Study Guide for Critical Thinking Final

You are allowed to bring a two-sided 8 1/2" x 11" "cheat sheet" to the final exam. I will spot check all the sheets before the exam begins.

Slanters

Euphemism
Dysphemism
Rhetorical Definition/Explanation
Stereotype
Innuendo
Loaded Question/Complex Question
Weaseler
Downplayer
Ridicule/Sarcasm
Hyperbole
Proof Surrogate
Rhetorical Analogy (be sure to familiarize yourself with the four questions to keep in mind for evaluating comparisons)

Fallacies
Fallacies of Relevance
Appeals to Emotion
Argument from Outrage
Scapegoating
Scare Tactics
Argument by Force
Argument from Pity
Argument from Envy
Apple Polishing
Guilt Trip
Wishful thinking
Peer Pressure Argument
Groupthink Fallacy
Jingoism
Rationalizing
Argument from Popularity
    Argument from Common Practice
    Argument from Tradition
Subjectivist Fallacy
Relativist Fallacy
Two Wrongs Make a Right
Red Herring
Smoke Screen
Ad Hominem
    Personal Attack ad hominem
    Inconsistency ad hominem
    Circumstantial ad hominem
    Poisoning the Well
Genetic Fallacy
Positive ad hominem
Straw Man
False Dilemma
    Perfectionist Fallacy
    Line-Drawing Fallacy
Slippery Slope (two types)
Burden of Proof
Shifting/Misplacing the Burden of Proof
Guidelines for assigning Burden of Proof
Argument from Ignorance
Begging the Question/Circular Argument

In addition, there will be two Short Essay/Writing Questions:
  1. The first will be on the film Expelled:No Intelligence Allowed. The essay will ask you to discuss how the film uses slanters and fallacies to communicate the point of view of the filmmakers (primarily Ben Stein).
  2. The second will ask you read a passage and then use the slanters and fallacies to slant that passage in the direction of your choosing.

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