What is critical thinking?

johnson1010 · Sat Jul 04, 2009 3:27 pm

Evolution.
Challenging the geo-centric model of the solar system.
genetic theory.
exploring the electromagnetic spectrum.
development of the cable and high-speed network.
lasers.
particle acceleration.
detective work.
immunization.
architecture.
athletic training regiments.
buying new computers.
being on a diet.
determining if a person you are dating is a dead-beat.

everything, everything, everything, past present and future, all iterations of anything that requires thought can benefit from looking at assumptions critically.

And if you look these up on wikipedia you probably won't find any credit given to critical thinking, because it is not a movement. They probably don't credit deductive reasoning, simple logic, arithmetic, or the English language there either.

johnson1010 · Sat Jul 04, 2009 3:29 pm


	Quote: I refuse to believe in things that don't work.

your posts indicate otherwise.

Thomas Hood · Sat Jul 04, 2009 3:32 pm


	Suzanne wrote: Heil to cardinal hunters!

Cardinalis cardinalis is a protected species under the U.S. Migratory Bird Act, and that's just the earthly protective influence

But haven't you read some of your aunt's books, Suzanne? Please give us something concrete -- quotes from her books or discussion you have had with her.

Suzanne · Sat Jul 04, 2009 3:45 pm

Thomas Hood wrote:


	Quote: Please give us something concrete -- quotes from her books or discussion you have had with her.

I found it only polite to inform her that her name has been mentioned on BookTalk, so maybe she will reply herself.

She is always searching for new perspectives on critical thinking. She may choose to use your perspective in her next lecture at Oxford, an opposing view I would imagine. If this is the case, I will extend my politeness to you, and send you a transcript.

Thomas Hood · Sat Jul 04, 2009 4:00 pm


	johnson1010 wrote: Evolution. Challenging the geo-centric model of the solar system. genetic theory. exploring the electromagnetic spectrum. development of the cable and high-speed network. lasers. particle acceleration. detective work. immunization. architecture. athletic training regiments. buying new computers. being on a diet. determining if a person you are dating is a dead-beat. everything, everything, everything, past present and future, all iterations of anything that requires thought can benefit from looking at assumptions critically.

Johnson, please pick one thing and show me in detail how critical thinking led to its achievement.

The notion that problems are solved by an examination of assumptions -- the Socratic Method -- is false, but seems plausible. The Socratic Method is no more than an infantile technique to frustrate parents:

Parent: Johnny, do x.
Johnny: Why?
Parent: Because ...
Johnny: Why?
Parent: Because ...
Johnny: Why? . . . .

All of us (I imagine) have had the fun of such childish tricks -- until we got smacked. Some of us outgrow them. Critical thinkers don't. Lest you think I am fabricating, you will find a critical thinker advocating such a destructive practice here:

http://www.insightassessment.com/pdf_fi ... hy2006.pdf

Thomas Hood · Sat Jul 04, 2009 4:16 pm


	Suzanne wrote: I found it only polite to inform her that her name has been mentioned on BookTalk, so maybe she will reply herself. She is always searching for new perspectives on critical thinking. She may choose to use your perspective in her next lecture at Oxford, an opposing view I would imagine.

Yes, very good of you to notify your aunt. She is welcome to use anything I have posted to BookTalk anyway she wishes -- blanket permission. But in the meantime, could you not be your aunt's champion and uphold her ideas about critical thinking?

Suzanne · Sat Jul 04, 2009 4:26 pm

Thomas Hood wrote:


	Quote: Give me one example of how critical thinking has helped anyone to solve a problem or discover new knowledge.

WallMart's accounts receivable turnover ratio is 121.4 %, compared to Target's accounts receivable turnover ratio of 8.5%. Now, this would at first glance suggest that WallMart stock would be the better choice if you are in the market for buying stocks. However, the 121.4 % accounts receivable turnover ratio looks like a red flag. Further investigation needs to happen, more information needs to be found to determine which company will provide a larger profit for your investment.

Of course, searching for accounts receivable turnover ratio between WallMart and Target (or any company) in itself is an example of how critical thinking will be useful when trying to make the best investment choice. Realizing that the info may have a potential problem, and searching a bit further, is another example.

Asking my neighbor, "hey, what do you like better, WallMart or Target"? is not going to help to make an informed discision.

Suzanne · Sat Jul 04, 2009 5:08 pm

Thomas Hood wrote:


	Quote: Give me one example of how critical thinking has helped anyone to solve a problem or discover new knowledge.

I'm looking to purchase a puppy. I have three little kids, who have lots of friends that visit us. I love my neighbors Chow Chow so I buy one, because he is soooo cute. A year later, Chow Chow bites the face off one of my kids friends. However, this did not happen, the cuteness of my neighbors dog is not enough to make an informed choice.

Animal shelters are full of unwanted dogs because people buy dogs without doing any research or investigation before buying. "Which dog breed would suit my family"?, "Which dog breed would suit my lifestyle"? Critical questions, critical thinking. Thinking not based on emotions, or cuteness.

http://www.petsdo.com/blog/top-ten-10-m ... mment-4788

Do you live in a large complex Tom, sounds like you have lots of neighbors. :hmm:

Thomas Hood · Sat Jul 04, 2009 5:10 pm


	Suzanne wrote: WallMart's accounts receivable turnover ratio is 121.4 %, compared to Target's accounts receivable turnover ratio of 8.5%. Now, this would at first glance suggest that WallMart stock would be the better choice if you are in the market for buying stocks. However, the 121.4 % accounts receivable turnover ratio looks like a red flag. Further investigation needs to happen, more information needs to be found to determine which company will provide a larger profit for your investment. Of course, searching for accounts receivable turnover ratio between WallMart and Target (or any company) in itself is an example of how critical thinking will be useful when trying to make the best investment choice. Realizing that the info may have a potential problem, and searching a bit further, is another example.

Thank you for this effort, Suzanne. It is the most concrete thing a critical thinker has posted to BookTalk. I must point out that a ratio is not normally given as a percent, so maybe you should hold off on buying stock. However, what I am looking for is how any of Ellis's Seven Virtues (my fun name, I admit) of Critical Thinking (Intellectual Humility, Intellectual Courage, Intellectual Empathy, Intellectual Integrity, Intellectual Perseverance, Faith In Reason and, Fairmindedness) are exemplified in your example. I see no relationship, and so would suppose that your example is not an example of critical thinking.

Tom

Suzanne · Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:12 pm

Thomas Hood wrote:


	Quote: I must point out that a ratio is not normally given as a percent, so maybe you should hold off on buying stock.

Yes! You are correct about the ratios. I am sorry!

To all members of BookTalk, I, Suzanne have given incorrect information regarding the relationship between ratios and percentages. This has been brought to my attention by another member. Please treat this information as false.

Thomas Hood wrote:


	Quote: However, what I am looking for is how any of Ellis's Seven Virtues (my fun name, I admit) of Critical Thinking (Intellectual Humility, Intellectual Courage, Intellectual Empathy, Intellectual Integrity, Intellectual Perseverance, Faith In Reason and, Fairmindedness) are exemplified in your example. I see no relationship, and so would suppose that your example is not an example of critical thinking.

Thomas Hood wrote:


	Quote: Give me one example of how critical thinking has helped anyone to solve a problem or discover new knowledge.

Again, I am so sorry, thank you for bringing it to my attention. So, once a request is answered and examples are provided to you, and you realize that you can not refute them, they are dismissed and you move on to another request. Do I have it right now? Praise critical thinking, I think you have taught me something.

Thomas Hood · Sat Jul 04, 2009 7:54 pm


	Suzanne wrote: Animal shelters are full of unwanted dogs because people buy dogs without doing any research or investigation before buying.

This is true, but there are other causes: people divorce, loose their jobs, homes, health, investment wealth, and so on, and are forced by such circumstances beyond their control to abandon their pets. I live in the country (anyone within four miles is a neighbor) and have never bought a pet. Many desperate persons take their pets into the country and abandon them. I have even seen a monkey in the woods. Some of these animals are beautiful, and when I can I find homes for them. The cat I have now was abandoned when a couple divorced and neither could take the cat with them.

But here, again, investigation and research are not part of The Seven Virtues of Critical Thinking (Intellectual Humility, Intellectual Courage, Intellectual Empathy, Intellectual Integrity, Intellectual Perseverance, Faith In Reason and, Fairmindedness) unless, perhaps, the research was being done by a committee, as Peter Facione did in using the Delphi method to define critical thinking.

Tom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi_method

Suzanne · Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:58 pm

Thomas Hood wrote:


	Quote: Many desperate persons take their pets into the country and abandon them.

You can see this a lot around my way, typically during hunting season. The shelters are full of hunting dogs, many pure breds, during the month of October. I spent a great number of years participating in the Burlington County Kennel Club, my position was to call rescue societies, they would come and take the pure breds out of the shelters. I had difficulty accepting that the non pure bred dogs were disgarded. Problem is, many people want a hunting dog, but do not want to take the tremdous amount of time it takes to train them. If the dog dissapoints them, they just leave them in the woods. It's not the dogs fault, it's the owners fault.

A monkey huh, that's just sad.

Interbane · Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:13 pm

TH: "The notion that problems are solved by an examination of assumptions -- the Socratic Method -- is false, but seems plausible. The Socratic Method is no more than an infantile technique to frustrate parents:"

Parent: Johnny, believe in God.
Johnny: Why?
Parent: Because ...
Johnny: Why?
Parent: Because ...
Johnny: Why? . . .

*smack!

An examination of assumptions is a good thing. What good is a proposition that is taken for granted? What does it mean to take a proposition for granted? It means that for some reason, that proposition has never been scrutinized by you or another to determine the correctness of it's contents. Such assumptions should always be brought to light and examined, as long as it's done in fair measure. To ignore them is to ignore a potentially false belief system cornerstone.

Thomas, I gave you a good example of critical thinking in my response to why you think virtues are inherent in the universe. You ignored it and continue to rant and rave like a madman thumping a bible on a street corner. "Don't challenge my assumptions!"

Suzanne · Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:42 pm

Aussie_Lifter wrote:


	Quote: In an interview, Martel says that the island was designed to test the readers' belief in the story. To show how much we are prepared to believe if we need/want to.

Suzanne wrote:


	Quote: This is really interesting, thank you for this insite. This is the only part of the book I saw to be real. I wonder what that says about me. I'll have to give this book a second read.

This is from the "Life of Pi" thread. As I wrote it I realized that I may have haphazardly provided examples of the critical thinking "virtues".

Intellictual Humility:
I have admitted that I may not have made the correct discision, "I'll have to give this book a second read"

Intellectual Courage:
I am admitting that my views on the book "Life of Pi", may have been wrong, and I am willing to accept anothers opinion in my evalutaion.
"Thank you for this insite".

Intellectual Empathy:
I have admitted that I have benefited from the views of another. "I wonder what this says about me".

Intellectual Integrity:
I believe the author of this book is a credible source, I can now research the author, and scrutinize not only what Aussie Lifter wrote, but I can revisit my own thoughts, "This is the only part of the book I thought was real".

Intellectual Perseverance:
With new information, I will now "read the book" again, to truly understand it's meaning.

Faith In Reason and, Fairmindedness:
Assie Lifter had new information, presented it in a resonable, rational way, I have used reason and fairmindedness, and have accepted this new information, and will condider it upon my second reading of "The Life of Pi".

Suzanne wrote:


	Quote: This is really interesting, thank you for this insite. This is the only part of the book I saw to be real. I wonder what that says about me. I'll have to give this book a second read.

This certainly is not a life altering, or earth shattering example of how the virtues of critical thinking can work. It will however, provide me with a better understanding of "The Life of Pi". And, it does go to show how a critical thinker, without even realizing it, utlilizies them.

Thomas Hood · Sun Jul 05, 2009 2:24 pm


	Interbane wrote: Thomas, I gave you a good example of critical thinking in my response to why you think virtues are inherent in the universe. You ignored it and continue to rant and rave like a madman thumping a bible on a street corner. "Don't challenge my assumptions!"

Oh, Interbane, I would rather stand on a street corner and rant and rave and thump a bible than use derogatory imagery to describe an opponent. I am unable to locate your "good example of critical thinking" perhaps because of the BookTalk bug. Would you please post it here and indicate how your thinking exemplifies the Seven Virtues of Critical Thinking?

Would you care to examine your assumption that an examination of assumptions is a good thing?

Tom

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