Standard: Clarity
understandable, the meaning can be grasped

Could you elaborate further?

Could you give me an example?

Could you illustrate what you mean?

Standard: Accuracy
free from errors or distortions, true

How could we check on that?

How could we find out if that is true?

How could we verify or test that?

Standard: Precision
exact to the necessary level of detail

Could you be more specific?

Could you give me more details?

Could you be more exact?

Standard: Relevance
relating to the matter at hand

How does that relate to the problem?

How does that bear on the question?

How does that help us with the issue?

Standard: Depth
containing complexities and multiple interrelationships

What factors make this a difficult problem?

What are some of the complexities of this question?

What are some of the difficulties we need to deal with?

Standard: Breadth
encompassing multiple viewpoints

Do we need to look at this from another perspective?

Do we need to consider another point of view?

Do we need to look at this in other ways?

Standard: Logic
the parts make sense together, no contradictions

Does all this make sense together?

Does your first paragraph fit in with your last?

Does what you say follow from the evidence?

Standard: Significance
focusing on the important, not trivial

Is this the most important problem to consider?

Is this the central idea to focus on?

Which of these facts are most important?

Standard: Fairness
Justifiable, not self-serving or one-sided

Do I have any vested interest in this issue?

Am I sympathetically representing the viewpoints of others?

SHOW
PROBLEM

      SHOW
PROBLEM

Analyzing the Logic of Problems


You need to fill in all the Elements of Thought before you can continue.

The Problem you are Analyzing:

The Problem of...
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Click here for the dropdown list

(display name)
State the Problem:

"Mouse-Over" any object on the page to learn more about it.
Type an entry for each Element of Thought, saving each one after you enter it. Mouse-over SHOW PROBLEM to clear the page and return to the problem you are analyzing.

    

Element: Purpose    All reasoning has a PURPOSE.

Take time to state your purpose clearly.

Distinguish your purpose from related purposes.

Check periodically to be sure you are still on target.

Choose significant and realistic purposes.

Element: Question    All reasoning is an attempt to figure something out, to settle some QUESTION, to solve some problem.

State the question at issue clearly and precisely.

Express the question in several ways to clarify its meaning.

Break the question into sub-questions.

Distinguish questions that have definitive answers from those that are a matter of opinion or that require multiple viewpoints.

Element: Information    All reasoning is based on DATA, INFORMATION and EVIDENCE.

Restrict your claims to those supported by the data you have.

Search for information that opposes your position as well as information that supports it.

Make sure that all information used is clear, accurate and relevant.

Make sure you have gathered sufficient information.

In reasoning through the problem, as you consider the important information relevant to the question, you will make multiple inferences. Finally, you will need to come to a conclusion (and then act on that conclusion). Your conclusion is your main inference. Complete this piece last and write out your main inferences as well as your final conclusion or decision.

Primary standards: 1 clarity, 2 logicalness, 3 justifiability, 4 profundity, 5 reasonability, 6 consistency
Principle: Reasoning can be only as sound as the inferences it makes (or the conclusions it comes to)

When ready click...

Inferences are interpretations or conclusions you come to. Inferring is what the mind does in figuring something out.
Inferences should logically follow from the evidence. Infer no more or less than what is implied in the situation.
Questions to check your inferences

What conclusions am I coming to?

Is my inference logical?

Are there other conclusions I should consider?

Does this interpretation make sense?

Does our solution necessarily follow from our data?

How did you reach that conclusion?

What are you basing your reasoning on?

Is there an alternative plausible conclusion?

Given all the facts what is the best possible conclusion?

How shall we interpret these data?

back to assignment

The most important concepts, theories, or ideas I need to use in my thinking are… Figure out all significant ideas needed to understand and solve the problem. You may need to analyze these concepts. Use a good dictionary.

Primary standards: 1 clarity, 2 relevance, 3 depth, 4 accuracy
Principle: Reasoning can only be as clear, relevant, realistic and deep as the concepts which shape it.

When ready click...

Concepts are ideas, theories, laws, principles, or hypotheses we use in thinking to make sense of things.
Be clear about the concepts you are using and use them justifiably.
Questions you can ask about concepts

What idea am I using in my thinking? Is this idea causing problems for me or for others?

I think this is a good theory, but could you explain it more fully?

What is the main hypothesis you are using in your reasoning?

Are you using this term in keeping with established usage?

What main distinctions should we draw in reasoning through this problem?

What idea is this author using in his or her thinking? Is there a problem with it?

How shall we interpret these data?

back to assignment

Some important assumptions I am using in my thinking are… Figure out what you are taking for granted. Watch out for self-serving or unjustified assumptions.

Primary standards: 1 clarity, 2 justifiability, 3 consistency
Principle: Reasoning can only be as sound as the assumptions on which it is based.

When ready click...

Assumptions are beliefs you take for granted. They usually operate at the subconscious or unconscious level of thought.
Make sure that you are clear about your assumptions and they are justified by sound evidence.
Questions you can ask about assumptions

What am I assuming or taking for granted?

Am I assuming something I shouldn’t?

What assumption is leading me to this conclusion?

What is… (this policy, strategy, explanation) assuming?

What exactly do sociologists (historians, mathematicians, etc.) take for granted?

What is being presupposed in this theory?

What are some important assumptions I make about my roommate, my friends, my parents, my instructors, my country?

back to assignment

If we solve, or fail to solve this problem, some important implications are… Evaluate options, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of possible decisions before acting. What consequences are likely to follow from this or that decision?

Primary standards: 1 significance, 2 logicalness, 3 clarity, 4 precision, 5 completness
Principle: To reason well through an issue, you must think through the implications that follow from your reasoning. You must think through the consequences likely to flow from the decisions you make.

When ready click...

Implications are claims or truths that logically follow from other claims or truths. Implications follow from thoughts. Consequences follow from actions.
Implications are inherent in your thoughts, whether you see them or not. The best thinkers think through the logical implications in a situation before acting.

Questions you can ask about implications

If I decide to do “X”, what things might happen?

If I decide not to do “X”, what things might happen?

What are you implying when you say that?

What is likely to happen if we do this versus that?

Are you implying that…?

How significant are the implications of this decision?

What, if anything, is implied by the fact that a much higher percentage of poor people are in jail than wealthy people?

back to assignment

The point(s) of view is/are as follows:
Know the point of view from which your thinking begins. Be especially careful to determine whether multiple points of view are relevant.

Primary standards: 1 flexibility, 2 fairness, 3 clarity, 4 breadth, 5 relevance
Principle: To reason well, you must identify those points of view relevant to the issue and enter these viewpoints empathetically.

When ready click...

Point of view is literally “the place” from which you
view something. It includes what you are looking at and the way you are seeing it.
Make sure you understand the limitations of your point of view and that you fully consider other relevant viewpoints.
Questions to check your point of view

How am I looking at this situation? Is there another way to look at it that I should consider?

What exactly am I focused on? And how am I seeing it?

Is my view the only reasonable view? What does my point of view ignore?

Have you ever considered the way ____(Japanese, Muslims, South Americans, etc.) view this?

Which of these possible viewpoints makes the most sense given the situation?

Am I having difficulty looking at this situation from a viewpoint with which I disagree?

What is the point of view of the author of this story?

Do I study viewpoints that challenge my personal beliefs?

Foundation for Critical Thinking