Smart Thinking: Skills for Critical Understanding and Writing, 2nd Ed

178 GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

defining premise

A claim that, when serving as a premise, functions to define some term that is
important to the whole argument. A defining premise must be used in a chain with
other premises. Compare with dependent premise. (See chapter 4.)

dependent premise

Premises are said to be dependent when they form a chain that, when taken

together, provides a reason for a conclusion. Unpacking a reason leads to the proper

development of such chains. They should be grouped together above a horizontal

line ( ) in the structure diagram. (See chapter 4.)

depth of reasoning

Arguments or explanations are deep when they explore all the subtleties of their
reasons (unpacked into chains of dependent premises, possibly with further
support for each of these premises). (See chapter 6.)

descriptive claim

A claim that describes without judging what is good or bad about the object being
described. Descriptive claims that are completely free of value judgment are few in
number because of the way in which all words, when written and read in context,
can imply certain values. Values are often a significant aspect of the connotation
that accompanies the obvious meanings of words or claims. Compare with value
claim. (See chapter 2.)

effective reasoning

Effective reasoning does not necessarily guarantee that our conclusions will be

proven correct or that the explanation for them will be accurate. However,

consciously thinking about making our arguments and explanations more effective,

first, provides us with a mental framework for better analysis and, second, ensures

that, when we communicate with others, our reasoning is as convincing as it can

be. (See chapters 5 and 6.)

exclamation

A statement that is exclaimed (that is, expressed with surprise or emotion). Many
exclamations do not make statements that can be assessed as true or false, or as reason-
able or unreasonable. Hence, many exclamations are not claims. (See chapter 2.)

explanation

A type of reasoning that seeks to explain, by means of premises, why a particular
circumstance or idea has come about. (This idea or circumstance is reported in the
conclusion.) Compare with argument. (See chapter 2.)

framing premise

A claim that, when serving as a premise, functions to establish why it is that the