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Chapter 6 Evaluate the Credibility of Claims and Sources Assessing the Source—Whom Should I Trust? • As critical thinkers, we are inquisitive truthseekers with a healthy sense of skepticism • Examples • Claims without Reasons – “Can I trust this person to be telling me the truth or even to know the truth?” © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Assessing the Source—Whom Should I Trust? • Cognitive Development and Healthy Skepticism – The issue of trust—in particular, trust of authorities—is connected to our maturation – Strong critical thinkers cultivate a healthy sense of skepticism © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Assessing the Source—Whom Should I Trust? • Authority and Expertise – What does authority really mean? • How do authority figures change as we mature? Who do they become? – Examples • How do we see authority figures differently as we mature? © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Assessing the Source—Whom Should I Trust? – On-Topic, Up-to-Date, Capable of Explaining – Unbiased and Truthful – Free of Conflicts of Interest, and Acting in the Client’s Interest – Unconstrained, Informed, and Mentally Stable – Twelve Characteristics of a Trustworthy Source © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Assessing the Source—Whom Should I Trust? • When evaluating a trusted source on topic X, it would be reasonable for us to trust a person: – – – – Who fulfills all twelve of the criteria below: Learned in topic X Experienced in topic X Speaking about X © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Assessing the Source—Whom Should I Trust? – Up-to-date about X – Capable of explaining the basis for their claim or their advice about X – Unbiased – Truthful – Free of conflicts of interest © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Assessing the Source—Whom Should I Trust? – – – – Acting in accord with our interests Unconstrained Informed about the specifics of the case at hand Mentally stable • High standards when it comes to establishing and maintaining trust © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Assessing the Substance—What Should I believe? • Donkey Dung Detector – Self-Contradictions and Tautologies • A self-contradictory statement cannot be true – Cultivate a Healthy Sense of Skepticism • Marketing, Spin, Disinformation, and Propaganda © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Assessing the Substance—What Should I believe? – Claims without supporting reasons are the stock and trade of people with ulterior motives • Slanted Language and Loaded Expressions – It is difficult to evaluate claims that: • Use language that carries a positive or negative emotional charge © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Independent Verification • Can the Claim Be Confirmed? • Can the Claim Be Disconfirmed? • Independent Investigation and the Q-Ray Bracelet Case • Suspending Judgment – Judgments in contexts of uncertainty are unavoidable © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.