1. Panning for Gold GISAT 160 – Sep 3, 2007

2. Panning for Gold Being a skeptic. Asking the right questions to fully understand. Takes work. Permits you to be in control of your own opinions…sponging causes you to parrot others and let them be in control of your opinions.

3. Critical thinking Helps us to become more fully engaged in society and societal decisions. May make us retool our opinions or to abandon long held beliefs. How many problems have a right or wrong answer?

4. Your book Will lead you through the process of asking the right questions to understand an issue or an opinion. Should not be read like a novel. Use the practice exercises at the back as suggested. Look carefully at the examples and make sure that you understand them…read with pencil in hand.

5. What is an argument? See Monty Python

6. Argument Argument – A group of statements in which some of them (the premises) are intended to support another of them (the conclusion) Note: Argument is not both sides of an issue. It is a conclusion and its supporting premises.

7. Federalist 10 Lots of mini-arguments Look at the argument for “curing the mischiefs of faction”. Why is he addressing this in his piece? Issue Does he argue for or against the premise that we can remove the causes of faction? - Thesis How does he support that position? - Reasons

8. What is not an issue according to Asking the Right Questions? Should abortion be legal? Cell phones. Should same sex marriage be legalized? How can we prevent increasing global warming? Internet privacy

9. Practice Exercises