PHL 251: Critical Thinking Professor: A.J. Merrill

GOALS: 1.Begin to Reason Clearly and Critically 2.Apply Critical Thinking to Business & Personal Life Processes 3.Identify and Manage the Perception Process 4.Identify and Make Use of Assumptions 5.Identify and Make Use of Emotional Influences 6.Begin to Understand and Use Language Effectively 7.Identify and Understand Fallacious Reasoning 8.Explore Logic and Other Problem-Solving Processes 9.Begin Using Critical Thinking to Make Meaningful Life Choices

RoadMap:Topics & Objectives 1. Go Over Course Overview 2. Go Over Communication Objectives 3. Go Over Grading Philosophy 4. Go Over Feedback Procedures

Directions: Flow of Assignments 1. Individual Assignments 2. Group Assignments 3. Exams & Prep

Learning Team Formation

SignPosts: Helpful Hints 1. Learning Team Accountability 2. Proper Preparation: Do The Thinking 3. Proper Preparation: Preview Readings, Assignments, etc., Now, & Each Week. 4. Effective Learning: Ask Questions Ahead of Time 5. Effective Learning: Understand How Your Mind Learns

Critical Thinking Topics 1: 1. Critical Thinking Process 2. Logic & Critical Thinking 3. Perception Process 4. Perceptual Blocks to Clear Critical Thinking

The Matrix Video Clip: The Utter Importance of Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking Process Chart Decision Truth= Personal Bias Assumptions Perception Experience Parents Culture Media Environment Biology Etc. View of Reality Ethics Values Morals Result Actual Reality Source Good Character The habitual way in which we apply our view of reality to our decisions on a consistent basis. Help Human Limitation

Decision Truth= Personal Bias Assumptions Perception Experience Parents Culture Media Environment Biology Etc. View of Reality Ethics Values Morals Result Actual Reality Source Good Character The habitual way in which we apply our view of reality to our decisions on a consistent basis. Help Human Limitation Hurt Emotional Reactivity Fear Pain Laziness Risk Interpretation of results Acceptance vs. Denial Merrills Reality Model

Decision Truth= Personal Bias A ssumptions P erception E xperience P arents C ulture M edia E nvironment B iology e tc. View of Reality Ethics Values Morals Result Actual Reality Good Character The habitual way in which we apply our view of reality to our decisions on a consistent basis. Help Human Limitation Hurt Emotional Reactivity Fear Pain Laziness Risk Interpretation of results Acceptance vs. Denial Source Merrills Reality Model Expected Result

Meet & Greet

Logic & Critical Thinking: + What Is Logic? + Star Trek + When Logic Can Help – and When it Cannot

Critical Thinking and Perception: + The Perceptual Process + Problems of Human Limitation + The Matrix + The Hubble Deep Field View + etc.

Hubble Deep Field

Some Factors in Perception A Few Examples: + Emotion + Environment + Language + Genetics + Family / Culture / Upbringing + Five Senses + Experience + Convenience / Laziness / Comfort + Fear + Concern over Others Opinions + etc. etc. etc. + Self-Image + View of Truth, World View, Values, Religion, …

Nine Dots Puzzle: Connect the Dots – With as few lines as possible, Without retracing any lines, Without picking up your pen from the paper…

Critical Thinking Class 2 Startup: Check on Learning Teams Check on Questions Review Up To Now Briefly

Critical Thinking: Class 2 Language and Critical Thinking Critical Thinking and Persuasion

What Is Language? Language and the Brain Language as Thinking Words as Labels for… Language: Communication? Way of Experiencing…

Uses and Powers of Language The Tower of Babel Language Diversity: +Variations Between – and Within – Languages +Variations Among Language Users: Dialects (Do Accents, Let Class Do Accents… : )

Miscommunication: Language & Assumptions Students Offer Examples

Language & Our Decision- Making Chart:

Language, Emotion, Persuasion and Critical Thinking Discuss Billy Joel Song, Lyrics Factors in Persuasion Using Emotion Bypassing Critical Faculties …

Putting It Together: 1 How can people with different language bases communicate effectively? 2) Acting / Communication Exercise: Charades, … a. Do you agree or disagree with the statement "All of our thinking includes numerous assumptions"? a. What is your attitude toward risk? b. In order to change what you think, do you have to change what you feel? c. How has computer technology affected human language? d. How can critical thinking skills aid interaction in a global marketplace? e. How do global economics impact language development?

Assumptions If Time: An Affair to Remember To a great extent, critical thinking is the ability to detect and analyze the assumptions underlying the actions, decisions, and judgments in our lives. The role of assumptions in critical thinking consists of three steps: a. Becoming aware that assumptions exist b. Making the assumptions explicit c. Assessing their accuracy and validity by asking: 1) Do these assumptions make sense? 2) Do they fit reality as we have understood and lived it? Under what conditions do they seem to hold true? Under what conditions do they seem false?

Logic and Critical Thinking: 1. Information Gathering 2. Information Analysis A. Induction B. Deductive Syllogism

Logic & Problem-Solving + Diamond of Logic + Venn (Circle) Diagrams + Other Info Representation & Analysis Structures + Work & Home & Life-Goal Examples