Chapter 1 Fundamentals of Thinking

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Intelligence is not just something we have. It is also, more importantly, something we do.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Thinking is a purposeful mental activity that includes producing ideas (creative thinking) and evaluating ideas (critical thinking). Anyone can learn to be an effective thinker.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Key Principles of Thinking Truth is discovered, not created A statement can’t be true and false at the same time in the same way All people make mistakes, even experts Ideas can be examined without being embraced Feeling is no substitute for thinking

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Facts are ideas amply documented and affirmed by knowledgeable people Opinions are ideas not sufficiently documented and thus still in dispute

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved To test facts: Check an appropriate reference work and/or consult relevant research

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved To test opinions: Consult everyday experience Consider the likely consequences Consider the implications Think of exception Think of counter-examples Reverse the opinion Look for relevant research

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Evidence Evidence is information that supports an opinion The most common kind of evidence is reasons Reasons are often preceded by the word “because” Reasons should give both good and sufficient support to the opinion

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Dare to Change Your Mind Changing your mind for good reasons shows courage and integrity, not lack of conviction

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved A Comprehensive Thinking Strategy Step 1: Identify facts and opinions Step 2: Check the facts and test the opinions Step 3: Evaluate the evidence Step 4: Make your judgment