How adults think

1. How adults think Jesus Sesma ΨNicole Garcia

2. In the book… • Karen Kitchener and Patricia King (1994) • genetic engineering • food additives • news reports • Reflective judgment • “critical thinking”

3. Critical thinking: • “the ability to question assumptions, evaluate evidence, relate that evidence to a theory or opinion, consider alternative interpretations, and reach conclusions that can be defended as reasonable or plausible, while standing ready to reassess those conclusions in the face of new information” • Question • Assumptions • Evidence • Relate findings to a theory or opinion • Consider alternative interpretations • Reach conclusions • Defendable • Alterable

4. In the book…again… • Study: • Statements • Questions • About statements • Personal point of view (on statements) • Personal position (basis) • Correct(position) • Disagreement

5. Seven cognitive stages to reflective thought Results: • Occur in throughout lifetime • Different assumptions with differing means of justification @ each stage • Cumulative

6. Stages - outline • Prereflective stages (2) • Quasi-reflective stage (3) • Reflective judgement capable (2)

7. Prereflective stages (2) • Correct answer always exists • It can be obtained directly from senses or authorities • Can also base A’s on what feels right in absence of authoritative info • No distinction b/w: • Knowledge vs. belief • Belief vs. evidence **No need for justification**

8. Quasi-reflective stages (3) • Some things cannot be known • Uncertainty in situations with unknowable elements • Judgments should be supported by reasons • Limit: only focus on supportive judgment • Aware of alternative viewpoints • Based on uncertainty, any judgment is subjunctive Nazi - Tok

9. Reflective stages (2) • Judgment inequality • Validity based on coherence, support, usefulness, etc. • Willing to consider evidence from Multi sources and reason dialectically • Defend position w/compelling reason & evidence

10. Stages-overview • Reflective judgment: ~mid-late 20’s • College fresh’s: ~only @ stage 3 • Development can be driven by opportunities and support for reflective thinking (Kitchener et al., 1993) *CTQ* College Seniors: ~stage 4 Grad’s: ~stages 4 and 5 Doctoral students: ~stage 6¤§ ¤King & Kitchener 1994 §Not due to drop outs

11. Last thoughts…. • Barry Kroll (1992) • Abandonment of “ignorant certainty” for “intelligent confusion” (tok) • Book: • Emphasis on thinking and evaluating different perspectives • Not just memorizing their findings (286.L.L)

12. General questions • What other method of skill development did we previously discuss that is similar to the seven stages to reflective thinking? • Which of the TOK essay topics does Kroll’s quote on the development of thinking skills bring to mind? • Are you ready to start critically thinking?

13. Critical thinking questions • How often are you required to think critically on a daily basis? (perhaps in terms of classes) • How would you define critical thinking? • How have classes such as Tok and Psychology helped develop your critical thinking skills? • Which other classes have also helped? How?

14. More critical thinking questions • Which stage would you rather be at? • How does this relate to Neo’s decision to pick the red pill or the blue pill in the Matrix? • Which pill would you pick? • How can we promote reflective thinking in our classes? Among our peers? At home? Among strangers? • Is it okay to judge people on their ability to think reflectively? Why or why not?