Contents Keeping the Reasons and Conclusions Straight 31 Reasons first. Then Conclusions 32 "Fresh"Reasons and Your growth 32 Critical Thinking and Your Own Writing and Speaking 33 Practice Exercises 33 4 What Words or Phrases Are Ambiguous? 37 The Confusing Flexibility of Words 38 Locating Key Terms and Phrases 39 Determining Ambiguity 41 Context and Ambiguity Ambiguity, Definitions, and the Dictionary 44 Ambiguity and Loaded Language 40 Limits of Your Responsibility to Clarify Ambiguity Ambiguity and Your Own Writing and Speaking 48 Practice exercise 5 What Are the value Conflicts and Assumptions? 53 General Guide for Identifying Assumptions 55 Value Conflicts and Assumptions 56 Discovering values 57 From Values to Value Assumptions 58 Typical Value Conflicts 60 The Communicator's Background as a Clue to Value Assumptions 61 Consequences as Clues to Value Assumptions 61 g Avoiding a Typical Difficulty When Identifying Value Assumptions 64 Finding value Assumptions on Your Own 65 Values and relativism 6 ummary 68 Practice Exercises 68 6 What Are the Descriptive Assumptions? 71 Illustrating Descriptive Assumptions 72 Clues for Locating Assumptions 74 Applying the Clues 76 Avoiding Analysis of Trivial Assumptions 78 Assumptions and Your Own Writing and Speaking 78iv Contents Kinds of Reasons 29 Keeping the Reasons and Conclusions Straight 31 Reasons First, Then Conclusions 32 "Fresh" Reasons and Your Growth 32 Critical Thinking and Your Own Writing and Speaking 33 Practice Exercises 33 4 What Words or Phrases Are Ambiguous? 37 The Confusing Flexibility of Words 38 Locating Key Terms and Phrases 39 Checking for Ambiguity 40 Determining Ambiguity 41 Context and Ambiguity 43 Ambiguity, Definitions, and the Dictionary 44 Ambiguity and Loaded Language 46 Limits of Your Responsibility to Clarify Ambiguity 48 Ambiguity and Your Own Writing and Speaking 48 Summary 49 Practice Exercises 50 5 What Are the Value Conflicts and Assumptions? 53 General Guide for Identifying Assumptions 55 Value Conflicts and Assumptions 56 Discovering Values 57 From Values to Value Assumptions 58 Typical Value Conflicts 60 The Communicator's Background as a Clue to Value Assumptions 61 Consequences as Clues to Value Assumptions 61 More Hints for Finding Value Assumptions 63 Avoiding a Typical Difficulty When Identifying Value Assumptions 64 Finding Value Assumptions on Your Own 65 Values and Relativism 67 Summary 68 Practice Exercises 68 6 What Are the Descriptive Assumptions? 71 Illustrating Descriptive Assumptions 72 Clues for Locating Assumptions 74 Applying the Clues 76 Avoiding Analysis of Trivial Assumptions 78 Assumptions and Your Own Writing and Speaking 78