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Kwame Nkrumah University ofScience & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
Title:Introduction to Critical Thinking
Name: Enya Ameza-XemalordzoDepartment: Marketing & Corporate StrategyFaculty & College: Business School
What is Thinking?What is Thinking?What is Thinking?What is Thinking?
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ThinkingThinking is a purposeful,organized cognitiveprocess that we use tomake sense of our world.
Kwame Nkrumah University ofScience & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
Types of ThinkingTypes of ThinkingTypes of ThinkingTypes of Thinking
Types
Problem SolvingDecision Making
CriticalThinking
•••
Analyzing Evaluating Reasoning
NewIdeas
CreativeThinking
RightLeft
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Thinking Recap
Thinking is the awakeningof the intellect to the studyof itself.
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John Henry Newman
A man may hear a thousand lectures, and read athousand volumes, and be at the end of theprocess very much where he was, as regardsknowledge. Something more than merelyadmitting it in a negative way into the mind isnecessary if it is to remain there. It must not bepassively received, but actually and activelyentered into, embraced, mastered. The mindmust go half-way to meet what comes to it fromwithout.”
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Booth Tarkington, author
“He had learned how to pass examinations by‘cramming’; that is, in three or four days andnights he could get into his head enough of aselected fragment of some scientific orphilosophical or literary or linguistic subject toreply plausibly to six questions out of ten. Hecould retain the information necessary for such afeat just long enough to give a successfulperformance; then it would evaporate utterly fromhis brain, and leave him undisturbed.”
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Thinking
Whenever we are dealing withhuman life, we are almostalways dealing with thinking.
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Thinking Why concern ourselves
with thinking?
Thinking is the way thatthe mind makes sense of
the world.
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What does Thinking Tell us •
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what there iswhat is happeningwhat our problems arewhat our options arewhat threatens uswhat is importantwhat is unimportantwho our friends arewho our enemies arewhat our “history” iswho we arewho loves us
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What does Thinking Determine •
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what we learnhow we learnwhat we think is important to learnwhat effort we should expendwhat we think is truewhat we think is falsehow things should be viewedwhether our learning is of high or lowqualitywhether our learning is deep or superficial
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Everything we know,believe, want, fear and hopefor, our thinking tells us. E.g. Most of the world’s problemsare caused by, or exacerbated by,problems in human thinking
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Consider these problems - Humiliation
- Hunger- Poverty- Homelessness- Global Warming- Torture- Murder- Rape
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Thinking is at the core of human life
and human problems
Therefore thinkingmust beat the coreof thecurriculum
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Content is:
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Understood by thinking
Constructed by thinking
Modified by thinking
Applied by thinking
Questioned by thinking
Assessed by thinking
----Therefore, to learn content students have to think it into their thinking using theirthinking.
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Critical Thinking
Critical thinking provides the toolsstudents need to think throughcontent.
Critical thinking is a system ofthinking that opens up all other systems of thinking.
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Critical Thinking
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Critical Thinking 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 whatto do.
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CT
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WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING? Critical Thinking is a self-directed
process by which we takedeliberate steps to think at thehighest level of quality.
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WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING?
“Critical thinking consists of a mental process of analyzing orevaluating information, particularly statements or propositions
that people have offered as true. It forms a process of reflectingupon the meaning of statements, examining the offered evidence
and reasoning, and forming judgments about the facts.”
“Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of activelyand skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing,and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by,
observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication,as a guide to belief and action. “
- Michael Scriven & Richard Paul
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CT
TO LEARN ANYTHING, YOU MUST ACTIVELY BRING IT INTO YOURTHINKING.
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CT
The Critical Thinking Mind =
The Educated Mind
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CT
The Critical Thinking Mind =
The Educated Mind
SubstantiveLearning
WriteIt
HearIt
TeachIt
ApplyIt
ReadIt
DrawIt
critical thinking: disciplined,self-guided thinking
aimed at living a rational life.
Thinking thatanalyzes thinking
Thinking thatassesses thinking
Thinking thatdevelops within itself
intellectual habits
thinking thatcombatsits native
egocentricity
Overview slide
Your Thinkingcan either
TrapYou
FreeYou
Hold you
Hostage withinuncritically
heldbeliefs
Open yourmind
to new waysof thinking
TRAP ORFREE
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ANALYZING THE CONCEPT OF“EDUCATION”
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Are you, in any real sense, in control of your thinking?
How do you control your thinking?
Do you know how to test it?
Do you have any conscious standards for determining when you arethinking well and when you are thinking poorly? Are you, in any realsense, in control of your thinking?
How do you control your thinking?
Do you know how to test it?
Do you have any conscious standards for determining when you arethinking well and when you are thinking poorly?
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CT
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Have you ever discovered a significant problem in your thinking andthen changed it by a conscious act of will?
If anyone asked you to teach them what you have learned, thus farin your life, about thinking, would you really have any idea what thatwas or how you learned it?
What does each of these intellectual virtues mean?
Why are they important in instruction?
How would you articulate the opposite of each one?
CRITICAL THINKING
CRITICALTHINKING
SKILLS
Analyzing
Reasoning
Evaluating
Decision Making Problem Solving
Critical Thinking StandardsCritical Thinking StandardsCritical Thinking StandardsCritical Thinking Standards
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••••••••
ClarityAccuracyPrecisionRelevanceDepthBreadthLogicFairness
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CTS- CLARITY •
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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?
Clarity is the gatewaystandard
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CTS – ACCURACY •
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Is that really true?
How could we check that?
How could we find out if that is true?
A statement can be clear but notaccurate
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CTS-PRECISION •
•Could you give more details?
Could you be more specific?
A statement can be both clear and
accurate,but not precise
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CTS – RELEVANCE ••
How is that connected to the question?How does that bear on the issue? A statement can be clear, accurate, and
precise,but not relevant to the question at issue.
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CTS – DEPTH •
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How does your answer address the complexitiesin the question?
How are you taking into account the problems inthe question?
Is that dealing with the most significant factors?
A statement can be clear, accurate,precise, and relevant, but superficial.
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CTS – BREADTH
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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 point of view of...?
A line of reasoning may be clear, accurate,
precise, relevant, and deep, but lack breadth.
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CTS – LOGIC
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Does this really make sense?
Does that follow from what you said?
How does that follow?
But before you implied this and now you are saying that; how canboth be true?
When the combination of thoughts aremutually supporting and make sense in
combination,the thinking is "logical.“
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CTS – FAIRNESS
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Critical thinking demands that our thinking be fair.Open-minded
Impartial
Free of distorting biases and preconceptions
Fair-mindedness is an essentialattribute of a Critical Thinker.
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CTS – GOOD THINKING IS…
CLEAR……….....rather than........UNCLEARACCURATE…....rather than…….INACCURATEPRECISE……....rather than…….VAGUERELEVANT…….rather than…….IRELEVANTCONSISTENT….rather than……INCONSISTENTLOGICAL……….rather than……ILLOGICALCOMPLETE……rather than……INCOMPLETEFAIR…………….rather than…....BIASED
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CTS – GOOD THINKING IS…
CLEAR……….....rather than........UNCLEARACCURATE…....rather than…….INACCURATEPRECISE……....rather than…….VAGUERELEVANT…….rather than…….IRELEVANTCONSISTENT….rather than……INCONSISTENTLOGICAL……….rather than……ILLOGICALCOMPLETE……rather than……INCOMPLETEFAIR…………….rather than…....BIASED
Benefits of Critical Thinking Benefits of Critical Thinking Benefits of Critical Thinking Benefits of Critical Thinking Benefits of Critical Thinking Benefits of Critical Thinking
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Examples:Academic Performance
understand the arguments and beliefs of othersCritically evaluating those arguments and beliefsDevelop 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’decisionsEncourage open-mindedness to changeAid 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 gooddecisions on important social, political and economic issues.Aids in the development of autonomous thinkers capable of examining theirassumptions, dogmas, and prejudices.
Barriers to Critical ThinkingBarriers to Critical ThinkingBarriers to Critical ThinkingBarriers to Critical Thinking
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BARRIERS TO CRITICAL THINKING
If Critical Thinking is so important, why is it thatuncritical thinking is so common?
Why is that so many people including many highlyeducated and intelligent people find critical
thinking so difficult?
BARRIERS TO CRITICAL THINKING
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Lack of relevant backgroundinformationPoor reading skillsPoor listening skillsBiasPrejudiceSuperstitionEgocentrismSocio-centrismPeer pressureMindless ConformismMindless non-conformismProvincialismNarrow-mindednessClosed-mindedness
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Distrust of reasonStereotypingUnwarranted assumptions andstereotypesRelativistic thinkingScapegoatingRationalizationWishful thinkingShort-term thinkingSelective perception / attentionSelective memoryOverpowering emotionsSelf-deceptionFace-savingFear of change
Common Barriers
BARRIERS TO CRITICAL THINKING
Five Powerful Barriers to Critical Thinking:
Self-centered thinking self-interested thinking self-serving bias
Group-centered thinking Group bias Conformism
Beliefs that are presumed to be true withoutadequate evidence or justification
AssumptionStereotyping
Believing that something is true because onewishes it were true.
The truth is “just a matter of opinion” Relativism
Subjectivism Cultural relativism
Egocentrism
UnwarrantedAssumptions
Sociocentrism
RelativisticThinking
WishfulThinking
I am probablythe greatestthinker since
Socrates!
Characteristics of a Critical ThinkerCharacteristics of a Critical ThinkerCharacteristics of a Critical ThinkerCharacteristics of a Critical Thinker
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BARRIERS TO CRITICAL THINKING
Are you OPEN MINDED about other people’s view?
Are you HONEST to yourself (or others) when you are wrong?
Do you have the COURAGE and PASSION to take initiative andconfront 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?
1.7 CHARACTERISTICS OF A CRITICALTHINKER
Critical Thinkers Uncritical ThinkersHave a passionate drive for clarity, precision, accuracy,relevance, consistency, logicalness, completeness, andfairness.
Often think in ways that are unclear, imprecise,inaccurate, etc.
Are sensitive to ways in which critical thinking can beskewed by egocentrism, sociocentrism, wishful thinking,etc.
Often fall prey to egocentrism, sociocentrism, wishfulthinking, etc.
Are intellectually honest with themselves, acknowledgingwhat they don’t know and recognizing their limitations.
Pretend they know more than they do and ignoretheir limitations.
Listen open-mindedly to opposing points of view andwelcome criticisms of beliefs and assumptions.
Are close-minded and resist criticisms of beliefs andassumptions.
Base their beliefs on facts and evidence rather than onpersonal preference or self-interest.
Often base their beliefs on mere personal preferenceor self interest.
Are aware of the biases and preconceptions that shapethe way they perceive the world.
Lack awareness of their own biases andpreconceptions.
Think independently and are not afraid to disagree withgroup opinion.
Tend to engage in ‘group think’, uncritically followingthe beliefs and values of the crowd.
Are able to get to the heart of an issue or problem, withoutbeing distracted by details.
Are easily distracted and lack the ability to zero in onthe essence of a problem or issue.
Have the intellectual courage to face and assess fairlyideas that challenge even their most basic beliefs.
Fear and resist ideas that challenge their basicbeliefs.
Love truth and curious about a wide range of issues. Are often relatively indifferent to truth and lack ofcuriosity.
Have the intellectual perseverance to pursue insights ortruths, despite obstacles or difficulties.
Tend to preserve when they encounter intellectualobstacles or difficulties.
SUMMARY1. What is Thinking? Thinking is a purposeful, organized cognitive process that
we use to make sense of our world.
2. Types of Thinking Creative & Critical Thinking
3. What is Critical Thinking? Critical Thinking is the general term given to a wide range ofcognitive and intellectual skills needed to: Effectivelyidentify, analyze, and evaluate arguments; Discover andovercome personal prejudices and biases; Formulate andpresent convincing reasons in support of conclusions; andMake reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believeand what to do. Critical thinking skills emphasized in thiscourse, include: Reasoning, Analyzing, Evaluating, DecisionMaking and Problem solving.
4. Critical Thinking Standards Clarity, Accuracy, Precision, Relevance, Depth, Breadth, Logicand Fairness
5. Benefits of Critical Thinking Academic performance, workplace and daily life.
6. Barriers to Critical Thinking
Examples include Egocentrism, Sociocentrism, UnwarrantedAssumptions, Wishful Thinking, and Relativistic Thinking
7. Characteristics of a CriticalThinker
Open-mindedness, independent thinking, self-aware,passionate, insightful, honest and intellectual humility,intellectual courage, and welcome criticism, etc.
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REFERENCES
1.
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3.
Gregory Bassham, William Irwin, Henry Nardone, JamesM. Wallace (2011) Critical Thinking: A Student’sIntroduction, 4th ed., New York: McGraw-Hill.John Chaffe (2014) Think Critically, WadsworthPublishing Co Inc; 11th Revised edition.Hunter, David A. (2009) A Practical Guide to CriticalThinking: Deciding What to Do and What to Believe.Hoboken: Wiley & Sons
