Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking What is the hardest task in the world? To Think Ralph Waldo Emerson

Critical Thinking vs. Thinking • Thinking means almost any sort of mental activity, from idle daydreaming to careful analysis • Critical thinking: searching for hidden assumptions, noticing various facets, unraveling different strands and evaluating what is most significant. • Critical is from the Greek word, krinein, meaning to separate or to choose-implies conscious and deliberate inquiry.

Drivers’ Licenses and Photo Id’s • Listen to story about Sultaana Freeman • Then cluster, brainstorm or jot down ideas • Because it is proven that most people don’t start to really think about a topic/subject deeply until they write • Take some time to write about any possible thoughts you have-look at the different sides and possibilities

A Rule for Writers • One good way to start writing an essay is to start generating ideas—and at this point don’t worry that some of them may be nonsense. Just get ideas down on paper and evaluate them later. • Outcome of case—page 8

Questions • 1. Think about the judge’s comment—if we agree that a photograph establishes identity ( a debatable point) one might ask: given that Florida has not passed a law requiring a photo ID, why should it say that the driver of a vehicle must provide a photo id? Isn’t a drivers’ license a mere certificate to drive?

Questions cont’d • 2. In her decision, Judge Thorpe wrote the following: page 8 • Is the judge saying in effect that we should infringe on Sultaana’s religious beliefs because someone else might do something wicked?

Another License Issue: • West Virginia passed a law in 1989; the law provides that although a student may drop out of school at 16, no dropout younger than 18 can hold a drivers’ license. (18 states have similar laws) • Consider the following: • Is it fair? • What is the purpose? • Is it likely to accomplish its purpose? • Could it unintentionally cause harm? • If so, can we weigh the potential harm against the potential good?

Think Critically about the law • You are a member of the WV assembly-see the issue from all sides • What can be said for the law? • What can be said against it?

Requirements of Critically Thinking • CT requires us to reflect further, trying to support our position and also trying to see the other side. One can almost say that the heart of critical thinking is a willingness to face objections to one’s own beliefs, a willingness to adopt a skeptical attitude not only toward authority and toward views opposed to our own, but also toward common sense-that is toward the views that seem obviously right to us.

A rule for writers • Early in the process of jotting down your ideas on a topic, stop to ask yourself , “What might reasonably be offered as an objection to my view?” • Critical thinking requires us to use our imaginations, seeing things from perspectives other than our own and envisioning the likely consequences of our position.

Along with imagination, CT needs • Analysis: finding the parts of the problem and then separating them and trying to see how things fit together • Evaluation: judging the merit of our claims and assumptions and weight of the evidence in their favor.

Writing • “To learn to write is to learn to have ideas” R. Frost • Things to consider: • Definition: What is it? • Comparison: What is it like or unlike? • Relationship: What caused it and what will it cause? • Testimony: What is said about it for instance by experts?

Writing Cont’d • When you are at a loss for ideas when confronted with an issue, you probably will find ideas coming to you if you turn to the relevant classical topics and begin jotting down your responses=invention. • Pro/con lists • Brainstorming/clustering • So forth ** read page 11

To consider this law in today’s world • Ask: • What sort of evidence tends to support the law or tends to suggest that the law is a poor idea? • Did the reduction in the dropout rate continue or did the reduction occur only in the first year following the passage of the law? • If indeed students who wanted to drop out did not was their presence in school a good thing-to them and classmates? • Have some people emerged as a authorities on this topic? What makes them experts? What do they have to say? • Has the constitutionality of the bill been tested? With what results? • To answer these questions-you have to engage in research

Checklist for CT • Attitude: • Does my thinking show imaginative open-mindedness and intellectual curiosity? • Am I willing to examine my assumptions? • Am I willing to entertain new ideas? • Am I willing to exert myself? Skills: • Can I summarize an argument accurately? • Can I evaluate assumptions, evidence and inferences? • Can I present my ideas effectively?

Argumentative Essay: • In argumentative essays, writers need to show their readers that they have made some effort, they need to show us how they got to their final views. • It is not enough for the writer to say, “I believe X” • Need to say, “I believe X because of A, B and C and although Y and Z are attractive they do not stand up to inquiry as well as X does.”

Assignment 1: • Read pages 15-16. • In groups of 2 to 4 answer the questions on pages 16 and 17.

Assignment 2: • Take one of the following topics and jot down all the pro and con arguments you can think of in 10 minutes. • Then tonight return to your jottings and see whether you can add to them. • Finally, write a dialogue presenting both sides as strongly as possible.

Topics • Colleges should not award athletic scholarships • Bicyclists and motorcyclists should be required by law to wear helmets • High school teachers should have the right to search students for drugs on school grounds • Smoking should be prohibited in all parts of all buildings • Students should have the right to drop out of school at any age • In rape trials, the names of the alleged victims should not be released to the public • The US should require a national id card. • Or any other topic that you pre-approved by me.

Critical Thinking