Scientific Method and Critical Thinking

The Case of Caroline

House Cleaning• Great job on Week 4

• Submit your papers to the Writing Center before submitting them to me.

• Communication Level is great!

• If you are playing catch-up; this is best time

• Those of you on track enjoy the easier load this week.

Case of Caroline

• During this week's seminar, we will be discussing critical thinking and the Scientific Method.

• One of the connections important in this week’s reading material is the connection between strong critical thinking and problem solving skills and your ability to succeed academically and professionally.

• Many of your college assignments and work-related responsibilities will require you to apply your critical thinking and problem solving skills.

• Now is the time to start working on improving these valuable skills.

Case of Caroline

• We will discuss the "Case of Caroline." Caroline works as a medical office manager at a local physician’s office.

• In her position, she has helped develop more efficient procedures and has identified and solved several challenges for the office.  

• She has always been interested in problem solving and loves puzzles, games, and other tactile activities.

• Caroline has said she does not consider herself a critical thinker, but when pressed she could not define critical thinking clearly.  

Case of Caroline

• Considering Caroline's skills and experience, is she a critical thinker?

• How can Caroline better understand what critical thinking means?

• What is critical thinking? Use your own words to define this concept, but avoid the terms "critical," "thought," and "thinking."

Critical Thinking

• “Critical thinking” refers to a disciplined approach or analysis (breakdown) and evaluation (scrutiny) of information.

• It is “critical” in that it is methodical and deliberate, in contrast to random and coincidental.

• Critical thinking is a crucial part of a lifelong learner’s responsibility as he/she gains knowledge; it is how the learner discovers how to apply knowledge to real life.

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Critical Thinking

• How important is critical thinking? Why?

• How do you use critical thinking in every day life? Provide specific examples.

• Is it possible to “over think” a situation?

Fallacies

What is a fallacy?

Fallacies

Simply put, a fallacy is a mistake in reasoning and there are several common fallacies that can be discussed in seminar

or on the discussion board.

http://www.fallacyfiles.org/

Fallacies

• Appeal to Authority – the person of authority is not really an expert. Dr. McDreamy says we should all walk on our hands 15 minutes a day.

• Appeal to Emotion – when someone manipulates another person’s emotions. Jimmy will be really hurt if you don’t go to the play.

 

• Appeal to Fear - fear created without evidence. If we don’t stay in Iraq, the terrorists will follow us home.

 

Fallacies

• Appeal to Flattery – flattery is presented instead of evidence. I really like your teaching style Professor Smith. You’re the best instructor I’ve ever had. I didn’t bring in the doctor’s note saying that I had the bubonic plague, but you know I would never lie to you.

• Appeal to Novelty – if it’s new, it must be better. New and improved packaging and the product stays the same.

• Appeal to Pity – the appeal for sympathy is used instead of evidence. If I don’t get an “A” in this class, I won’t qualify for the scholarship and I might have to drop out of school.

Inferences, Fact, Option

Facts Inferences

Can be made only after an observation, experiences, etc. Can be made anytime, including the present and future

Stays with what can be observed, does not speculate or presume

Goes beyond what is observed, speculates as to intent, motivation, meaning, etc.

As close to certainty as humanly possible - would you bet your life on it?

Expressed in degrees of probability, potentiality, etc.

Professor Irving J. Lee (1909-1955) of Northwestern University, proposed a high standard for considering something as a "fact", vs. an "inference":

Characteristics of "Facts" vs. "Inferences"

A fact is information that is verifiable. An opinion is defined as a belief, conclusion, or judgment and is difficult to verify. Here’s a great, interactive site that allows you to test your “fact” observations:

Indicators of Opinion

 

• Evaluation Words: bad, good, pointless, worthless, and beneficial are examples of value judgments.

• Predictions: “Looks like it’s going to rain,” or “I think Bush will win the race.” Nothing that will happen in the future can be definitely proven in the present.

 • Abstract Words: love, strength, happiness, success, and misery are

examples of words that have no concrete or specific definition.

 • Emotional Words: nasty, wonderful, delightful, lovely are emotional

and unverifiable

 • Qualifying Words: all, none, always, and never usually point to an

opinion.

 

Indicators of Fact

• Concrete Words or Statistics: 12 inches equal 1 foot, it rained 3 inches, the building is 14 stories tall, are all measurable, and therefore verifiable.

 • Actual Statements about People, Events, and Places:

“Bill Clinton is a former President of the United States” and “Christmas is celebrated on December 25th in the United States”

You Try!

• What are some examples of inferences?

• What are some examples of facts?

• What are some examples of opinions?

You have to be cognizant of all in critical thinking.

Profile of the Critical Thinker

A critical thinker is an individual who:

• Reasons his/her way through to a position by considering the evidence available

• Knows what objections are likely to be raised to a position and knows how to examine positions by probing their assumptions and consequences

• Does not allow vivid information and anecdotal evidence to carry undue weight in his/her reflections

• Realizes the effect that emotions and feelings and prejudices may have on his/her thinking

Profile of the Critical Thinker

• Is willing to revise his/her position in light of the reasoning of others and of contrary evidence.

• Is sensitized to the demands of clarity and is able to detect objectionable vagueness in his/her own thinking and the thinking of others.

• Remains unimpressed by the sheer force of someone's rhetoric and conviction when these masquerade as substitutes for reasoning.

• Stops to think before arriving at a judgment; is able to say to himself/herself "Hold on a minute, here. Am I being swept away by the heat of the moment?"

• Thinks, judges and acts mindful of the limitations of time and information imposed by the situation.

From a speech given by Bill Dorman, a professor in the journalism and government departments at Sacramento State University, to faculty at the Reynolds School of Journalism - University of Nevada, Reno http://www.unr.edu/journalism/pro.school.crit_think.html

Questions???

• 1.  From your LASSI Assessment (Information Processing), would you consider critical thinking skills one of your strengths or one of your weaknesses?  

• 2.  How could you improve your critical thinking skills (use information from the readings and learning activities)?

Emotional Intelligence – EQ (anti-critical thinking)

It is said that the best way to lose an argument is to use emotion. This concept comes from author Daniel Goleman who believes that Emotional Intelligence has a direct bearing on success in the workplace.

Article by Goleman:

http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/emotional/goleman.htm

Take the test?

• A short EQ quiz can be taken here:

• http://quiz.ivillage.co.uk/uk_work/tests/eqtest.htm

(Because this exam is personal in nature, sharing is on a volunteer basis only)