Reasoning in Practice
An Argument From Silence Needs a Reason to Expect a Record
Evaluate claims based on missing evidence by asking whether a record should exist, whether it survived and whether the search could have found it.
REASONS · VALUES · CHOICES
arguments
Reasoning in Practice
A Slippery-Slope Argument Needs Evidence Between Its Steps
Examine a slippery-slope claim by separating its proposed steps, testing the causal links and asking what safeguards could interrupt the predicted outcome.
Clear Reasoning
Necessary and Sufficient Conditions Ask Different Questions
Use everyday examples to distinguish a condition that must be present from one that is enough to establish a result.
Critical Thinking
Read the Strongest Version of an Argument Before You Reject It
Use a charitable reading to reconstruct an argument accurately, identify its strongest support and criticise the actual claim.