Critical Thinking

▪ Sitting on top of your

shoulders is one of the finest
computers on the earth.
▪ But, like any other muscle in
your body, it needs to be
exercised to work its best.
▪ That exercise is called

THINKING.
I think, therefore I am.
- Rene Descartes
What is critical thinking?
▪ Commonly called “problem solving”
▪ Not being content with the first solution to a problem,
but thinking more deeply about it.
▪ Knowing, understanding, analyzing, synthesizing,
applying and evaluating the idea or problem
▪ Looking for what is implied in a question rather than
what is stated
▪ Applying the rules of logic to problem solving
▪ Not letting reason be clouded by emotion
Four Aspects of Critical Thinking
▪ Abstract Thinking:
thinking past what your senses tell you
▪ Creative Thinking:
thinking “out of the box,” innovating
▪ Systematic Thinking:
organizing your thoughts into logical steps
▪ Communicative Thinking:
being precise in giving your ideas to
others.
 Critical Thinking: What is
involved?
▪ Question: what is being asked?
▪ Purpose: why do I want the answer?
▪ Point of View: where do I stand to look at the
question?
▪ Information: what data do I have?
▪ Concepts: what ideas are involved?
▪ Assumptions: what am I taking for granted?
▪ Inferences: what conclusions am I drawing?
▪ Consequences: what are the implications of my
question?
 Critical Thinkers
• Acknowledge personal limitations.
• See problems as exciting challenges.
• Have understanding as a goal.
• Use evidence to make judgments.
• Are interested in others’ ideas.
• Are skeptical of extreme views.
• Think before acting.
• Avoid emotionalism
• Keep an open mind
 Uncritical Thinkers
• Pretend to know more than they do. Don’t think
• Get annoyed by problems. about it,
• Are impatient. just sign it!
• Judge on first impressions and intuition.
• Focus on their own opinions.
• Look only for ideas like their own.
• Are guided by feelings rather than
thoughts.
• Claim that thinking gives them a
headache.
A Thinker’s Lexicon

Inference A judgment based on evidence

Plausible Logical and believable, credible

Validity Truthful, well-founded

Claim To assert as a fact whether it is or not

Fact A truth that cannot be disputed

Opinion A personal view or belief

Argument A set of claims to support an assertion

Assumption An inference that is believed to be true

 Inductive and Deductive
Reasoning
▪ Inductive Reasoning
Specific Reasoning Broad Principles
Example: My history All college courses
class requires a lot of have a lot of reading
reading
▪ Deductive Reasoning
Broad Specific
Generalizations Conclusions
Example: All college My art history course
courses are hard will be hard
 Yes!
Ask me!
Ask Questions
▪ One quality of a good critical thinker is the ability to ask
on-target questions.
▪ If you don’t usually ask questions, is it because you
▪ Fear embarrassment?
▪ Worry what others will think of you?
▪ Worry that the instructor will think your question is strange?
▪ Worry that others will think you’re showing off?
▪ When you don’t ask questions, you sacrifice your education.
▪ If you don’t take risks, you won’t get the maximum benefit
in developing your mind.
 There’s No Such Thing as a
Stupid Question (Usually)
☞ There are unwelcome questions.
☞ Don’t ask questions that detract from the Can I draw
you a
momentum of the class.
conclusion?
☞ Don’t ask questions that focus more on Well, can I?
self-concerns than on the needs of the
class.
☞ Don’t ask questions that demonstrate you
failed to pay attention.
☞ Don’t ask silly questions.
 Offer Criticism
▪ You will most likely be asked to judge or
evaluate issues in college.
▪ First decide whether you like what you are
being asked to judge.
▪ Consider both positive and negative
attributes.
▪ Use examples to support your judgment.
▪ Don’t be intimidated by this kind of
assignment; your instructors want you to
develop your critical thinking skills.
 Make the Right Inferences
▪ You are constantly making inferences.
▪ Inferences are interpretations that you derive
from processing cues in a situation.
▪ A plausible inference is a judgment that is
logical, and possibly accurate.
▪ Sometimes inferences become assumptions—
something we believe to be true and act on as
though it were.
▪ Inferences can be tricky. It is easy to be wrong and
you may operate on faulty assumptions until you
are informed otherwise.
 What is a Claim? I’m
stakin’
▪ A claim is a statement which can be either true or false, but not
a
both.
claim!
▪ A claim is an assertion you want to have accepted as a fact and not
be disputed.
▪ When evaluating a claim, you have three choices:
▪ accept the claim
▪ reject the claim
▪ suspend judgment until you have more information

What is an Argument?
▪ An argument is a set of claims.
▪ Arguments begin with premises and lead to a conclusion
▪ A good argument is one in which the premises lead
logically to a strong or valid conclusion.
 Refine Your Reasoning
▪ Be willing to argue
▪ Use deductive reasoning
▪ Check your assumptions
▪ Know your own biases
▪ Observe carefully
▪ Stay positive and persistent
▪ Show concern for accuracy
▪ Take time before concluding
Nurture Your Own Creativity
▪ Don’t accept other people’s blueprints.
▪ Be vigilant about what others can’t see.
▪ Differentiate the good from the bad.
▪ Take the plunge before you’re an expert.
▪ Concentrate on the big picture.
▪ Take sensible risks.
▪ Motivate yourself from inside.
▪ Shape environments that will support your creativity.
▪ Actively pursue your creative life.
 Critical Thinking:
A Skill to Carry You Through Life

Professors and future employers value your

ability to perform these critical thinking
skills:
• Manage and interpret information
• Examine exciting ideas and develop new ones
• Pose logical arguments
• Recognize reliable evidence
• Be proactive rather than reactive
Always
• Think things through in depth. be
reasonable
Why College Encourages Critical
Thinking
Remember:
▪ Thinkers are generally “movers and shakers.”
▪ Sometimes how you solve a problem is as important as the
solution.
▪ Open ended questions of “Why?”, “How?” or “What If?”
have no simple, clear-cut answers.
▪ There are many valid points of view!
▪ The greatest gift a college can give you is an open mind.