Critical process

CRITICAL PROCESSThinking Systematically

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OBJECTIVES• Define the critical process• List the steps in the process• Develop tools to effectively evaluate

information• Name important logical fallacies• Practice the process

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DEFINITION• Critical analysis is the objective

assessment of something• Papers• Books• Movies• Work place policies• Scientific investigations• Sports plays (arm chair quarter

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THE CRITICAL PROCESSIdentification

Analysis

Evaluation

Synthesis

Reflection

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IDENTIFICATIONWho, What, When and Where

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IDENTIFICATION

Who created it? What is it?

When was it created?

Why was it created?

• Abu Simbel (1224 BC) – Temple built by Ramesses II at the border of Egypt and Nubia

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EXERCISE• Change behavior• Change point of view• Provide information• Entertain

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ANALYSISPicking it Apart

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TWO APPROACHES

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Intellectual

Purpose

Audience

Thesis

Tone

TechnicalOrganization &

Structural

Accuracy

Skill

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WHO IS THE AUDIENCE?

• Who is intended to use it?• Is it geared toward a

specific group of people?

Abu Simbel (1224 BC) – Temple built by Ramesses II at the border of Egypt and Nubia

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WHAT IS THE THESIS?

• What is the main point?• Does it have a thesis?

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WHAT IS THE TONE?• Tone is the mood

conveyed• A work may exhibit

several moods, but usually one prevails• Factual• Satiric • Humorous• Angry

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WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?

• Does it meet the purpose?

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Abu Simbel (1224 BC) – Temple built by Ramesses II at the border of Egypt and Nubia

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EXERCISE• What is the

main point?• Does it have

a thesis?

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Hogarth– Gin Lane (1751)

EVALUATIONTesting Veracity

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AREA FOR EVALUATION

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Technical

Emotional Appeal

ContentTechnicalFormat

FunctionCritical-Content

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EMOTIONAL EVALUATION

Pathos

Ethos

Logos

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EVALUATION BASICS

Purpose

Authority

Currency

Accuracy

Bias

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PURPOSE• Does the evidence match the purpose?• Is there a hidden agenda?

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AUTHORITY• Who wrote it?• Are they qualified?• What are the credentials?• Do a Google search

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CURRENCY• Does the date affect the relevance?

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ACCURACY• Is the source objective• Does it have bias• All sites have a bias

• Is this information verifiable

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WHAT IS THE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE?

• Does the evidence relate to the thesis?• Is the evidence accurate?• Is the evidence slanted?• Is the evidence complete?• Is similar evidence found in other

sources?

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BIAS• Is there a bias?• What are the biases?• Does the bias affect the accuracy?

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IS IT LOGICAL?

• Is the information consistent• Does the

conclusion follow from the argument

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Escher Relativity 1953

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FALLACIESErrors in Logic

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FALLACIES• Fallacies are errors

in reasoning• They fall into

several main groups

• Faulty premise• Hasty

Generalization• Missing the point• Slippery slope• Appeal to _____• Straw man• Diversions

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FAULTY PREMISE• The premise is

the starting point of an argument• A premise can

be stated or assumed

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E. T. 1982

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HASTY GENERALIZATION

• This is when people jump to a conclusion which is not supported by evidence

• This can involve stereotyping or bias

• Sam is riding her bike in her home town in Maine, minding her own business. A station wagon comes up behind her and the driver starts beeping his horn and then tries to force her off the road. As he goes by, the driver yells "get on the sidewalk where you belong!" Sam sees that the car has Ohio plates and concludes that all Ohio drivers are jerks.

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MISSING THE POINT• Is discussing an

issue which has nothing to do with the topic

Smoking is bad for your health. My brother, who smokes three packs of cigarettes a day, has been divorced five times. He has a terrible problem keeping committed. So smoking is bad for his marriage.

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APPEAL TO IGNORANCE• Since the conclusion is not conclusive, therefore it is not true

Just because no one has seen the Loch Ness Monster does not mean it doesn’t exist. So any one who doubts its existence is hasty in saying it does not exist.

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APPEAL TO _____• This is using someone

or something as authoritative• Authority• Common practice• Emotions• Fear• Flattery• Tradition

• "My fellow Americans...there has been some talk that the government is overstepping its bounds by allowing police to enter peoples' homes without the warrants traditionally required by the Constitution. However, these are dangerous times and dangerous times require appropriate actions. I have in my office thousands of letters from people who let me know, in no uncertain terms, that they heartily endorse the war against crime in these United States. Because of this overwhelming approval, it is evident that the police are doing the right thing."

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SLIPPERY SLOPE• A slippery slope is

when results are predicted that go beyond the evidence

"We've got to stop them from banning pornography. Once they start banning one form of literature, they will never stop. Next thing you know, they will be burning all the books!"

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ATTACK• This fallacy attacks

the opponent’s • Patriotism• Moral character• Intellect

“Andrea Dworkin has written several books arguing that pornography harms women. But Dworkin is an ugly, bitter person.

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STRAW MAN• Uses a weak

version of the opponents opinion

• Bill and Jill are arguing about cleaning out their closets: Jill: "We should clean out the closets. They are getting a bit messy." Bill: "Why, we just went through those closets last year. Do we have to clean them out everyday?" Jill: "I never said anything about cleaning them out every day. You just want too keep all your junk forever, which is just ridiculous."

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DIVERSIONS• Are addressing

something else rather than the issues• Saying the same

thing twice• Giving only two

choices when there are more choices

• “Grading this exam on a curve would be the most fair thing to do. After all, classes go more smoothly when the students and the professor are getting along.

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BEGGING THE QUESTION

• Is using the start as proof of the conclusion

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Copyright © 1997 Bob West

SYNTHESISRelationship to Others

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ELEMENTS• Gather all information• Look at the relationships of information• Internal• External

• What do other sources say?• Are there contradictions?

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SYNTHESIS MATRIX

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SYNTHESIS GRID

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REFLECTIONRelationship to Me

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THREE APPROACHES TO REFLECTION

Mirror• Self issue

Microscope• Specific

issue

Telescopes• Global issue

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MIRROR APPROACHReflection of self•Who am I?•What are my values?•What am I like ____?What do I like about myself•What don’t I like about myself

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MIRROR EXERCISEGive me 3 words that describe who you are

1.

2.

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These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn't even know existed.

Ricky Martin

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MICROSCOPE APPROACHMakes the small experience large•Why did this happen?•What did I feel?•What did others feel?•What are the consequences?

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MICROSCOPE EXERCISEWhy is this assignment important?

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TELESCOPES APPROACHMakes what appears distant, appear closer

• Takes a long distant view•Goals•Dreams• Possibilities •World issues

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TELESCOPE EXERCISEHow can I take what I have learned to help others?

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I believe that our society is merely a reflection of what is going on inside each and every one of us.

Seal

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INTELLECTUAL REFLECTION

• Issues • Global warming• Health care• Poverty

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The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.

Isaac Asimov

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SOCIETY AND CULTURE REFLECTION

• Recognize our own culture and traditions while gaining understanding of other cultures and traditions.

• Marriage• Family• Faith and politics

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VALUE AND ETHICS REFLECTION

• Opportunities to clarify and develop in order to make informed choices.

• Good person• Success• Love• Death

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Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.

Søren Kierkegaard

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SUMMARY• Critical analysis means thoughtfully

evaluation of opinions• Look for logical flaws that taint an

argument• Understand the purpose of the piece• Evaluate the reasoning, technical,

emotional, and intellectual merits.

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RESOURCES• The Nizkor Project. (2009). Fallacies.

http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/• University of North Carolina. (2010). Fallacies.

The writing center. http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/fallacies.html• University of Sussex. (2010). Critical analysis,

argument and opinion. Sussex Language Institute. http://www.sussex.ac.uk/languages/1-6-8-2-3.html

• Logical Fallacies and the Art of Debate http://www.csun.edu/~dgw61315/fallacies.html

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