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Critical Thinking – Final Touchstone

Name: Evans Ofori

Date: December 15, 2022

Critical Thinking Final Touchstone

The chosen topic is if,

● Should children be required to take gym/PE classes?

Conclusion #1: Children should not be required to take gym/PE classes.

Conclusion #2: Children should be required to take gym/PE classes.

Part II. Write your arguments in standard form.

Argument #1

Argument 1 (Children Should Not Be Required to Take Gym/PE Classes)

Premise 1: Children must be exposed to various activities to reach their full potential. *

Premise 2: Physical education classes require a significant amount of time from a child’s

school day.

Premise 3: Physical education classes limit the time children are exposed to other activities

such as music, art, and drama.

Premise 4: Not all physical activities require a structured physical education class.

Premise 5: Other forms of physical activity, such as team sports, outdoor activities, and

exercise, can be just as beneficial.

Premise 6: A child should have the right to choose their interests and activities. *
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Premise 7: Forcing a child to take physical education classes can discourage them from

participating in physical activity.

Conclusion: Therefore, children should not be required to take gym/PE classes.

Argument #2

Argument 2 (Children Should Be Required to Take Gym/PE Classes)

Premise 1: Physical activity is essential for a child’s physical and mental health. *

Premise 2: Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood. *

Premise 3: Without proper physical education classes, children may not have access to the

information and guidance needed to develop healthy habits.

Premise 4: Research has shown that physical education classes can increase physical activity

outside school.

Premise 5: Physical activity can help children develop social skills, teamwork, and self-esteem.

Premise 6: Physical education classes can teach children about nutrition and healthy eating

habits.

Premise 7: Physical education classes can provide children with an outlet for stress and

anxiety. *

Conclusion: Therefore, children should be required to take gym/PE classes.

Part III. Check your work.

 Yes, each argument is in standard form, not paragraph form.

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Critical Thinking – Final Touchstone

 Yes, the two arguments have substantially different conclusions.

 Yes, each argument is at least seven declarative sentences ending in a conclusion.

 Yes, each argument has a normative conclusion (saying what people ought to do).

 Yes, there is at least one normative premise that supports each conclusion.

 Yes, I have placed an asterisk (*) on the normative premise(s) that support my

conclusion.

 No, I have not underlined any subconclusions in my argument.

 Yes, there are sources for any fact-based assertions and not well-known/accepted.

Part IV. Reflection

1. Are your arguments deductive or Both of my arguments are inductive because

inductive? Explain why. (2 sentences) the conclusion is based on the evidence

provided in the premises. The premises are

not necessarily true, but the evidence

concludes.

2. Identify one of the rules of inference The rule of inference that I used in my

that you used in your arguments. arguments was Modus Ponens. Modus Ponens

Explain how the rule of inference was is a valid form of logical reasoning that states

used to reach your conclusion. (2-3 that if a statement is true and a second

sentences) statement is true, if the first statement is true,

then the second statement must also be true.

In my argument, I used this rule by stating

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that if physical activity is essential for a

child's physical and mental health and regular

physical activity can reduce the risk of

chronic diseases in adulthood, then children

should be required to take gym/PE classes.

3. What moral framework do you use to The argument that children should not be

justify your normative conclusions required to take gym/PE classes is based on a

(utilitarian, deontological, or virtue deontological moral framework, which

ethics)? Explain how adopting that suggests that people should act according to a

perspective leads to your conclusion. set of moral principles or duties. The

The two arguments do not need to underlying premise of this argument is that

follow the same moral theory. (4-6 children have the right to choose their

sentences) interests and activities and that forcing a child

to take physical education classes can

discourage them from participating in

physical activity. On the other hand, the

argument that children should be required to

take gym/PE classes is based on a practical

moral framework, which suggests that people

should act to maximize the greatest amount of

good for the greatest number of people. This

argument is based on the premise that

physical activity is essential for a child's

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Critical Thinking – Final Touchstone

physical and mental health and social skills,

teamwork, and self-esteem development. Both

arguments are valid given their respective

moral frameworks and thus lead to different

conclusions.

4. What assumptions are you making that I assume that physical education classes are

may compromise your arguments? the only way for children to learn about

These may be cognitive or physical activity, healthy habits, and social

unconscious biases. (4-6 sentences) skills. I also assume that physical education

classes are the only way to promote physical

activity outside school. I assume that physical

education classes are the only way for

children to develop teamwork, self-esteem,

and stress relief. Furthermore, I assume that

physical education classes are the only way to

teach children about nutrition and healthy

eating habits. I also assume that children

cannot choose their interests and activities and

that physical education classes are the only

way to reach their full potential. Finally, I

assume that physical activity is the only way

to reduce the risk of chronic diseases in

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Critical Thinking – Final Touchstone

adulthood.

5. What challenges to critical thinking When arguing for a conclusion I did not agree

did you encounter when arguing for a with, the biggest challenge I encountered was

conclusion you didn't agree with? How learning to separate my personal beliefs from

did logic and critical thinking help you the facts and evidence I presented. I had to

to think about your topic from two remember that my goal was to make an

different angles? (4-6 sentences) argument that was logical and supported by

evidence, not to make an argument that I

agreed with. Logic and critical thinking

helped me to explore my topic from two

different angles by forcing me to think about

the consequences of the decision I was

advocating for. It also helped me think of

arguments from both sides of the issue and

consider each argument's potential

implications. By looking at the evidence from

multiple perspectives, I could understand both

sides of the issue more clearly and make a

more informed conclusion.