Deck 4: Reasons for Belief and Doubt

Question 1

According to the text, the large collection of very well-supported beliefs that we rely on to inform our actions and choices is called

A) common sense.
B) personal experience.
C) background information.
D) common knowledge.

Answer 1

background information.

Question 2

It is not reasonable to believe a claim when

A) it is criticized.
B) most people reject it.
C) there is no good reason for doing so.
D) others disbelieve it.

Answer 2

there is no good reason for doing so.

Question 3

A(n) _________ is someone who is more knowledgeable in a particular subject area or field than most others are.

A) scientist
B) philosopher
C) critical thinker
D) expert

Answer 3

expert

Question 4

Experts provide us with reasons for believing a claim because experts

A) are free of bias.
B) lack conflicts of interest.
C) are especially good at making predictions.
D) are less likely to err than nonexperts.

Question 5

When researchers describe perception and memory as constructive they mean that

A) what we perceive and remember is merely a figment of our imaginations.
B) perception and memory operate much like recording devices.
C) what we perceive and remember is built from sense data.
D) what we perceive and remember is to some degree fabricated by our minds.

Question 6

The probability of any particular event occurring might be extremely low, but that same event, given enough opportunities to occur, might be

A) highly probable over the long haul.
B) impossible.
C) highly improbable over the long haul.
D) miraculous.

Question 7

What is the term we use to denote both a state of affairs and a true statement?

A) Opinion
B) Fact
C) Belief
D) Claim

Question 8

According to a raft of scientific evidence, eyewitness testimony is

A) constructive.
B) authoritative.
C) usually reliable.
D) unreliable.

Question 9

The probability of randomly drawing the jack of spades out of a standard deck of 52 cards is

A) 1/4, or 0.25.
B) 1/13, or 0.076.
C) 1/52, or 0.192.
D) 1/2, or 0.50.

Question 10

The probability of getting a 6 by throwing two dice (two unbiased six-sided dice) is

A) 1/36.
B) 1/6.
C) 1/2.
D) 1/52.

Question 11

"The sun is hot," "Fire burns," and "Humans are mortal" are examples of

A) expert knowledge.
B) background beliefs.
C) opinions.
D) personal experience.

Question 12

If a claim conflicts with expert opinion, then according to the principles of critical thinking

A) the claim is false.
B) we may continue to accept the claim so long as it is consistent with our background information.
C) we have good reason to doubt the claim.
D) the claim is true.

Question 13

According to recent research, human memory is

A) infallible.
B) illusory.
C) completely unreliable.
D) constructive.

Question 14

Research suggests that what we perceive and remember is to some degree fabricated by our minds.

Question 15

In the phenomenon known as pareidolia, we might see and hear exactly what we expect to see and hear.

Question 16

The idea that future events can affect the past is known as the gambler's fallacy.

Question 17

Good critical thinkers never rely on experts.

Question 18

Predictive success is one of the most important indicators of expertise.

Question 19

In most cases, we cannot rely on experts to settle issues involving moral, social, or political questions.

Question 20

Qualified, unbiased, honest experts can still get things wrong.

Question 21

Experts in one field can usually make trustworthy claims regarding other fields.

Question 22

We have reason to doubt a claim even when only a small handful of experts disagree with it.

Question 23

Humans are good at estimating probabilities.

Question 24

The gambler's fallacy is thinking that that previous events can affect the probabilities of the random event at hand.

Question 25

According to the principles of critical thinking, we should mistrust all judgments about probabilities.

Question 26

It is not reasonable to believe a claim in absence of a good reason for doing so.

Question 27

If a claim conflicts with our background information, we should reject the claim.

Question 28

Because we can never be knowledgeable in every field, we should reject the claims of experts.

Question 29

The opinion of experts always carries more weight than our own.

Question 30

The memories of eyewitnesses are often untrustworthy.

Question 31

Our background information is always reliable.

Question 32

According to psychologists, human memory operates much like a video recorder.

Question 33

Scientific research shows that expectation can have a major impact on our perceptions.

Question 34

What are some of the beliefs included in your background information? How should you evaluate a claim if it conflicts with one of those beliefs?

Question 35

What is an expert? When and why do experts provide us with reasons for believing a claim?

Question 36

What should we do when a claim is in dispute among experts?

Question 37

Explain the mistake known as the fallacious appeal to authority and how it usually occurs. Provide a real-world example of a fallacious appeal to authority in your answer.

Question 38

Under what circumstances is it reasonable to doubt the opinion of an expert?

Question 39

What does it mean to say an expert is biased? How can we tell if an expert is biased?

Question 40

According to the text, why is eyewitness testimony often suspect? What factors undermine the reliability of eyewitness testimony?

Question 41

What principle should guide us in assessing the reliability of personal experience?

Question 42

Under what circumstances is it reasonable to doubt the evidence of personal experience?