Is That True?

Acknowledgments 1. What Is Critical Thinking? 2. The Basics: Arguments and Assumptions 3. Everyday Arguments Anecdotes • Ad Hominem Arguments • Myths • Folk Wisdom and Metaphors • Facts • Everyday Reasoning 4. The Logic of Social Science Patterns • Causality • Judging Social Scientific Claims • The Importance of Evidence 5. Authority and Social Science Arguments Challenges for Social Science • The Case of Sociology • Thinking about Sociology and Critical Thinking 6. Sociology as a Social World Camps • Envy • Sociology’s Subdivisions 7. Orientations Optimism and Pessimism • Team Culture and Team Structure • Insiders and Outsiders • Tragedy and Comedy • The Importance of Orientations Contents 8. Words Jargon • Word Fads • Definitions • Concept Creep 9. Questions and Measurements Sociological Questions • Empirical Questions • Measurement • What Is Being Measured? • Questioning Measurements 10. Variables and Comparison Variables • Issues with Comparison • Varieties of Comparative Findings • Replication • Comparison in Qualitative Research • Questioning Comparisons 11. Tendencies Patterned Tendencies • The Ecological Fallacy • The Modesty of Sociological Explanations • Thinking about Tendencies 12. Evidence Effective Evidence • Not-So-Effective Evidence • Questioning Evidence Choices • Questions about Research 13. Echo Chambers Recognizing and Addressing One’s Own Biases • Expectations and Sociologists • The Complications of Ideological Homogeneity • The Importance of Self-Criticism 14. Tough Topics Cultural Waves • Good Guys and Bad Guys • Taboos • Thinking about What’s Difficult Afterword: Why Critical Thinking Is Important Notes References Index