Chapter 2: thinking critically

Using a Problem-Solving Approach?

- Step 1 What is the problem? What don't I understand about this passage? Are certain terms or concepts unfamiliar? Are the logical connections between the concepts confusing? Do some things just not make sense? - Step 2 What are the alternatives? What are some possible meanings of the terms or concepts? What are some potential interpretations of the central meaning of this passage? - Step 3 What is the evaluation of the possible alternatives? What are the "clues" in the passage, and what alternative meanings do they support? What reasons or evidence support these interpretations? - Step 4 What is the solution? Judging from my evaluation and what I know of this subject, which interpretation is most likely? Why? - Step 5 How well is the solution working? Does my interpretation still make sense as I continue my reading, or do I need to revise my conclusion?

Thinking critically involves actively using your thinking abilities to _____________________

- attack problems, - meet challenges - analyze issues.

Whom would you identify as expert critical thinkers?

-Open-minded -Knowledgeable -Knowledgeable -Curious -Independent thinkers -Skilled discussants -Insightful -Self-aware -Creative -Passionate.

cognitive abilities and attitudes that characterize critical thinkers?

-Thinking actively - Carefully exploring situations with questions -Thinking independently - Viewing situations from different perspectives -Supporting diverse perspectives with reasons and evidence - Discussing ideas in an organized way

What is thinking? What is thinking critically?

-Thinking is the way you make sense of the world. -thinking critically is thinking about your thinking so that you can clarify and improve it.

Thinking Critically

-carefully exploring the thinking process to clarify our understanding and make more intelligent decisions.

How to seek other perspectives?

-using your imagination to visualize other viewpoints. - actively seek (and listen to) the viewpoints of others -understand the reasons that support these alternate viewpoints

identify six categories of questions, Benjamin Bloom's schema?

1. Fact 2. Interpretation 3. Analysis 4. Synthesis 5. Evaluation 6. Application

Working to see different perspectives:

1. Identify the main idea of the passage. 2. List the reasons that support the main idea. 3. Develop another view of the main issue. 4. List the reasons that support the other view.

What is a critical thinker?

A critical thinker is someone who has developed a knowledgeable understanding of our complex world, a thoughtful perspective on important ideas and timely issues, the capacity for penetrating insight and intelligent judgment, and sophisticated thinking and language abilities.

Evaluating Your Beliefs?

Authorities: Are the authorities knowledgeable in this area? Are they reliable? Have they ever given inaccurate information? Do other authorities disagree with them? References: What are the credentials of the authors? Do other authors disagree with their opinions? On what reasons and evidence do the authors base their opinions? Factual evidence: What are the source and foundation of the evidence? Can the evidence be interpreted differently? Does the evidence support the conclusion? Personal experience: What were the circumstances under which the experiences took place? Were distortions or mistakes in perception possible? Have other people had either similar or conflicting experiences? Are there other explanations for the experience?

What is authorities, references, factual evidence, personal experience?

Authorities: Educational and religious authorities taught people the earth was flat. References: The written opinions of scientific experts supported the belief that the earth was flat. Factual evidence: No person had ever circumnavigated the earth. Personal experience: From a normal vantage point, the earth appears flat.

How to find ways to relate these new ideas to things you already know in order to make this new information "your own"?

By actively using your mind to integrate new information into your existing knowledge framework, thereby expanding the framework to include this new information.

Seeing all sides of an issue combines two critical-thinking abilities:

Considering issues from different perspectives Supporting diverse viewpoints with reasons and evidence

Viewing Situations from Different Perspectives

Critical thinkers realize that their viewpoints are limited and that their perspective is only one of many. If we are going to learn and develop, we must try to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others. To increase and deepen your knowledge, you must seek other perspectives on the situations you are trying to understand.

Is this information matter(real) ? by using Authorities, References, Factual evidence, Personal experience

EXAMPLE: Is the earth flat? EXPLANATION: I was taught by my parents and in school that the earth was round. REASONS/EVIDENCE: - Authorities: My parents and teachers taught me this. -References: I read about this in science textbooks. - Factual evidence: I have seen photographs taken from outer space that show the earth as a globe. - Personal experience: When I flew across the country, I could see the horizon line changing

When you think actively, you do what?

Get involved in potentially useful projects and activities instead of remaining disengaged. Take initiative in making decisions on your own instead of waiting passively to be told what to think or do. Follow through on your commitments instead of giving up when you encounter difficulties. Take responsibility for the consequences of your decisions rather than unjustifiably blame others or events "beyond your control."

Supporting Diverse Perspectives with Reasons and Evidence

It is not enough simply to take a position on an issue or make a claim; we have to back up our views with other information that we believe supports our position. An important distinction and a relationship exist between what you believe and why you believe it.

How to combine new ideas and different ways of viewing the situation?

Listening in this way often brings to your attention new ideas and different ways of viewing the situation that might never have occurred to you.

Questions of Analysis:

Questions of analysis look at parts of a text and the relationship of those parts to the whole, and at the reasoning being presented.

Questions of Evaluation:

Questions of evaluation establish the truth, reliability, and applicability of the text—that is, its value. They usually address the effectiveness of the writing as well.

Questions of Fact:

Questions of fact seek to determine basic information about a situation. These questions seek information that is relatively straightforward and objective. Who, what, when, where, how? Describe.

Questions of Interpretation:

Questions of interpretation probe for relationships among ideas:

Supporting Views with Reasons and Evidence:

Supporting Views with Reasons and Evidence

What is "critic" in Greek?

The word critical comes from the Greek word for "critic" (kritikos), which means "to question, to make sense of, to be able to analyze."

related word to "critic"?

The word critical is also related to the word criticize, which means "to question and evaluate."

React passively?

Thinking critically requires that you think actively—not react passively—to deal effectively with life's situations.

What question to guide your evaluation?

What information is the witness providing? Is the information relevant to the charges? Is the witness credible? What biases might influence the witness's testimony? To what extent is the testimony accurate?

How to read critically?

What is the purpose of the selection, and how is the author trying to achieve it? Who is the intended audience, and what assumption is the writer making about it? What is the subject of the selection, and how would you evaluate its cogency and reliability? Who is the writer, and what perspective does he or she bring to the writing selection? What is the larger context in which this selection appears? Is the writer responding to a particular event or participating in an ongoing debate?

What happen when you think actively?

You are engaged in the process of achieving goals, making decisions, and solving problems.

Questions of Synthesis

combine ideas to form a new whole or come to a conclusion, make inferences about future events, create solutions, and design plans of action. : What would you predict/infer from_______ ? What ideas can you add to______ ? How would you create/design a new_____ ? What might happen if you combined _______with_______ ? What solutions/decisions would you suggest for ______?

open to new ideas and different viewpoints means being_______enough to modify your ideas in the light of new information or better insight.

flexible

What is The best way to expand our thinking and compensate for the bias that we all have?

is to be open to the viewpoints of others and willing to listen and to exchange ideas with them. -This process of give and take, of advancing our views and considering those of others, ------> is known as discussion

Discussing Ideas in an Organized Way:

listening to each other. supporting their views with reasons and evidence. responding to the points being made. asking—and trying to answer—important questions. trying to increase their understanding rather than simply winning the argument.

Questions of Evaluation:

make informed judgments and decisions by determining the relative value, truth, or reliability of things. -identifying the criteria or standards we are using and then determining to what extent the things in common meet those standards. : How would you evaluate______ ? What standards would you use? Do you agree with ________? Why or why not? How would you decide about ________? What criteria would you use to assess_______?

To continue to grow and develop as thinkers, we have to __________

modify our beliefs when evidence suggests that we should.

Questions of Interpretation:

organize facts and ideas, discovering the relationships. such as: Chronological relationships: What is the time sequence relating the various events? Process relationships: What are the steps in the process of growth or development in_______ ? Comparison/contrast relationships: How are things similar or different? How would you compare and contrast _______? Causal relationships: Which events are responsible for bringing about other events? What was the cause/effect of______ ?

Questions of Analysis:

seek to separate an entire process or situation into its component parts and to understand the relation of these parts to the whole: What are the parts or features of______ ? Classify according to______. Outline/diagram/web_______ . What evidence can you present to support______? What are the possible alternatives for_____ ? Explain the reasons why you think_______.

Questions of Application:

to help us take the knowledge or concepts we have gained in one situation and apply them to other situations. How is_______ an example of _______-? How would you apply this rule/principle to________ ?