Critical Thinking in Academic Argumentation

1. Thinking Critically Bruce EdmondsMRes(slides available at http://cfpm.org/mres) Critical Thinking. MMUBS Mres Induction, Bruce Edmonds, http://cfpm.org/mres slide-1

2. Does/should academic argument differ from other kinds (e.g. political)? • What does society expect from academics (as compared to, say, politicians)? • What does society hope to gain in return for the money put into business/management research? • Is this the same as what it hopes to gain from other fields (e.g. physics or engineering)? • What are the consequences of these obligations in terms of kinds of academic argument? • To what extent do these obligations conflict with an individual academic’s desire for success/advancement? Critical Thinking. MMUBS Mres Induction, Bruce Edmonds, http://cfpm.org/mres slide-2

3. Example Read the example selection… …and discuss the following: • What is it arguing for? • What is it arguing against? • What is the context it comes from? • Why is it/is it not convincing for you? • What are its assumptions? • Given its assumptions how reliable are its conclusions? Critical Thinking. MMUBS Mres Induction, Bruce Edmonds, http://cfpm.org/mres slide-3

4. Why is a critical approach important? The multiplication/disintegration of truth: • Theories approximate truth because of their ability to resist refutation – Popper’s Falisficationism • Theories approximate truth because of their usefulness and/or elegance – Peirce/Quine’s Pragmatism • Theories approximate truth because of their orthodoxy – Kuhn/Lakatos’ Paradigms/Programmes Does this add up to saying nothing is true or that all truth is equally true? Are there any reliable foundations? Critical Thinking. MMUBS Mres Induction, Bruce Edmonds, http://cfpm.org/mres slide-4

5. Examples illustrating the spirit of critical research • Independent thinking • Simon’s Administrative Behaviour • Einstein’s Relativity • Challenging the group and the species • Mill’s On Liberty • Shoemakers’Small is beautiful • Going beyond the surface • Freud’s ego-id-super-ego • Quantum mechanics Critical Thinking. MMUBS Mres Induction, Bruce Edmonds, http://cfpm.org/mres slide-5

6. Some characteristics of critical thought in research… • Using existing knowledge in new contexts • e.g. Post-It Notes • Follow promising avenues of investigation • e.g.: Viagra • Recognize distinctions between: solutions; resolutions and dissolution • e.g.: Brent Spa • Recognise the importance of rhetorical skill • e.g.: Ratner • Know your limits Critical Thinking. MMUBS Mres Induction, Bruce Edmonds, http://cfpm.org/mres slide-6

7. Some more characteristics of critical thought in research • Identify the bedrock (beliefs; assumptions; habits) • Look for relevant evidence • Look for contradictions – are they bad? • Work out consequences – compare with evidence • Be aware of authority (power over and power to) • Put yourself in the place of others • Reflect on the importance of emotions, feelings and intuition (as distinct from prejudice) • Court the strange – insight is often unorthodox • Ensure integrity of approach (consistency; ethics) Critical Thinking. MMUBS Mres Induction, Bruce Edmonds, http://cfpm.org/mres slide-7

8. Some relevant cognitive abilities Interpretation – giving meaning to experience/evidence: • selection by relevance; categorization (classification); significance testing; clarifying meaning/language Analysis –inferences to and from experience/evidence: • Ideas; arguments; assumptions/bedrock Evaluation – assessing the credibility of representations: • relevance; consistency; integrity; comparison Inference – drawing conclusions: • creating meaning; projecting consequences of ideas Explanation –the logical scaffold of your argument/models: • justify methods; justify assumptions; present argument Self-regulation – cognitively self-aware and self critical: • think abut thinking; honesty about limitations, assumptions; trying to criticise own argument Critical Thinking. MMUBS Mres Induction, Bruce Edmonds, http://cfpm.org/mres slide-8

9. Some elements of a critical argument • What so? - the description of states of affairs (events, beliefs, relations) remaining fully aware of the possibility of these being different from different perspectives • How so? - the investigation of how states of affairs came to be, the traditions, habits and histories that are brought into the frame in establishing something as ‘being the case’ • So what? - the explanation of implications arising from the presented states of affairs, including an awareness of the prevailing interests being served Critical Thinking. MMUBS Mres Induction, Bruce Edmonds, http://cfpm.org/mres slide-9

10. A second example Read the example selection… …and discuss the following: • What do you think the academic background to the piece is? • What do you guess is the academic position of the author? • What are the roles of argument and rhetoric in this paper? • Who is it aimed at (or against)? • What do you think the purpose it is? Critical Thinking. MMUBS Mres Induction, Bruce Edmonds, http://cfpm.org/mres slide-10

11. The End (these slides will be at: http://cfpm.org/mres) Critical thinking sessions in the near future Critical Thinking. MMUBS Mres Induction, Bruce Edmonds, http://cfpm.org/mres slide-11