52 Unit 2 Critical thinking: the basics
arguments, or steps. To distinguish main
conclusions from intermediate conclusions,
you still just ask yourself: Which follows from
which? or: Which makes better sense as a
reason for the other?However, R3 does not so much follow from
the previous two claims as join with them to
support C. The structure then would be:R1 & R2 & R3CThe principle of charity
The rule that says we should interpret a
supposed argument in a favourable way – that
is, as a good argument rather than a poor
one – is known as the principle of charity.
Note that despite the name, this doesn’t mean
being kind or generous to the author. All it
means is that we should assume that the
author is a rational individual who
understands the difference between good and
bad reasoning at least as well as we do
ourselves. So, if we have in front of us a text
that could be understood as ‘X therefore Y’, or
as ‘Y therefore X’, and we can see that X is a
good reason for believing Y, but Y is not a
good reason for believing X, then on the
principle of charity we should accept the first
interpretation and not the second.
This explains why there is often a slight
overlap between analysis and evaluation. We
are not just looking for lists of sentences that
can be called an argument (however bad), but
one which goes some way towards being a good
argument. By the same token, if a piece of text
makes much better sense as a non-argument
than as a argument, we should not just assume
it is bad argument.
We shall return to this important principle
when we discuss evaluation and counter-
arguments in Chapters 4.9 and 7.7.Complex arguments and multiple
conclusions
The procedure is the same for longer and/or
more complex arguments, except that you
may have to repeat it for each of the sub-Look at the next example and answer the
multiple-choice question that follows it.
[4] Parents naturally tend to think that,
because they are older and more
experienced, they know better than
their children. They consequently
assume that their judgements and
decisions are the right ones. But in
many ways children are much
cleverer than their parents give them
credit for. They frequently display
problem-solving skills that their
parents do not possess; and they are
more adventurous in their thinking,
if only because they are less afraid of
making mistakes. Parents should pay
closer attention to what their
children have to say, and allow them
to make more decisions for
themselves. Apart from anything
else, this would help to relieve many
unnecessary family tensions.
Which one of the following best expresses
the main conclusion of the argument? As well
as making your selection, give a brief reason
why you think it is right, and why you thought
the others were wrong.
A Children are much cleverer than their
parents give them credit for, and
frequently display problem-solving skills
that their parents do not possess.
B Parents naturally assume that their
judgements and decisions are the
right ones.
C Children don’t mind making mistakes to
the extent that their parents generally do.Activity