Chapter 1 Essay Questions

  1. What is the philosophical method? Have you ever applied the method to an issue in your life? If so, how did you use it? If not, devise an example to show how the method could be used to shed light on a serious question.
  2. What is an argument? To demonstrate your understanding, devise a sample argument. Is your argument deductive or inductive? Explain the difference between the two.
  3. What is the Socratic method? Explain it and give an example of its use.
  4. What is the fallacy of appeal to ignorance? Give two examples of how it can be used in arguing for a conclusion.
  5. What is the fallacy of the appeal to popularity? Provide two examples of its use in contemporary debates on social and political issues.
  6. What is the phenomenon of confirmation bias? Give two examples of confirmation bias, hypothetical or actual.
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