Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking generally focuses on the use of ‘arguments’. But what does that mean – what is an argument? Surely it’s not the same as shouting at your parents/siblings/friends when you disagree with them?!

Watch this classic video from Monty Python’s Flying Circus and keep an ear open for the definition of an argument given by Michael Palin’s character:

(If you are unable to view the video, you can read the transcript here)

So, to be a ‘reasoned argument’ a text must have at least one premise (a claim, statement, reason, etc) and a conclusion (or inference) which must be persuasive alongside the previous premise(s).

Let's look at a quick example of reasoned argument being used:

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“Mercedes-Benz is the world’s best car partly because it has the best safety record. In an independent study of 27 foreign and American passenger cars, Mercedes-Benz sedans from 1998-2000 were found to offer better crash protection from head on collisions than the other cars tested (Bundestag Verlung, 2001). These findings corroborate similar results published by consumer watchdog advocate Ralph Nader in Consumer Reports (October, 2002).”

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This is a reasoned argument because you can break it down in the following way:

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Premise 1: "In an independent study of 27 foreign and American passenger cars, Mercedes-Benz sedans from 1998-2000 were found to offer better crash protection from head on collisions than the other cars tested (Bundestag Verlung, 2001)."

Premise 2: "These findings corroborate similar results published by consumer watchdog advocate Ralph Nader in Consumer Reports (October, 2002).”

Conclusion: [therefore] “Mercedes-Benz is the world’s best car partly because it has the best safety record."

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You will see from this that the conclusion does not necessarily have to be at the end of a reasoned argument; it just has to match the other premises being made.