Notes about the chapter

Chapter 4: What Words or Phrases are Ambiguous?

1. The confusing flexibility of words

• We often misunderstand what we read or bear because we presume that the meaning of words is obvious.

• search for ambiguity; otherwise, you may simply miss the point the speaker or writer intended.

2. Locating key terms and phrases

• Ambiguity refers to the existence of multiple possible meanings for a word or phrase

• The more abstract a word or phrase, the more likely it is to be susceptible to multiple interpretations.

3. Checking for ambiguity

• Ask yourself, "Do I understand its meanings?" -> To answer, need to overcome several major obstacles.

+ Assuming that you and the author mean the same thing.

+ Assuming that terms have a single, obvious definition.

4. Determining ambiguity

• Only the ambiguity in the reasoning is crucial to critical thinkers.

5. Context and ambiguity

• By context, we mean the writer's or speaker's background, traditional uses of the term within the particular controversy, and the words and statements preceding and following the possible ambiguity.

6. Ambiguity, definitions, and the dictionary

• To determine ambiguity, be aware of possible meaning of words

• Meaning comes in 3 forms: synonyms, exanples, and definition by specific criteria.

• To find definition: search on online dictionary

7. Limits of your responsibility to clarify ambiguity

8. Writing and speaking as critical thinkers

• Locate key terms or phrases in our issue and conclusion and difine and/or explain them

• Locate key terms or phrases in our reasons and define and/or explain them

• Identify abstract words in our core argument; the more abstract the word, the more likely we will need to clarify it

• Ask, "How might someone who disagrees with me define these terms differently in order to support his own argument?"

• Awareness of the multiple meaning of most words.

• The importance of discovering the precise intended meaning of a word prior to critically evaluatinf an argument.