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The importance of critical thinking. The following serves as a way of furnishing the importance of disciplined thinking. A lesson is used here.

Critical thinking lessons Finding the premise and the conclusion

Some examples of statements made and what the premise and conclusion is. One must keep in mind premise indicator words such as for where the premise comes after the indicator and the conclusion before. Also, conclusion indicators words such as therefore must be noted where the conclusion comes after such words and the premise before.

The following instances are presented in question and answer format.

Question - You cannot step twice in the same river, for other waters are ever flowing on to you. (Heraclitus)

Answer

Premise: Other waters are ever flowing on to you.

Conclusion: You cannot step twice in the same river.

Question - Many just persons are afflicted in this world; which is unjust. Therefore not in every work of God are justice and mercy. (Stated but not endorsed in Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, c. 1270)

Answer

Premise: Many just persons are afflicted in this world; which is unjust.

Conclusion: Not in every work of God are justice and mercy.

Question Democracy has at least one merit, namely, that a Member of Parliament cannot be stupider than his constituents, for the more stupid he is, the more stupid they were to elect him. (Bertrand Russel, Autobiography, 1967)

Answer

Premise: The more stupid a Member of Parliament is, the more stupid the constituents were to elect him.

Conclusion: Democracy has at least one merit, namely, that a Member of Parliament cannot be stupider than his constituents.

Question Don't worry about senility. When it hits you, you won't know it. (Bill Cosby, Time Flies, 1987)

Answer

Premise: When it hits you, you won't know it.

Conclusion: Don't worry about senility.

Question Our nation protests, encourages, and even intervenes in the affairs of other nations on the basis of its relations to corporations. But if this is the case, how can we dissociate ourselves from the plight of people in these countries? (Louise P. Pojman, Global Environmental Ethics, 2000)

Answer

Premise: Our nation protests, encourages, and even intervenes in the affairs of other nations on the basis of its relations to corporations.

Conclusion: We cannot dissociate ourselves from the plight of people in these countries.

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