CriticalReasoning CRhasalwaysremainedapredominantareaofalltheaptitudetestsacrosstheglobe.There aresevenmainquestionstemsunderthisdomain.

Youmightbeaskedto FindtheAssumption Infer Conclude StrengthentheArgument WeakentheArgument Summarise CompletetheParagraph Starting with this article, we shall try and take these stems piecemeal, beginning with assumptions. But, before we begin handling the question stems, it is important to turn a few pages backwards,andunderstandsomebasictermsinlogic. Theentirerealmoflogicthrivesontheword Argument.AnargumentisNOTaverbalscuffle betweenpersons.Thenormal,daytodayconnotationthatwehavecometoattachwiththe term grossly misleads us into thinking that if two persons are fighting, with a heated exchangeofwords,theyarearguing.Thisissheersacrilege!! Forexample: X:Avatarisagoodfilm. Y:No,itisnot! X:Yes,itis! Y:No,itisnot! isNOTanargument.Itisasmallexemplarypieceofcommunicationbetweenfools.(Ah!!And oneseessoMANYofsuchargumentseverywhere!!) Now,comparethefollowingwiththeprevious: X:Avatarisagoodfilm. Y:No,itisnot! X:Yes,itis!Itgrossedthemaximumrevenueeverinthehistoryofallfilms. Y:No,itisnot!Revenuecannotbethesinglecriteriontodecideafilmsgoodness.(Yes,there ISsuchaword,incaseyouarewondering.) Now,THISisclassicargumentation.Yousee,thedifferencebetweenthetwoexchangesisthat, while the previous exchange merely lobs opinions (read conclusions, in logic), the latter supportstheconclusionswithreasons(read premises).Hence,foranargumenttoexist,we requireaconclusionwhichisbaseduponatleastonepremise.Mereexchangeofcontinual opinionsCANNOTbetermedargumentation. Therefore, Argument=Premise/s+Conclusion. Havingunderstoodthestructureofanargument,letusexaminesomemoreexamples.

Argument1. Raviisagoodboybecausehehelpsothers. Argument2. Indiaisthebestcountryforitisthelargestdemocracyoftheworld. Argument3. aaraibisthebesteducationalwebsiteavailablebecauseitssolefocusisthewelfareofstudents. Understand that the nonitalicised parts are conclusions, and the italicised ones are the premises. (ExerciseCanyouthinkofwaystoundermine/strengthentheaforementionedarguments?) Theseareexamples of onelinedarguments. While solving questions, you will come across longerarguments. Itiseasytofigureouthowtoseparatetheconclusionfromthepremises.Whenyoureadthe statementsoftheargument,trytoaskwhydoyousayso,tothestatements.Forexample,in A1,ifweaskwhydoyousaysotothestatementRaviisagoodboy,thelatterpartanswers satisfactorily.Hencethestatementthatanswersthewhyisthe reason or premise.Whereas, thestatementtowhichweposedthequestion,becomestheconclusion.If,ontheotherhand, youaskthewhydoyousaysotohehelpsothers,theformerpartcannotanswer. Youcandothisasanexercisewithlongerquestions.And,itisimportanttogetthisfirststep correctifyouwanttosolvequestionsatafastpace.Iamattachingsomelongquestionshere. Trytofigureoutwhichstatementsarethepremises,andwhichtheconclusion.Ishallhelp youwiththefirsttwo. Ex.1 Mr.Janeck: IdontbelieveStevensonwillwintheelectionforgovernor.Fewvotersare willingtoelectabusinessmanwithnopoliticalexperiencetosucharesponsiblepublicoffice. Ms. Siuzdak: Youre wrong. The experience of running a major corporation is a valuable preparationforthetaskofrunningastategovernment. Inthisconversation,MrJanecksconclusionisthatStevensonwillnotwintheelection.When askedwhydoyousayso,thelatterpartofherconversationprovidesthebasisfortheformer opinion. Similarly,inMs.Siuzdaksargument,theconclusionisthatMr.Janecksopinioniswrong. Herpremiseisstatedimmediatelyafterwards. Ex.2 Atonetime,EuropeanandJapanesecompaniestriedtoimitatetheirAmericanrivals.Today, American appliance manufacturers import European scientists to lead their research staffs; American automakers design cars that mimic the styling of German, Italian, and French imports;andAmericanelectronicsfirmsboastintheiradvertisingofJapanesestyledevotion to quality and reliability. In the world of high technology, America has lost the battle for internationalprestige. Here, the conclusion is In the world of high technology, America has lost the battle for internationalprestige.Thepremisesstatedareexamplesfromtheappliance,electronicsand theautomakerssectors. Yourturnnow!!

1. Studies of fatal automobile accidents reveal that, in the majority of cases in which one occupantofanautomobileiskilledwhileanothersurvives,itisthepassenger,notthedriver, whoiskilled.Itisironicthattheinnocentpassengershouldsufferforthedriverscarelessness, whilethedriveroftensuffersonlyminorinjuriesornoneatall. 2. Theearthsresourcesarebeingdepletedmuchtoofast.Tocorrectthis,theUnitedStates must keepitsresourceconsumptionatpresentlevelsformanyyearstocome. 3. Atanenormousresearchcost,aleadingchemicalcompanyhasdevelopedamanufacturing processforconvertingwoodfibresintoaplastic.Accordingtothecompany,thisnewplasticcan beusedfor,amongotherthings,thehullsofsmallsailboats.Butwhatdoesthecompanythink sailboathullsusedtobemadeof?Surelythemaniaforhightechnologycanscarcelygofurther thanthis. 4. IntheyearssincethecityofLondon imposedstrictairpollutionregulationsonlocalindustry, thenumberofbirdspeciesseeninandaroundLondonhasincreaseddramatically.Similarair pollutionrulesshouldbeimposedinothermajorcities. 5. Reva:Usingextraneousincentivestogetteenagerstochangetheirattitudetowardschooland schoolworkwontwork.TaketheprograminWestVirginia,forinstance,wheretheytriedto reducetheirdropoutratebyrevokingthedrivinglicensesofkidswholeftschool.Theprogram failedmiserably. Anne:ItstruethattheWestVirginia programfailed,butmanyschoolshavedevisedincentive programs that have been very successful in improving attendance and reducing discipline problems. (ProvidepremisesandconclusionsfrombothRevasandAnnesstatements.) 6. TheburdenofmaintainingtheU.S. highwaysystemfallsdisproportionatelyonthetrucking industry.Trucksrepresentonlyabout10percentofthevehiclesonU.S. roads.Yetroaduse taxesassessedontrucksamounttoalmosthalfthetaxespaidforhighwayupkeepandrepair. AlthoughIstartedwiththeideaoftacklingassumptionbasedquestions,Ishallgetbackto theminupcominglectures. 1.Conclusion:Itisironicthattheinnocentpassengersuffersforthedriverscarelessness Premise:Asperthestudy,itisthepassengers,whofacethefatalitiesandnotthedriver. 2.Conclusion:theUnitedStatesmustkeepitsresourceconsumptionatpresentlevelsformany yearstocome. Premise:Theearthsresourcesarebeingdepletedmuchtoofast 3.Comclusion:themaniaforhightechnology Premise:atanenormousresearchcost,manufacturingprocessforconvertingwoodfibersintoa

plastic,thatcanalsomakesmalboathulls 4.(easyone)Conclusion:IncreaseinthethenumberofbirdspeciesinLondon. Premise:Strictairpollutionregulationsonlocalindustry 5Reva'sConclusion:Extraneousincentivestoteenagerswontchangethierattitudetowards schoolandschoolwork Reva'sPremise:E.gofTheprograminvolvingrevokingofthedrivinglicensesofkidswholeft schoolinwestvirginatoreducetheschooldropouts Anne'sConclusion:Incentiveprogramsareeffectiveinchangingtheattitudeofteenstowards schoolwork Anne'sPremise:incentiveprogramsthathavebeenverysuccessfulinimproving attendanceandreducingdisciplineproblems 6.Conclusion:TheburdenofmaintainingtheU.S.highwaysystemfallsdisproportionately onthetruckingindustry Premise:ThoughTrucksrepresentonlyabout10percentofthevehiclesonU.S.roads.theyend uppayingmoreTaxes