Chapter 1 What Is Critical Thinking Anyway 6yf5b

Chapter 1: What is Critical Thinking Anyway?

Learning objectives:  Students will be able to understand critical thinking.  Student will understand the  Importance of reasoning in critical thinking  Student will identify the barriers to critical thinking

What is Thinking?

What is thinking Thinking is manipulating and transforming information in memory.

What is Critical thinking critical thinking is a disciplined manner of thinking that a person uses to come on correct conclusion based on reasoned judgement.

Fun Exercise#1. There was a robbery in which a lot of goods were stolen. The robber(s) left in a truck. It is known that : (1) Nobody else could have been involved other than A, B and C. (2) C never commits a crime without A's participation. (3) B does not know how to drive. So, is A innocent or guilty?

Fun Exercise#2:  In a lake, there is a patch of lily pads. Every day, the patch doubles in size. If it takes 48 days for the patch to cover the entire lake, how long would it take for the patch to cover half of the lake?

Key features of critical thinking: There is always a purpose in critical thinking It is based on logical reasoning. Critical thinking is always based on evaluation The ultimate of critical thinking is to come to correct conclusion.

Video for critical thinking

Key • Facts and Opinion A fact is a statement that is true and can be verified objectively, or proven. In other words, a fact is true and correct no matter what. An opinion, however, is a statement that holds an element of belief; it tells how someone feels. An opinion is not always true and cannot be proven.

Key • OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE CLAIMS • An objective claim is a statement about a factual matter-one that can be proved true or false. • A subjective claim, on the other hand, is not a factual matter; it is an expression of belief, opinion, or personal preference.

Objective Claims & Facts • An objective claim may be true or false; just because something is objective does not mean it is true. – Taipei 101 is the world's tallest building. – Five plus four equals ten. – There are nine planets in our solar system.

Subjective Claims & Opinions • subjective claims cannot be proved true or false by any generally accepted criteria. They do not make factual (provable) claims, and therefore they are, in a sense, neither true nor false • Trout tastes better than catfish. • Touching a spider is scary. • Venus Williams is the greatest athlete of this decade.

Biases • Tendency to think that our side of an issue must be the correct side. • Act of referencing only those perspectives that our preexisting views, while at the same time ignoring or dismissing opinions — no matter how valid — that threaten our world view.

Biases • For example, if you are on a non-carb diet, you will be inclined to think that all carbs are bad for you, even though scientists say some carbs are necessary for a balanced diet • For example, if you prefer Cristiano Ronaldo, you will be tempted to dismiss Leo Messi, even though statistically he has scored 1 in every 20 goals for Barcelona in its 150 year

Relativism • The belief that different things are true, right, etc., for different people or at different times. • The theory that value judgments, as of truth, beauty, or morality, have no universal validity but are valid only for the persons or groups holding them. .

Argument • An argument is a conclusion based upon evidence (i.e. premises) • An argument is defined as "...giving of reasons, evidence, or for the claim that something is true."

Components of Argument • There are 2 major components of arguments: 1. Premises: Each reason, piece of evidence, and each bit of data used in an argument in of the conclusion is called a premise. 2. Conclusion: The conclusion of an argument is the point that the rest of the argument is supposed to show to be correct or true.

Barriers to Critical Thinking • • • • • • •

Culture Close mindedness Belief system/emotional blocks Biases Claims without evidences Opinion without Facts Weak Argument (will study more in the next chapter)