Critical thinking (early) — cards

0 due · 11 new · 12 total

Demo date: 9/21/2026, 11:10:45 AM

Ask for cards in plain English. The tool loop writes the rows; the table is the source of truth.

Cards (12)

due dates relative to 2026-09-21

id	prompt	answer	notes	state	due	reps	last evidence
17	I tell you the new canteen menu is healthier. Which part of that is a claim, and what would count as evidence?	"The menu is healthier" is the claim. Evidence would be something checkable — the calorie or nutrition figures for the old and new menus.	Push for a specific observation they could go and look at. "It looks healthier" is just another claim.	review	2026-09-24	1	GoodThe user correctly identified nutritional information as the specific, checkable evidence needed to evaluate the menu's healthiness.	history
18	Kids who eat breakfast get better grades. What is wrong with concluding that breakfast causes the grades?	They only move together. A third factor — like parents with time to cook — could cause both, or the direction could run the other way.	The classic hint: "what kind of kid eats breakfast every single day?" If they need that hint to get there, it is a Hard, not a Good.	new	2026-09-21	0	—	history
19	"You would say that, you work for them." Name what I just did wrong.	That is ad hominem — you attacked me instead of my argument. Where I work does not make the claim false.	An interest is a reason to check a claim carefully; it is never a reason to call it false on its own.	new	2026-09-21	0	—	history
20	"Either we ban phones in school or we do nothing." What have I left out?	That is a false dilemma — there are more options than two: time limits, phone lockers, teaching phone habits.	The test is producing a third option out loud. If they only say "there are others", ask them to name one.	new	2026-09-21	0	—	history
21	Three of my friends tried the new study app and their grades went up. Should I write that it works?	No — three people is far too small a sample. A pattern that small is easily just chance.	The two questions to drill in: "how many?" and "compared with whom?". Small samples swing wildly.	new	2026-09-21	0	—	history
22	I claim there is a ghost in the school attic, and say you cannot prove there is not. What is wrong with that?	The burden of proof sits with whoever makes the claim. It is not my job to disprove it.	Shifting the burden — "prove it is not true" — is itself the fallacy. Works the same for any unfalsifiable claim.	new	2026-09-21	0	—	history
23	I kept only the three reader letters that agreed with my article. What is that called, and how do I fix it?	Confirmation bias — I noticed only the evidence that fits what I already believed. The fix is to go looking for the letters that disagree.	Follow-up probe: "what would you expect to find if you were wrong?" That is the move that breaks the bias.	new	2026-09-21	0	—	history
24	Before I argue against the school uniform policy, what should I do with the other side’s argument?	State it in its strongest, most charitable form first — steelman it — and check they would agree that is what they mean.	Contrast with the strawman. The practical test is whether your opponent says "yes, that is what I meant".	new	2026-09-21	0	—	history
25	A famous physicist says this diet works. Is quoting her a good reason to believe it?	No. She is a real expert, but not in nutrition. An appeal to authority only carries weight inside that expert’s actual field, where experts broadly agree.	Not every appeal to authority is a fallacy — that is the common over-correction. The question is "expert in what?"	new	2026-09-21	0	—	history
26	Ask me one question that tests whether I am holding my belief for evidential reasons.	"What would change your mind?" If no possible evidence would, the belief is not being held on evidence.	Best used on yourself, before the argument starts. If they give a vaguer question, accept it only if it probes falsifiability.	new	2026-09-21	0	—	history
27	"It rained on Tuesday." "Tuesdays are the worst." Sort these two and say how you can tell them apart.	The first is a statement of fact — it could be checked against the world and found true or false. The second is an opinion, a preference.	Watch for opinions dressed as facts: "this is obviously the best option" sounds checkable but is not.	new	2026-09-21	0	—	history
28	I say we should slow the roll-out down; you reply that I want to cancel the whole thing. What did you just do?	You built a strawman — you swapped my actual position for a weaker one and argued against that instead.	The cue phrase is "so you are saying..." followed by something the other person never said.	new	2026-09-21	0	—	history

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I tell you the new canteen menu is healthier. Which part of that is a claim, and what would count as evidence?"The menu is healthier" is the claim. Evidence would be something checkable — the calorie or nutrition figures for the old and new menus.
Kids who eat breakfast get better grades. What is wrong with concluding that breakfast causes the grades?They only move together. A third factor — like parents with time to cook — could cause both, or the direction could run the other way.
"You would say that, you work for them." Name what I just did wrong.That is ad hominem — you attacked me instead of my argument. Where I work does not make the claim false.
"Either we ban phones in school or we do nothing." What have I left out?That is a false dilemma — there are more options than two: time limits, phone lockers, teaching phone habits.
Three of my friends tried the new study app and their grades went up. Should I write that it works?No — three people is far too small a sample. A pattern that small is easily just chance.
I claim there is a ghost in the school attic, and say you cannot prove there is not. What is wrong with that?The burden of proof sits with whoever makes the claim. It is not my job to disprove it.
I kept only the three reader letters that agreed with my article. What is that called, and how do I fix it?Confirmation bias — I noticed only the evidence that fits what I already believed. The fix is to go looking for the letters that disagree.
Before I argue against the school uniform policy, what should I do with the other side’s argument?State it in its strongest, most charitable form first — steelman it — and check they would agree that is what they mean.
A famous physicist says this diet works. Is quoting her a good reason to believe it?No. She is a real expert, but not in nutrition. An appeal to authority only carries weight inside that expert’s actual field, where experts broadly agree.
Ask me one question that tests whether I am holding my belief for evidential reasons."What would change your mind?" If no possible evidence would, the belief is not being held on evidence.
"It rained on Tuesday." "Tuesdays are the worst." Sort these two and say how you can tell them apart.The first is a statement of fact — it could be checked against the world and found true or false. The second is an opinion, a preference.
I say we should slow the roll-out down; you reply that I want to cancel the whole thing. What did you just do?You built a strawman — you swapped my actual position for a weaker one and argued against that instead.