Critical Thinking

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Critical Thinking
presented by Roger Ochse
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Acknowledgement

• Acknowledgment is made to the Foundation for
  Critical Thinking the Academy for Training for
  Trainers English 102 students whose work made
  this presentation possible

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Basic Assumptions

• Our lives are lived in our minds.
• Garbage thinking (unconscious) gets in the way
  of critical thinking
• Powerful thinking (conscious) can replace
  garbage thinking

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Garbage thinking

• didactic teaching - a seductive, illusory method
  of instruction
• smothers thinking - assumes learning is passive
• reinforces itself - parroting of prescribed
  information from student back to instructor

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Beneath the Garbage

• Egocentric thinking - its true because I say it
  is
• Sociocentric thinking - its true because we say
  it is
• Political thinking - its true because we can
  make anything we like to be so

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Critical Thinking

• a way to convert information into meaning
• thinking that regulates itself
• a method to monitor ones thinking continuously
• a way to expose ones thinking to universal
  intellectual standards
• bridges disciplines or domains

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Critical Thinking

• Thinking Content
• Content Thinking

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Critical Thinking

• Must be practiced over extended time
• Results will not be immediate but long-term
• Critical thinking can become intuitive

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Critical Thinking Outline

• From Garbage to Power
• Basic Concept of Critical Thinking
• Critical Thinking Basics
• Meeting the Enemy
• Moving Bravely Forward

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From Garbage to Power
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As humans we live in our Minds
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GREEN THINKING UNCONSCIOUS MIXTURE OF HIGH
QUALITY AND LOW QUALITY THINKING
Spontaneous Subconscious Impulsive Self
protecting Reflexive Self validating Outward Una
nalyzed Uncontrolled
Garbage, nonsense, confusion, stereotypes,
prejudice
Green thinking goes without assessing itself.
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RED THINKING HIGHER ORDER THINKING
Disciplined Seeks the truth Self
assessing Critical Thinking Self
correcting Probing
Rigorously applies intellectual standards to
itself.
Red thinking stops and assesses itself before
going forward.
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Red keeps Green in Check
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Many of the negative disempowering emotions
desires
are based on garbage ideas
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To discipline our thinking
We must develop new habits of thinking
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If knowledge is power, what is the most
powerful bit of knowledge you have?
Be specific
How did you gain this knowledge?
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Garbage ideas

• vs.

Powerful ideas
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Garbage
Powerful
Other people are responsible for how I feel.
I am responsible for how I feel.
I can change how I feel by changing how I think
about things.
You are making me mad.
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What was the most ridiculous or
dangerous belief you ever had? What was the
behavior resulting from your thinking?
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There are powerful ideas which, when taken
seriously,
add a tremendous amount of quality to your life
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Basic Concept of Critical Thinking
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The quality of my Life is given in the thinking
that is guiding my Life

• Find a partner.
• Discuss this statement and its variations.
• State whether who think it is true or false.
• What are you basing your thinking on?

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• What is thinking?
• What is critical thinking?
• Why is it important to know
• how to think critically?

- Work individually - Answer the questions in
writing - Then discuss your thinking about the
questions with a partner
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Why is it Hard to Explain Critical
Thinking? because it represents a new way to
think about . . .
learning behavior emotions our
lives learning education
A Vision
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The Basic Concept of Critical Thinking

• In pairs, discuss what critical thinking means to
  you right now.
• Then explain it in terms of actual situations in
  your life in one or more domains (as a student,
  friend, life partner, consumer, etc.)
• What happens when you think critically in those
  situations? What happens when you do not?

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Central Questions

• 1. What does critical thinking mean to me right
  now?
• 2. How would I define it?
• 3. When do I use it?
• 4. What exactly do I do when I am using it?
• 5. Do I ever seriously fail to use it?
• 6. Can I give examples from my life?

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• Thinking which
• Operates on itself
• To improve itself
• Is self commanding
• Continually assesses itself
• Thinking which
• Requires special level of awareness
• Requires special skills of self-assessment
• Thinking which
• MUST BE AWARE OF ITS
• FEELINGS AND DESIRES

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As a Critical Thinker

• I recognize that the quality of my life is a
  function of the quality of my thinking.
• I am learning how to identify the thinking I am
  engaging in, especially when I see some problems
  in my behavior or when I am experiencing unwanted
  or unproductive emotions.
• I am coming to recognize that I have internalized
  a number of garbage ideas. I am working to
  replace them with powerful ideas.

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As a Critical Thinker

• I increasingly draw a clear distinction between
  what I cant control what I can control (so as
  to maximize the effectiveness of my behavior
  the fulfillment I experience
• I monitor my strengths weaknesses regularly,
  looking for opportunities to build on my
  strengths minimize or eliminate my weaknesses.

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As a Critical Thinker

• I recognize that I am capable of better better
  thinking I recognize that there is very much
  more that I have not yet learned about thinking
  (in general) and my thinking (in particular). I
  am strongly motivated to learn more more about
  my mind how it operates.

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How I think makes a difference
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Critical Thinking Basics
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Most Popular Standards
1. Its true because I believe it. 2. Its true
because we believe it. 3. Its true because I
want to believe it.
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Situation
Inference
Assumption
1. The girl is not happy.
Someone has hurt the girl.
Whenever someone is not happy, they have been
hurt by someone.
2.Go to a bar and a man asks you to come to his
apt.
3. You meet a beautiful woman with blonde hair.
4.Your teenage son is late coming home from a
date.
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Could you elaborate further? Could you
illustrate what you mean? Could you give me an
example?
Intellectual Standards
Clarity Accuracy Precision Relevance Depth B
readth Logic Significance
How could we check on that? How could we find out
if that is true? How could we verify or test that?
Could you be more specific? Could you give me
more details? Could you be more exact?
How does that relate to the problem? How does
that bear on the question? How does that help us
with the issue?
What factors make this a difficult problem? What
are some of the complexities of this
question? What are some of the difficulties we
need to deal with?
Do we need to look at this from another
perspective? Do we need to consider another point
of view? Do we need to look at this in other ways?
Does all of this make sense together? Does your
first paragraph fit in with your last? Does what
you say follow from the evidence?
Is this the most important problem to
consider? Is this the central idea to focus
on? Which of these facts are most important?
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Elements of Reasoning

• Purpose
• Question at Issue
• Assumptions
• Point of View

• Information
• Concepts
• Interpretation
• Implications

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Purpose

• All reasoning has a PURPOSE.
• Take time to state your purpose clearly.
• Distinguish your purpose from related purposes.
• Check periodically to be sure you are still on
  target.
• Choose significant and realistic purposes.

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Question at Issue

• All reasoning is an attempt to settle some
  QUESTION, solve some PROBLEM.
• Take time to clearly and precisely state the
  question at issue.
• Express the question in several ways to clarify
  its meaning and scope.
• Break the question into sub-questions.
• Identify the type of question (1-2-3).

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Assumptions

• All reasoning is based on ASSUMPTIONS.
• Clearly identify your assumptions and determine
  whether they are justifiable.
• Consider how your assumptions are shaping your
  point of view.

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Point of View

• All reasoning is done from some POINT OF VIEW.
• Identify your point of view.
• Seek other points of view and identify their
  strengths as well as weaknesses.
• Strive to be fair-minded in evaluating all points
  of view.

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Information

• All reasoning is based on DATA, INFORMATION
  EVIDENCE.
• Restrict claims to those supported by data.
• Search for information that opposes your position
  as well as that supporting it.
• Make sure that all information used is clear,
  accurate, and relevant to question at issue.
• Make sure you have gathered sufficient
  information.

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Concepts

• All reasoning is expressed through, and shaped
  by, CONCEPTS AND IDEAS.
• Identify key concepts and explain them clearly.
• Consider alternative concepts or alternative
  definitions to concepts.
• Make sure you are using concepts with care and
  precision.

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Inferences

• All reasoning contains INFERENCES or
  INTERPRETATIONS by which we draw CONCLUSIONS and
  give meaning to data.
• Infer only what the evidence implies.
• Check inferences for their consistency with each
  other.
• Identify assumptions which lead you to your
  inferences.

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Implications

• All reasoning leads somewhere or has IMPLICATIONS
  and CONSEQUENCES.
• Trace the implications and consequences that
  follow from your reasoning.
• Search for negative as well as positive
  implications.
• Consider all possible consequences.

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1. Review each of the elements of reasoning
with a view to identifying at least one standard
applicable to it.
2. Cite one example from your field or major
where it is essential to use one of these basic
standards in thinking with these elements.
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Elements of Reasoning
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Elements of Reasoning
Point of View frame of reference,
perspective, orientation
Purpose goal, objective
Question at Issue problem
Implications Consequences
Inferences Interpretations conclusions, solution
s
Assumptions presupposition, taking for granted
Information data, observations, facts, experiences
Concepts theories, defi- nitions,
axioms, principles, models
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Domains

• Historical
• Geographical
• Economic
• Literary

• Biological
• Psychological
• Philosophical
• Mathematical

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The Logic of Egocentrism
Purpose
Point of View
To gain selfish interests at the expense of others
Seeing myself as the center of the world
as a means to get what
I want
Question
Implications
How can I get what I want w/o having to change
I get what I want w/o having to change
Assumptions
Inferences
Egocentric finds ways to serve self or
to self- validate
I should be situated so I can get what I want
w/o change
Ego- centrics pursue infor- mation to
achieve selfish ends
Pursuing ones selfish advantage
Concepts
Information
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The Logic of the Non-Egocentric Mind
Point of View
Complete the Wheel
Purpose
Implications
Question
Assumptions
Inferences
Concepts
Information
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The Logic of Psychology
Point of View
Purpose
To study the individual human mind and behavior
to determine the conditions under which it
becomes functional or dysfunctional
Look at human thought and behavior from the point
of view of indi- vidual functions or
dysfunctions
Implications
If we understand the roots of functional and
dysfunctional thought and behavior we can
cultivate one and cure the other.
Question
Under what conditions does human behavior
become functional or dysfunctional?
Elements of Reasoning
Judgments about the functionality or
dys- functionality of human behavior and of the
thinking that underlies it
Assumptions
There are intelligible and discoverable reasons
why some human thought and behavior is functional
and some not.
Inferences
Information that sheds light on the conditions
under which behavior becomes functional or
dysfunctional and the thinking that underlies
that behavior
The concepts of functional and dysfunctional behav
ior and thought such as defense
mechanisms, depression, neurosis
Concepts
Information
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The quality of our thinking is given in the
quality of our questions.
The quality of my thinking is given in the
quality of the questions I ask.
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Questions drive thinking . . . Write down the
most important question you have right now.
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CLASSIFICATION BY SYSTEM
1
2
3
Questions with as many answers as human preference
s
Conflicting systems of thinking
One system of thinking
Questions with one right answer
Questions with better worse answers
Mere opinion and subjective preference
One procedure or method for getting the answer
Knowledge
Judgment
Dogmatist
Relativist
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• Questions of Fact or
• One System Questions
• Did it rain here yesterday?
• Is the sun shining?
• Is this a chair?
• How many eyes does an owl have?
• How does a computer operate?
• Do we have any milk?
• Did you turn the light on?
• What is an animal?

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• Questions of Preference
• Would you rather have short or long hair?
• Do you like to go to the movies?
• Do you like to watch football on TV?
• Do you prefer a waterbed or regular mattress?
• Do you prefer the mountains or the seashore?
• Do you want a ring or a necklace?
• Do you want to go outside now?

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Questions Calling for Reasoned Judgment

• How can I best design this house so that I
  minimize costs while meeting the major needs and
  desires of all my family members?
• Who is the best person for this job out of 3
  candidates, each seeming capable of performing
  the job well?
• Should I keep my job, which I enjoy, or should I
  take this other job offer which may be even more
  satisfying?

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• Write a category 3 question which
• you have or could have experienced.
• Then list the category 1 questions
• you would need to answer before
• addressing the category 3 question.
• Stand up when finished.
• Find a partner and share.

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Four Ways to Generate Questions

Using your knowledge of structure of thought
logic of systems
Using your knowledge of systems
Using your knowledge of standards
Using your knowledge of disciplines domains
To focus on questions based on the elements of
thought Purpose Question at
Issue Concepts Assumptions Information Interpr
etations Implications Point of View
To focus on 3 types of questions
To focus on questions based on standards Clari
ty Accuracy Precision Relevance Depth Breadth
Logicalness
To focus on questions specific to a discipline or
domain Scientific questions Mathematical questi
ons Historical questions Literary questions etc
.

• one right answer
• - one system
• - knowledge
• subjective preference
• - opinion
• better / worse answers
• - competing systems
• - judgment

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Critical Thinking and Collaborative Research
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Collaborative Research Project English 102
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Collaborative Research Project English 102
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The Enemy
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What is the single most significant obstacle to
bringing critical thinking into your college
education?
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Didactic Instruction

• Does it work to teach content?
• If so, how does it work?
• If not, why doesnt it work?
• What are the problems with it?

1. Work individually. 2. When you have answered
the questions, stand up and find a partner.
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Believe me, I would very much like to think
critically, but I have too much studying to
do!! (Besides, my grades would suffer.)
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Didactic Teaching

• Coverage that smothers thinking, a kind of death
  instinct in teaching and learning.
• Students are taught content in a form that
  renders them unlikely to think it through.
• The mind retreats into rote memorization.
• Abandons any attempt to grasp the logic of the
  content.

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3 Acid Tests(for evaluating instruction)

• What intellectual standards are being used?
• How are the students engaged in self assessment?
• What kind of thinking is the instructor focused
  on how is it being modeled?

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To understand an idea You must talk the
idea write the idea think the idea into
your system
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Create an Idea

• Talk the idea in your group
• Write the idea - freewrite, brainstorm,
• cluster, draft
• Think the idea - reflect about it, discuss it
• in your group, rewrite it yourself
• Test the idea in front of another audience
• Rewrite it as a question from a point of view

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Develop an Idea

• Identify your system using the CT wheel
• Place your question in it
• Label your assumptions, concepts, etc.
• Rephrase your question as your writing unfolds
• Through the entire thinking and writing and
  criticism process, refine the wheel

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Planning My Research Paper

• My purpose in writing this paper is _______
• The main question I will be focused one is _
• Sub questions I will be focused on are ____
• I will gather information to address my questions
  from these sources ___________
• The main idea in my paper is ___________
• The point of view I take is ______________

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Research Paper Checklist

• I have gathered accurate information.
• My paper is clearly written.
• I have considered various ways to interpret the
  information.
• I am clear about my purpose for writing the paper
  and my key questions.
• I have considered all points of view relevant to
  the questions.
• I have followed out the implications which relate
  to the question.

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Evaluation Grid
weak / fair / good / strong

• Question well stated? Clear, unbiased? Shows
  complexity?
• Cites relevant evidence?
• Clarifies key concepts when necessary?
• Sensitive to assumptions?
• Develops line of reasoning, with explanations?
• Reasoning well supported?
• Shows sensitivity to alternative points of view?
• Shows sensitivity to implications and
  consequences of position taken?

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• In Critical Thinking we
• make our thinking the object
• of thought
• improve our thinking as a result
• This requires
• developing a special awareness
• special skills of self-assessment

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We must routinely Take our thinking apart
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Self Analysis
Contextualization of Theory
Inner Experiences of figuring ourselves out
Must energize and drive us to greater greater
levels of self-command
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Critical Thinking
Self Command of Theory
Continual engagement in everyday life
Alive in the mind
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Moving Bravely Forward
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To Gain Maximum Valueof Critical Thinking

• Follow directions closely and exactingly.
• Actively give yourself to the process.
• Expect confusions to arise. This is normal and to
  be expected.
• Set your sights on the long term goal.
• Expect to test this model in your learning over
  an extended period of time.

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Powerful ideas to foster in your thinking

• I am responsible for the contents of my mind.
• I am responsible for fundamental change.
• I am not my beliefs.
• I am not my ego.
• I am not my fears.
• I am not my prejudices.
• I am not everything that is in me.
• I am only what is rational in me.

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I hereby disown my ego . . .

• and all its pomp
• and all its games
• and all its counterfeits
• and all its insecurities
• and all its tricks!

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Think More Accurately
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Think More Precisely
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Think More Clearly
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Make New Assumptions
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Test New Ideas
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Consider New Solutions
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Get New Information
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Ask New Questions
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On to Power

• Find one idea you have learned that you consider
  POWERFUL
• i.e., you want to embody this idea in your
  thinking and behavior
• Be prepared to explain what the idea is, why you
  think it is powerful, and what you can do to
  begin to work it into your thinking and behavior

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Powerful Ideas for Students

• To learn this I must think it through and work it
  into my thinking
• In my history class I am learning to think
  historically. I can see how important this is to
  my life
• To learn well I have to take responsibility for
  my own learning
• I am capable of learning I am capable of changing