Filters, Barriers, and Impediments

1. Filters, Barriers, and Impediments Hindrances to critical thinking

2. Filters • Allow things that meet certain criteria to flow through while preventing others • Color or shape what comes through • Can be a useful sorting mechanism • Can be a feature of mindful and reflective thinking • But also screen out valuable input if they aren’t applied mindfully

3. Barriers • Keep out rather than let in • May indicate the presence of non-critical, manmade, or enculturated thinking patterns • Can be useful in some circumstances • Require some kind of monitoring • Can be removed, sometimes with heavy lifting • Unless monitored carefully, usually a hindrance to mindful, reflective thinking

4. Impediments • Often involve walls or total blockages • Often involve non-critical instead of critical standards of thinking, so they may inhibit mindful thinking • Often are reflexive and habitual, so they contradict or replace reflective thinking • Must be understood before they can be thought around

5. The Difference Between. . . • Impediment-free thinking • Highly unusual • Not likely to happen when subject is significant AND • Impediment-aware thinking • Means you are working mindfully • Lets you make allowances for your barriers and impediments

6. CT and Writing Course point of view

7. Premises of College Writing • Writing enables thinking • Analysis required before evaluation • Audience drives the writing • Move beyond merely reporting • Accept uncertainty • Exploratory thinking vs. personal opinion or reaction • Complex (no more 5 paragraph essays)

8. Argumentative Writing • Starts with a question–never an answer • Dialogue vs. disagreement • Audience oriented • Contextual • Relevant • Takes time • Narrowly focused (more about less)