1. An Introduction to Critical Thinking
by QualiaSoup ( )

2. Give someone a fish
and they’ll eat that day

3. Give someone a fish
and they’ll eat that day
Teach them how to catch a fish and they’ll never go hungry

4. LEARNING SKILLS
Dependence
Self-reliance

5. Self-reliance … and it may lead to the solving of that,
and similar problems
Memorize the solution
to a problem …
Solution
LEARNING SKILLS
Self-reliance

6. … can provide techniques to solve a multitude of unfamiliar problems
improving your
critical thinking …
Self-reliance

7. Critical thinking Self-reliance Analyzing Conceptualising Defining
Examining
Inferring
Listening
Questioning
Reasoning
Synthesising
evaluating information
in a disciplined way
&
evaluating our thoughts
help us refine
our thought processes
think and assess information more comprehensively
more able to identify and reject false ideas /ideologies
Self-reliance

8. …isn’t just ‘thinking a lot’
Critical thinking
…isn’t just ‘thinking a lot’
(How?)
Position X
Who?

9. We need to be aware of the flaws and biases in our thinking …
Critical thinking
…isn’t just ‘thinking a lot’
(How?)
Thinking
Critically
Who?
Position X
flaws &
biases
flaws &
biases
We need to be aware of the flaws and biases in our thinking …

10. Culture and Upbringing
… we must want to be better at thinking
to pinpoint and minimize
biasing influence from
Culture and Upbringing
to seek out and be guided by
Knowledge and Evidence
that fits with reality .....

11. if shown to be unfounded
…even if it refutes our
cherished beliefs
beliefs
if shown to be unfounded
CHANGE of POSITION = appropriate response

12. Critical thinkers exhibit -
Curiosity
Perspective
Knowledge
Willing to
do the work
required
to keep
themselves
properly
informed

13. Explains nothing Untestable What would upset Evolutionary theory?
Many things. For instance, a Paleozoic panda….
The crops failed because the Sun God is angry

14. CLAIM Critical thinking embraces Scepticism reasoning assumptions
indiscriminate
rejection of ideas
doubting
suspension of judgement
CLAIM
reasoning
assumptions
biases
reasoning

15. not on emotions / social pressure
reasoning
should be based in sound, consistent logic
not on emotions / social pressure
Truth of factual claims is not determined by:
the emotion that accompanies them OR
the fact that they may be believed
by certain social groups

16. reasoning should be based in sound, consistent logic
Reason has no value
reasoning
should be based in sound, consistent logic
not on emotions / social pressure
Truth of factual claims is not determined by:
the emotion that accompanies them OR
the fact that they may be believed
by certain social groups

17. Because it’s just a human concept
Reason has no value
Because it’s just a human concept

18. Because it’s just a human concept
Reason has no value
Because it’s just a human concept
Using the very thing you are dismissing in order to construct a case against it
REASON

19. Because it’s just a human concept
Reason has no value
Because it’s just a human concept
Using the very thing you are dismissing in order to construct a case against it
REASON

20. REASON is intrinsic to our decisions and judgments
These aren’t ripe
Moving to Australia
Pros
Cons
REASON is intrinsic to our decisions and judgments

21. What will increase our understanding?
These aren’t ripe
Moving to Australia
Pros
Cons
What will increase our understanding?
Dismissing reason? Or looking honestly at our flaws?

22. What will increase our understanding? La
unwillingness
to listen
intellectual
arrogance
intellectual
laziness
lack of respect
for reason
lack of respect
for evidence
will sabotage
one’s capacity
for critical
thought
What will increase our understanding?
Dismissing reason? Or looking honestly at our flaws?

23. BLACK & WHITE
THINKING

24. FALSE
DICHOTOMY

25. Those who
accept
evolution
Theists

26. Those who
accept
evolution
Theists who
accept
evolution
Theists

27. Those who
accept
evolution
If we think
in false
dichotomies
we will draw
false
conclusions
Theists who
accept
evolution
Theists

28. MUST If OPTION A is false OPTION B be true If one doesn’t hold
If we think
in false
dichotomies
we will draw
false
conclusions
If one
doesn’t hold
ATTITUDE X
One MUST
hold
ATTITUDE Y

29. underlying intolerance of ambiguity
BLACK & WHITE THINKING
often
reflects
underlying intolerance of ambiguity
leaping to flawed conclusions because you can’t tolerate the ambiguity of not knowing
TRUTH
CURIOSITY
COMFORT

30. Qualities of a Critical Thinker
can handle uncertainty
prefers to be aware of their areas of ignorance
can wait for valid evidence
can wait for evidence-based answers

31. Cr t cal Th nk ng
intellectual
independence

32. Cr t cal Th nk ng rash conclusions mystification
Moves us away from
rash conclusions
mystification
reluctance to question
- received wisdom
- authority
- tradition
Moves us towards
intellectual discipline
clear expression of ideas
acceptance of personal responsibility for our own thinking

33. better equipped to create more profoundly effective solutions to the challenges we face in living, and living together
eager to acquire and apply the best knowledge and reason in all fields
willing to acknowledge and correct flaws in their own thinking

34. When we teach, encourage and practice critical thinking
we empower individual lives
and invest in our collective future