Question 1

Personal experience, although generally reliable, is…

Accepted Answer

A)  Infallible 
B)  Difficult to quantify 
C)  Not trustworthy 
D)  Not infallible 
A)  Infallible 
B)  Difficult to quantify 
C)  Not trustworthy 
D)  Not infallible D

Question 2

Other things being equal, the more background information a claim conflicts with, the more reason we have to…

Accepted Answer

A)  Revise our background information 
B)  Believe it 
C)  Doubt it 
D)  Try to prove it 
A)  Revise our background information 
B)  Believe it 
C)  Doubt it 
D)  Try to prove it C

Question 3

Research suggests that our perception and memory are constructive, which means that…

Accepted Answer

A)  What we perceive and remember is responsive to criticism 
B)  What we perceive and remember is built from sense data 
C)  What we perceive and remember is to some degree fabricated by our minds 
D)  What we perceive and remember is a merely a figment of our imaginations 
A)  What we perceive and remember is responsive to criticism 
B)  What we perceive and remember is built from sense data 
C)  What we perceive and remember is to some degree fabricated by our minds 
D)  What we perceive and remember is a merely a figment of our imaginations C

Question 4

We are often justified in believing a claim because…

Accepted Answer

A)  Most people believe it 
B)  Experts disagree about it 
C)  Experts have not accepted it 
D)  It comes from experts 
A)  Most people believe it 
B)  Experts disagree about it 
C)  Experts have not accepted it 
D)  It comes from experts

Question 5

When experts disagree about a claim, we have good reason to…

Accepted Answer

A)  Reject it 
B)  Believe it 
C)  Doubt it 
D)  Dismiss it 
A)  Reject it 
B)  Believe it 
C)  Doubt it 
D)  Dismiss it

Question 6

What principle should guide us in assessing the reliability of personal experience? Why should we rely on this principle?

Accepted Answer

The principle that should guide us in as

Question 7

When ranking the trustworthiness of sources of information, the most reliable sources generally include…

Accepted Answer

A)  Non-governmental organizations, advocacy groups, and political action committees 
B)  Major trade book publishers and news outlets 
C)  TV, radio, and podcast shows 
D)  Articles and reports in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings 
A)  Non-governmental organizations, advocacy groups, and political action committees 
B)  Major trade book publishers and news outlets 
C)  TV, radio, and podcast shows 
D)  Articles and reports in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings

Question 8

Under what circumstances is it reasonable to doubt the evidence of personal experience?

Accepted Answer

It is reasonable to doubt the evidence o

Question 9

In most professional fields, the two minimal prerequisites for being considered an expert are…

Accepted Answer

A)  Education and experience in making reliable judgments 
B)  Education and field experience 
C)  Reputation and training 
D)  Reputation among peers and professional accomplishments 
A)  Education and experience in making reliable judgments 
B)  Education and field experience 
C)  Reputation and training 
D)  Reputation among peers and professional accomplishments

Question 10

We fall into a fallacious appeal to authority when we…

Accepted Answer

A)  Judge the authority's credentials to be good 
B)  Respect science and its methods 
C)  Think that just because someone is an expert in one field, he or she is necessarily an expert in another 
D)  Doubt the results of a scientific study 
A)  Judge the authority's credentials to be good 
B)  Respect science and its methods 
C)  Think that just because someone is an expert in one field, he or she is necessarily an expert in another 
D)  Doubt the results of a scientific study

Question 11

Eyewitness testimony is…

Accepted Answer

A)  Unorthodox 
B)  Authoritative 
C)  Reliable 
D)  Unreliable 
A)  Unorthodox 
B)  Authoritative 
C)  Reliable 
D)  Unreliable

Question 12

When we regard a nonexpert as an expert, we …

Accepted Answer

A)  Certify that expert's credentials 
B)  Rely on the true expert 
C)  Fall into the fallacy of available evidence 
D)  Fall into the fallacious appeal to authority 
A)  Certify that expert's credentials 
B)  Rely on the true expert 
C)  Fall into the fallacy of available evidence 
D)  Fall into the fallacious appeal to authority

Question 13

When our perceptual powers are impaired or impeded, we …

Accepted Answer

A)  Are more aware of possible mistakes 
B)  Have a reason to doubt our perceptual powers 
C)  Cannot trust any arguments 
D)  Are in a normal state 
A)  Are more aware of possible mistakes 
B)  Have a reason to doubt our perceptual powers 
C)  Cannot trust any arguments 
D)  Are in a normal state

Question 14

Experts are more likely to be right because they have access to more information on the subject than we do and because…

Accepted Answer

A)  They are better at judging the information than we are. 
B)  The information has been checked 
C)  They are experts 
D)  They have credentials 
A)  They are better at judging the information than we are. 
B)  The information has been checked 
C)  They are experts 
D)  They have credentials

Question 15

What is an expert? When and why do experts provide us with reasons for believing a claim?

Accepted Answer

An expert is someone who has extensive k

Question 16

Is it reasonable to regard a nonexpert as an expert? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

No, it is not reasonable to regard a non

Question 17

Your background information consists of…

Accepted Answer

A)  Beliefs that are certain 
B)  Both well-supported and obviously false beliefs 
C)  Numerous valid arguments 
D)  Very well-supported beliefs 
A)  Beliefs that are certain 
B)  Both well-supported and obviously false beliefs 
C)  Numerous valid arguments 
D)  Very well-supported beliefs

Question 18

When a claim is neither worthy of outright rejection nor deserving of complete acceptance, we should…

Accepted Answer

A)  Proportion our belief to the evidence 
B)  Proportion our belief to background information 
C)  Tentatively accept it 
D)  Tentatively reject it 
A)  Proportion our belief to the evidence 
B)  Proportion our belief to background information 
C)  Tentatively accept it 
D)  Tentatively reject it

Question 19

If an opinion is true, then it is…

Accepted Answer

A)  Certain 
B)  Still objectionable 
C)  A fact 
D)  Common sense 
A)  Certain 
B)  Still objectionable 
C)  A fact 
D)  Common sense

Question 20

It is reasonable to accept the evidence provided by personal experience only if…

Accepted Answer

A)  It is backed by scientific evidence 
B)  There's no good reason to doubt it 
C)  We are infallible 
D)  It is corroborated by other people 
A)  It is backed by scientific evidence 
B)  There's no good reason to doubt it 
C)  We are infallible 
D)  It is corroborated by other people

Personal experience, although generally reliable, is…

Other things being equal, the more background information a claim conflicts with, the more reason we have to…

Research suggests that our perception and memory are constructive, which means that…

We are often justified in believing a claim because…

When experts disagree about a claim, we have good reason to…

What principle should guide us in assessing the reliability of personal experience? Why should we rely on this principle?

When ranking the trustworthiness of sources of information, the most reliable sources generally include…

Under what circumstances is it reasonable to doubt the evidence of personal experience?

In most professional fields, the two minimal prerequisites for being considered an expert are…

We fall into a fallacious appeal to authority when we…

Eyewitness testimony is…

When we regard a nonexpert as an expert, we …

When our perceptual powers are impaired or impeded, we …

Experts are more likely to be right because they have access to more information on the subject than we do and because…

What is an expert? When and why do experts provide us with reasons for believing a claim?

Is it reasonable to regard a nonexpert as an expert? Why or why not?

Your background information consists of…

When a claim is neither worthy of outright rejection nor deserving of complete acceptance, we should…

If an opinion is true, then it is…

It is reasonable to accept the evidence provided by personal experience only if…

Critical Thinking, Facts, and Feelings

Obstacles to Critical Thinking

Identifying and Evaluating Arguments

Deductive Argument Patterns

Inductive Arguments and Statistics

Fake News

Advertising: Commercial and Political

Causal Arguments

Inference to the Best Explanation

Judging Scientific Theories

Fallacies and Persuaders

Critical Thinking in Morality

Filters

Exam 6: Evidence and Experts

Personal experience, although generally reliable, is…

Other things being equal, the more background information a claim conflicts with, the more reason we have to…

Research suggests that our perception and memory are constructive, which means that…

We are often justified in believing a claim because…

When experts disagree about a claim, we have good reason to…

What principle should guide us in assessing the reliability of personal experience? Why should we rely on this principle?

When ranking the trustworthiness of sources of information, the most reliable sources generally include…

Under what circumstances is it reasonable to doubt the evidence of personal experience?

In most professional fields, the two minimal prerequisites for being considered an expert are…

We fall into a fallacious appeal to authority when we…

Eyewitness testimony is…

When we regard a nonexpert as an expert, we …

When our perceptual powers are impaired or impeded, we …

Experts are more likely to be right because they have access to more information on the subject than we do and because…

What is an expert? When and why do experts provide us with reasons for believing a claim?

Is it reasonable to regard a nonexpert as an expert? Why or why not?

Your background information consists of…

When a claim is neither worthy of outright rejection nor deserving of complete acceptance, we should…

If an opinion is true, then it is…

It is reasonable to accept the evidence provided by personal experience only if…

Critical Thinking, Facts, and Feelings

Obstacles to Critical Thinking

Identifying and Evaluating Arguments

Deductive Argument Patterns

Inductive Arguments and Statistics

Fake News

Advertising: Commercial and Political

Causal Arguments

Inference to the Best Explanation

Judging Scientific Theories

Fallacies and Persuaders

Critical Thinking in Morality

Filters