Download - Topic 1
INTRODUCTION
Critical Thinking?
Critical? Is it “Negative”?
Fault Finding?
It can also mean involving @ exercising skilled judgment @ observation.
DEFINITION OF CRITICAL THINKINGCognitive skills and intellectual dispositionsneeded 1. to effectively identify, analyze, and
evaluate arguments and truth claims, 2. to discover and overcome personal
prejudices and biases, 3. to formulate and present convincing
reasons in support of conclusions, 4. and to make reasonable, intelligent
decisions about what to believe and what to do.
Goals To teach students “how to reason well” To cope with the demands of life such as
in solving problems, in arguing, in being persuaded or not by someone else argument etc.
“Success in life requires more than the simple knowledge of facts – it requires evaluating and using facts intelligently.”
Critical Thinking Standards1. Clarity
Critical thinkers strive for clarity of
language as well as clarity of thought.
2. Precision
Precise thinking can eliminate confusions
and uncertainties. Be specific. Provide
details.
Critical Thinking Standards3. Accuracy
Accurate information will ensure correct
decision and conclusion.
E.g: “He always smiles and has many friends” (Information, assumption)
“Therefore, he must be friendly.” (conclusion)
Critical Thinking Standards4. Relevance
The need to stay focus on relevant ideas and
information and not to be deceived by
irrelevant issues.
Eg: A & B are trying to convince you on their different child products. A said “You should be more confident on my product here because I have 5 children already, but B has none!”
Critical Thinking Standards5. Consistency
Logic tells us that if a person holds
inconsistent beliefs, at least one of those
beliefs must be false.
Eg: You cannot say that Mr. Alan is the murderer and he is not guilty for the murder at the same time.
Critical Thinking Standards6. Logical correctnessTo draw well-founded conclusions thatlogically follow from the accurate and wellsupported beliefs we hold.
Eg: “So you say that you like reading. Here in this campus, people like you have no friends. So, you should change your mind!” (The threat is irrelevant to the truth of the conclusion).
Critical Thinking Standards7. Completeness
Thinking is better when it is deep rather than
shallow, thorough rather than superficial.
8. Fairness
Critical thinking demands that our thinking be
fair. We should be open minded, impartial,
and free of biases and preconceptions.
The benefits of Critical Thinking
1. Critical Thinking in the classroom University curriculum requires you to have
active, intelligent evaluation of ideas and information.
The benefits of Critical Thinking2. Critical Thinking in the workplace Employers are now looking for workers
with good thinking and communication skills.
The benefits of Critical Thinking3. Critical thinking in everyday life Help us to make life decision and avoid
making mistakes in such decision. Help free us from the unexamined
assumptions and biases of our upbringing and our society. Eg: “This is what I’ve been taught, but is it true?”
Barriers to Critical Thinking Why are many of us not critical?
1. Egocentrism Tendency to see reality as centered on
oneself.
a) Self-interested thinking Tendency to accept and defend beliefs
that harmonize with one’s own self-interest.
Barriers to Critical Thinking
b) Self-serving bias Tendency to overrate one selves – to see
oneself as being better than one actually is. To attribute success to oneself, but failure to others.
Barriers to Critical Thinking2. Sociocentrism A group centered thinking. Focusing
excessively on the group.
a) Group bias Tendency to see one’s own group as
being better than other group.
Barriers to Critical Thinkingb) Herd Instinct (conformism) Tendency to follow the crowd, to conform
to authority @ to group standards. “Authority / group often moves us. We are
impressed, influenced, & intimidated by them, so much so that, under certain conditions, we abandon our own values, beliefs, judgment, even doubt our own sensory experience!”
Barriers to Critical Thinking3. Unwarranted assumptions and
stereotypes Assumptions: something we believe to be
true without any proof @ conclusive evidence.
Unwarranted assumptions: Unreasonable assumptions.
Stereotypes: Exaggerated generalizations to a group.
Barriers to Critical Thinking4. Wishful thinking Believing something not because you
had good evidence for it but simply because you wished it were true.
CONCLUSION
Critical thinkers should be aware of all these barriers and should combat them.
CLASS ACTIVITY
In group of 3 @ 4, discuss your experience of having these barriers to critical thinking. Then share with the class.