GROUP 1
INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL THINKING
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Some people study all their life and at their death they have learned everything except to
THINK
Francois Domergue
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In this report, we are about to tackle these topics:
1. What is Thinking?
5. Benefits of Critical Thinking
2. Types of Thinking
6. Barriers to Critical Thinking
3. What is Critical Thinking?
7. Characteristics of a Critical Thinker
4. Critical Thinking Standards
1. WHAT IS THINKING?
As you start asking questions and seek answers, you are in fact thinking.
What is thinking?
Thinking is a purposeful, organized cognitive process that we use to make sense of our
world.
2. TYPES OF THINKING
(see 2nd Page)
3. WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING
Critica
cal Thin
nkin
ng is the general term given to a wide range of cognitive and intellectual
skills needed to:
Effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments.
Discover and overcome personal prejudices and biases.
Formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions.
Make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do.
Critical Thinking Skills are the skills needed to be understood to practice good critical
thinking.
Reasoning
Analyzing
Decision-making
Problem Solving
Evaluating
4. CRITICAL THINKING STANDARDS
The most significant critical (intellectual) thinking standards:
Clarity -
Accuracy -
Precision Relevance -
Depth -
Breadth -
Logic -
Fairness -
Could you elaborate further on that point?
Could you express that point in another way?
Could you give me an illustration? Could you give me an example?
Is that really true? How could we check that?
How could we find out if that is true?
Could you give more details? Could you be more specific?
How is that connected to the question?
How does that bear on the issue?
How does your answer address the complexities in the question?
How are you taking into account the problems in the question?
Is that dealing with the most significant factors?
Do we need to consider another point of view?
Is there another way to look at this question?
What would this look like from a conservative standpoint?
What would this look like from the standpoint of a ...?
Does this really make sense? How does that follow?
Does that follow from what you said?
But before you implied this and now you are saying that, how can
both be true?
Critical thinking demands that our thinking be fair.
Open-minded ; Impartial ;
Free of distorting biases and preconceptions
5. BENEFITS OF CRITICAL THINKING
Academic Performance
Understand the arguments and beliefs of others
Critically evaluating those arguments and beliefs
Develop and defend one's own well-supported arguments
and beliefs.
Workplace
Helps us to reflect and get a deeper understanding of our own and others decisions
Encourage open-mindedness to change
Aid us in being more analytical in solving problems
Daily life
Helps us to avoid making foolish personal decisions.
Promotes an informed and concerned citizenry capable of making good decisions on
important social, political and economic issues.
Aids in the development of autonomous thinkers capable of examining their assumptions,
dogmas, and prejudices.
6. BARRIERS TO CRITICAL THINKING
Five Powerful Barriers to Critical Thinking:
Egocentrism - having or regarding the self or the individual as the center of all things.
- refers to the child's inability to see a situation from another person's point
of view.
Self-centered thinking - self-interested thinking ; self-serving bias
Sociocentrism
group is
Unwarranted Assumptions - is committed when the conclusion of an argument is based
on a premise (implicit or explicit) that is false or unwarranted.
An assumption is unwarranted when it is falsethese premises are usually suppressed
or vaguely written.
Beliefs that are presumed to be true without adequate evidence or justification Assumptions ; Stereotyping
Wishful Thinking - is the formation of beliefs and making decisions according to
what might be pleasing to imagine instead of by appealing to evidence, rationality, or
reality. It is a product of resolving conflicts between belief and desire.
Believing that something is true because one wishes it were true.
Relativistic Thinking - the belief that different things are true, right, etc., for
different people or at different times.
The truth is just a matter of opinion - Relativism; Subjectivism ; Cultural relativism
- revolve around a person's belief that someone's social or ethnic
superior to others.
- also means putting a group's needs and concerns ahead of someone's
personal needs.
Group-centered thinking - Group bias ; Conformism
7. CHARACTERISTICS OF A CRITICAL THINKER
Are you OPEN MINDED about other peoples view?
Are you HONEST to yourself (or others) when you are wrong?
Do you have the COURAGE and PASSION to take initiative and confront problems and
meet challenges?
Are you AWARE of your own biases and preconceptions?
Do you WELCOME CRITICISM from other people?
Do you have INDEPENDENT opinions and are not afraid to disagree?
