coach."
Q3) Isolate and discuss the rhetorical devices that appear in the following passage: I'm not among those who wonder why the senator hasn't made a full disclosure of his financial dealings prior to taking office.
Q4) Isolate and discuss the rhetorical devices that appear in the following passage: A political endorsement by the Reverend Jerry Falwell,the high priest of holier-than-thou and "let's hear it for apartheid," would help a political candidate as much as an endorsement from the Ayatollah Khomeini.
Q5) Provide a critical assessment of the following comparative general claim: You'd be better off if you got more sleep.
Q6) Construct eight sentences,each illustrating a use of this slanter:proof surrogate. To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 7
Chapter 6: Relevance Red Herringfallacies
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163 Verified Questions
163 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "Forget those polls.They come from CBS."
Q2) Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. he:Well,things didn't work out quite the way I wanted,but that's the way life often is. she:That's not my philosophy.Your dreams will come true if you want them to,but you really have to want them to.
Q3) Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. You know how some people against gun control say that making guns illegal won't stop anyone who wants one from getting one? Ever notice how the same people are usually against legalizing drugs because they don't want drugs made available? Funny how they think that law won't work for guns but will work for drugs.
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8
Chapter 7: Induction Fallacies
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125 Verified Questions
125 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. So they came along and made me take my sign down because it was in violation of the city sign code.But look at the signs down in the next block,will you? They're under the same code,and they're just like the one I had to take down.
Q2) Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. I watched Nova on public television the other night,and it was great! I'm going to be in front of the tube every week for it from now on.
Q3) Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage.
"Well I'll be! Look at the great gas mileage we got on this trip! Not a whole lot better than usual,but still nothing to sneeze at.Shows you what a tune-up will do."
Q4) Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage.
"What's all this fuss about people being delayed at airports? I arrived at the airport this morning and fifteen minutes later I had checked my bag,passed through security,and was at my gate.I wasn't delayed at all."
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Page 9
Chapter 8: Formal Fallacies and Fallacies of Language
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32 Verified Questions
32 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Identify any formal fallacies or fallacies of language in the following passage. Stockton has the lowest credit rating of any city in the region.My cousin lives in Stockton,so I'm betting his credit is down the tube.
Q2) Identify any formal fallacies or fallacies of language in the following passage. Anna Karenina is the best novel every written;therefore each chapter is the best ever written.
Q3) Identify any formal fallacies or fallacies of language in the following passage. The average family has two-and-a-half children.The Hansons,next door,are an average family,so they must have two-and-a-half children.I don't know,maybe a stepson or something.
Q4) Identify any formal fallacies or fallacies of language in the following passage. Daryl likes to race cars.I bet he will become a professional race car driver rather than something boring like a retail salesperson or office clerk.
Q5) In the following passage,is an explanation clearly being offered as an excuse or justification?
Obama says the Secret Service cancelled the White House tours? Yeah,right.He's just trying to duck the complaints.
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Page 10
Chapter 9: Deductive Arguments I Categorical Logic
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66 Verified Questions
66 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/66949
Sample Questions
Q1) Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism,and determine whether it is valid.
Being a mathematical prodigy is not enough to guarantee success at solving problems like Fermat's Last Theorem,because several mathematical prodigies tried their hands at that very problem,and nobody could solve it until just a few years ago. F.
No F are S.
Therefore,some P are not S. Valid.
Q2) Translate the following into a standard-form categorical claim:Only banks can be savings institutions.
Q3) Reconstruct the following as a standard-form syllogism;then,determine whether it is valid using either a Venn diagram or the rules of the syllogism. All legislatures are more influenced by the legal profession than by any other,but it is legislatures that make the rules by which the legal profession operates.So the result is that the bodies that make the rules for the lawyers' profession are bodies most influenced by that very profession.
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11
Chapter 10: Deductive Arguments Ii Truth-Functional Logic
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85 Verified Questions
85 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/66948
Sample Questions
Q1) Determine whether the following is valid or invalid: In a class like this,it's necessary to work a lot of problems on your own in order to be familiar with the material,and such familiarity is necessary to do well on the exams.So if you work a lot of problems on your own,you'll do well on the exams.
Q2) Determine whether the following symbolized argument is valid or invalid.If invalid,provide a counterexample;if valid,construct a deduction.
P v (Q & K)
(P v Q)\(\rarr\) [(L \(\rarr\) ~X)& (~X \(\rarr\) L)] (L \(\rarr\) ~X)\(\rarr\) (X & ~Y) (Y \(\rarr\) Z)& (Z \(\rarr\) M) (Q \(\rarr\) K)\(\rarr\) Z/\(\therefore\) Z
Q3) Determine whether the following is valid or invalid:
Look,if the check bounced,then you're right:Two things happened.First,we'd owe a penalty.And second,our records would be out of whack.Now,if our records are out of whack or if we pay a penalty-either way-then we're in big trouble,just like you said.The check isn't gonna bounce,though.So relax.We're not in any trouble.
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12
Chapter 11: Inductive Reasoning
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170 Verified Questions
170 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Evaluate the following analogical argument: Hank Kingscote has won every one of his fifteen previous prizefights by knockouts.The chances are that the poor fellow who's going to fight him next will wind up stretched out on the canvas.
Q2) Evaluate the following generalization(s),identifying sample,population,attribute of interest,and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable.Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample;remember,what's important is that the sample be representative.
Thirty percent of American women ages nineteen to thirty-nine diet at least once a month,according to a news syndicate poll released last November.These findings are based on telephone interviews with a random sample of women listed in the Los Angeles telephone directory.
Q3) "An FBI study of thirty-five serial killers [killers of several people,not all at once] revealed that twenty-nine were attracted to pornography and incorporated it into their sexual activity,which included serial rape and murder." This assertion,taken from an antipornography ad,seems to have been intended to show that pornography is a causal factor of serial rape and murder.Does it show that?
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Chapter 12: Moral,legal,and Aesthetic Reasoning
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145 Verified Questions
145 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/66946
Sample Questions
Q1) For the following,try to come up with an additional premise that will turn the passage into a deductively valid or an inductively strong argument.Usually this requires adding a general moral principle and,sometimes,an extra nonmoral claim as well.The idea is to guarantee that the "ought" claim follows from the "is" claim. The dog has been out so long she's probably freezing.You ought to let her in.
Q2) The application of stare decisis always involves analogical argument. A)True B)False
Q3) State whether the following item expresses moral value or nonmoral value;or no value at all.
The judge's decision was the right one,and everybody got just what they deserved.
Q4) Given the following position on abortion,identify which of the three major ethical theories discussed in the text-utilitarianism,duty theory,or virtue ethics-it follows.Note that each theory may encompass several possible viewpoints on an issue. Abortion should be allowed.It doesn't matter whether one,as an individual,is for or against it;what matters is that women will be dying in back alleys again if their access to abortion is taken away from them.
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