PHI 1101 Quiz: Unit For Critical Thinking Chart.docx

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHI 1101
• Professor: Laura Byrne

Document Summary

Reconstructi ng arguments: arguments are often embedded in extraneous material, premises and conclusions are not usually neatly labeled, premises and conclusions are not always signaled by premise and conclusion indicators. Conventions you must use when reconstructi ng arguments. The specific words in the reconstruction need not be the actual words used by the author. It may be necessary to revise the words used to clarify the meaning or remove ambiguity: do not violate the author"s intent or the principle of charity. The conclusion: underline and represent by c (c1, c2, etc. in the case of a sorites). The premises: enclose in brackets and represent by p1, p2, p3, etc. Missing conclusion: represent by mc (mcx in the case a sorites). Whenever two or more interpretations are possible, adopt the one which makes the opponent"s views as reasonable, plausible or defensible as possible unless something in the context suggests that another interpretation is intended.