Critical thinking 11th Meeting

Definition A.Critical thinking is a composite of attitudes, knowledge and skills. This composite includes: (1) attitudes of inquiry that involve an ability to recognize the existence of problems and an acceptance of the general need for evidence in support of what is asserted to be true; (2) knowledge of the nature of valid inferences, abstractions, and generalizations in which the weight or accuracy of different kinds of evidence are logically determined; and (3) skills in employing and applying the above attitudes and knowledge

A.Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and 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

SUCCESSFUL ARGUMENTS persuade the reader by means of: Clear premises and conclusions Evidence, not unsupported claims and appeals to emotions Consideration of the other side Consideration of audience to whom argument is given Use appropriate tone and diction Avoidance of logical fallacies

Argument: The Toulmin Model Claim: Main point or central message; thesis statement Support: Data, evidence, reasons, details Warrant: Underlying assumptions implied but not stated. Reader infers assumptions. Warrants are based on: Authority: respect for credibility and trustworthiness of source Substance: reliability of facts and evidence Motivation: values and beliefs of audience and writer

EVALUATING EVIDENCE IN AN ARGUMENT Is the evidence: SUFFICIENT REPRESENTATIVE RELEVANT ACCURATE FAIR AND BALANCED

Inductive and Deductive Reasoning Inductive Reasoning: Reasons from specific to general Notices many facts and comes to a general conclusion No certainty possible Deductive Reasoning: Reasons from general to specific Starts with a hypothesis and inserts a fact and comes to a conclusion based on hypothesis Certainty can be possible if valid and true syllogism (say some people)

Hypothetical Syllogism If A then B If B then C If A then C Example: If we successfully develop nuclear fusion power, then power will become plentiful and cheap. If power becomes cheap and plentiful, then the economy will flourish. If we successfully develop nuclear fusion power, then the economy will flourish.

Disjunctive Syllogism A or B Not A B Example: Either Kerry won in 2004 or Bush did. Kerry didn’t win. Bush did win.

What is logically wrong with the following statements? The Bible is true because it says so. Boxing is dangerous because it is an unsafe sport.

Oversimplification Reductive Fallacy Oversimplifying (reducing) the relation between causes and effects.

?? If we make handguns illegal, the state will gain too much power and eventually put us all in concentration camps for the slightest infraction. If we legalize marijuana, eventually everyone will start smoking it regularly (an after-dinner smoke) and then they’ll want to go on to more kinds of drugs – soon heroin will become legal and most of America will become heroine addicts.

Language Fallacies Emotional or biased language Equivocation Ambiguity or obfuscation Euphemism or PC language Doublespeak Pretentious language Bureaucratic language Jargon

Simple Apprehension, Judgment, Reason Simple Apprehension: an operation of the mind whereby we abstract from the non-essential elements of a thing and recognize those essential elements which make it to be precisely that particular thing. Judgment: an operation of the mind which unites two ideas by affirmation or separates by negation. Reasoning / Mediate Inference: an operation of the mind that involves a process whereby from certain truths already known, we proceed to another which is different from those that are given but necessarily following from them.

Basic Concept: ARGUMENTS Argument: a group of statements, one of which (the conclusion) is claimed to follow from the other or others (the premises). Good arguments: those in which the conclusion really does follow from the premises Bad arguments: those in which does not, even though it is claimed to

Basic Concept: Statement Basis: Argument as a group of statement Statement: a sentence that is either true or false; typically a declarative sentence. Examples: Hydrogen is combustible. World War II began in 1939. Some ducks are fish. Abraham Lincoln was beheaded.

Recognizing Arguments One of the most important tasks in the analysis of arguments is being able to distinguish premises from conclusion. If what is thought to be a conclusion is really a premise, and vice versa, the subsequent analysis cannot possibly be correct. Frequently, arguments contain certain indicator words that provide clues in identifying premises and conclusion.

10 ways or techniques to improve critical thinking Question the Evidence Establish Criteria Learn about Logic Learn about Logical Fallacies Identify the Premise Learn about Cognitive Bias Identify your Emotions Identify your Genetic Instincts Question your indoctrination Try to Prove yourself Wrong