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.