1. CHAPTER 2 Beyond Feelings What Is Critical Thinking?

2. Appreciate Believe Cerebrate Cogitate Conceive Consider What is Critical Thinking? Consult Fancy Imagine Meditate Reason Reflect Realize Ponder Suppose Weigh Muse Dream

3. “corPLUS calloSUM” Mind, Brain or Both? G.W. Leibnitz John Locke If you see the lady turning clockwise you are using your right brain. If you see it the other way, you are using left brain. Very few people can see it both ways. See if you can make her go one way and then the other by shifting the brain’s current. BOTH DIRECTIONS CAN BE SEEN.

4. Critical Thinking Defined Thinking is not feeling Thinking is a conscious mental process Critical thinking is evaluation (questioning & analyzing)

5. Characteristics of Critical Thinkers Control of one’s mental activities Honest with themselves Embrace challenges Base judgments on evidence Interested in other people’s ideas Don’t operate in absolutes Practice Restraint

6. The Role of Intuition

7. Activities in Critical Thinking 1.Investigation 2.Interpretation 3.Judgment

8. Critical Thinking & Discussion Prepare in advance Set reasonable expectations Leave ego/personal agenda at the door Contribute but don’t dominate Avoid distracting speech mannerisms Listen actively Judge ideas responsibly Resist the urge to shout/interrupt

9. CHAPTER 3 Beyond Feelings What Is Truth?

10. Does one Truth exist? Is there an absolute answer to everything? Truth is what stands the test of experience. -Albert Einstein What’s wrong with this statement? IMPLICATIONS: everyone is right, no one is wrong whatever someone thinks shouldn’t be questioned our perceptions and memories are always perfect we never adopt anyone else’s truth…each perspective is uniquely ours, not shared or influenced by others

11. Where Does It All Begin? IMPLICATION: we never adopt anyone else’s truth…each perspective is uniquely ours, not shared or influenced by others Imitation

12. How good are your observational skills? Imperfect Perception Allport & Postman (1958): Subway Car Picture IMPLICATION: Our perceptions and memories are always perfect

13. Imperfect Memory Elizabeth Loftus Calvin Willis being Released from Prison How good is your memory of 9/11? IMPLICATION: Our perceptions and memories are always perfect

14. Deficient Information IMPLICATION: Everyone is right, no one can be wrong & whatever some one thinks shouldn’t be questioned

15. Truth is Discovered, Not Created 1.Our beliefs are influenced by others 2.Perception and memory are imperfect 3.Our information can be incorrect Bottom Line: We do not create our own truth, we create our own beliefs