Some Tools for Your Philosophical Toolkit

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I’ve posted many times before on the nature of critical thinking, argumentation, and philosophical reasoning. In particular, I’ve focused on developing tools for the rational evaluation of arguments. In this post (and posts to come in the future), I aim to equip you with more tools to add to your critical thinking toolkit. Read more “Some Tools for Your Philosophical Toolkit”

Evaluating Arguments, Part 13: The Principle of Relevant Propositions

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The Principle of Relevant Propositions states that unless the truth value (be it true or false) of some fact or proposition logically entails or negates the truth value of any facts or proposition(s) in an argument, or negates any logical operators (negation, conjunction, disjunction, implication, biconditional, etc.) in or among the premises of the argument, or anything necessary for the truth or falsity of such premises, the fact is not relevant to the argument.

Read more “Evaluating Arguments, Part 13: The Principle of Relevant Propositions”

Evaluating Arguments, Part 12: Presupposing What Needs to Be Explained

philosophy-of-mind-part-2-of-piero-scaruffis-class-thinking-about-thought-at-uc-berkeley-2014-27-638I will continually update this evaluating arguments series with examples of ways one can evaluate, analyze, and critique philosophical arguments. One particularly forceful way to critique an argument is found in a passage from philosopher Edward Feser’s The Philosophy of Mind.

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Evaluating Arguments, Part 11: Counter-Examples and Understated Evidence

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In this Evaluating Arguments series, I have presented a wide variety of ways to critically assess arguments in hopes of equipping you in the art of critical thinking. The list I have gone through is certainly not all-encompassing, however I can guarantee they will provide a profoundly useful basis upon which to build your critical thinking abilities.

Read more “Evaluating Arguments, Part 11: Counter-Examples and Understated Evidence”