Critical Thinking, Science and the Internet

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Critical Thinking, Science and the Internet

• Introduction to Immunology
• Spring, 01
• Jory P. Weintraub, Ph.D.

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Critical Thinking

• What is CRITICAL THINKING? What is CRITICAL
  READING?
• Why is it necessary to study CRITICAL THINKING?
• What role does CRITICAL THINKING play in science?
• How does (how should?) CRITICAL THINKING affect
  the Internet user?

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What is CRITICAL THINKING?
Critical thinking is deciding rationally what to
or what not to believe. Stephen P. Norris, 1985
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What is CRITICAL THINKING?
Critical thinking is careful and deliberate
determination of whether to accept, reject, or
suspend judgment. Moore and Parker, 1994
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What is CRITICAL THINKING?
The purpose of critical thinking isto achieve
understanding, evaluate view points, and solve
problems. Since all three areas involve the
asking of questions, we can say that critical
thinking is the questioning or inquiry we engage
in when we seek to understand, evaluate, or
resolve. Victor P. Maiorana, 1992
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What is CRITICAL THINKING?
Critical thinking is reasonably and reflectively
deciding what to believe or do." Ennis, 1985
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What is CRITICAL THINKING?
Ultimately, the best definition of Critical
Thinking may be your own
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Attributes of a Critical Thinker

• asks pertinent questions
• assesses statements and arguments
• is able to admit a lack of understanding or
  information
• has a sense of curiosity
• is interested in finding new solutions
• is able to clearly define a set of criteria for
  analyzing ideas
• is willing to examine beliefs, assumptions, and
  opinions and weigh them against facts
• listens carefully to others and is able to give
  feedback
• sees that critical thinking is a lifelong process
  of self-assessment
• suspends judgment until all facts have been
  gathered and considered
• looks for evidence to support assumption and
  beliefs
• is able to adjust opinions when new facts are
  found
• looks for proof
• examines problems closely
• is able to reject information that is incorrect
  or irrelevant

• S. Ferrett, 1997

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Critical Thinking

• What is CRITICAL THINKING? What is CRITICAL
  READING?
• Why is it necessary to study CRITICAL THINKING?
• What role does CRITICAL THINKING play in science?
• How does (how should?) CRITICAL THINKING affect
  the Internet user?

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Passage 1

• Arguments against gun-ownership are based
  primarily on myth. Lets examine several of
  these myths more closely
• Myth 1 Most murders are committed by
  ordinary people who strike out in a fit of
  rage. In fact, the vast majority of murders are
  committed by career criminals.
• Myth 2 Guns are more likely to be used against
  their owners by intruders, and it is therefore
  safer to ban gun ownership altogether. Reality
  guns are more often used to repel crimes (645,000
  per year) than commit crimes (581,000 per year).
• Myth 3 Gun owners are ignorant, violent and
  uneducated. Fact many famous, educated and
  productive members of our society, including
  Eleanor Roosevelt, Joan Rivers, Donald Trump and
  Ted Turner, own guns.
• Myth 4 The second amendment protects only the
  states rights to arm a militia. Reality This
  is a recent interpretation, based on modern
  society. Original drafters of the constitution,
  including Samuel Adams and James Madison, wanted
  to guarantee the people their right to keep and
  bear their private arms.
• Arguments based on myths are not valid. Gun
  ownership is legal, and should remain that way.

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Passage 1 Questions

• How many murders are committed by ordinary
  people? What is meant by career criminals?
• Do the authors arguments pertain to all guns
  (i.e. assault weapons, semi-automatic weapons,
  sawed-off shotguns)?
• Where did the author obtain his/her statistics?
  Sources were not cited. Is this information
  really accurate?
• How many gun-related deaths occur each year? How
  many gun owners actually die after intruders have
  obtained their guns? How many of the 581,000
  gun-related crimes could have been avoided with
  stricter gun control laws?
• Are the celebrities mentioned authorities on
  handgun-control/handgun-rights issues?
• Is a strict interpretation of the second
  amendment invalid simply because it is recent?

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Passage 2
Cigarette smoking does not necessarily represent
a risk to my health. In fact, many scientists
have stated that they have been unable to
conclusively demonstrate a relationship between
cigarettes and disease. 10 of lung cancer
patients have never smoked a cigarette. How do
you explain that? My grandmother smoked from the
age of 11 until her death at the age of 96, and
she never got lung cancer. Its a proven fact
that for the 1st year after quitting, the risk of
death for a new quitter actually goes up with
regard to his fellow smokers who keep
smoking. Besides, several studies have
demonstrated that stress causes cancer, and many
people smoke just to relieve stress, so smoking
may help prevent cancer.
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Critical Thinking

• What is CRITICAL THINKING? What is CRITICAL
  READING?
• Why is it necessary to study CRITICAL THINKING?
• What role does CRITICAL THINKING play in science?
• How does (how should?) CRITICAL THINKING affect
  the Internet user?

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Critical Thinking and Science

• The Scientific Method
• Select a problem and derive an hypothesis
• Review relevant research
• Develop method to test hypothesis
• Collect data
• Perform statistical analysis
• Interpret results, draw conclusions

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Passage 3
There are numerous arguments in support of the
view that HIV is not the cause of AIDS. For
example, the body develops a vigorous antibody
response to the virus. In addition, only a very
small number of CD4 T cells (the ones which are
depleted in AIDS patients) appear to become
infected by HIV Furthermore, viruses cant
distinguish between males and females, yet only a
small number of AIDS patients are women. Finally,
many people infected with HIV dont have AIDS,
and many people who are HIV-negative show
symptoms of AIDS. Researchers around the world
are investing incredible amounts of valuable time
and money studying HIV. The reality is that a
cure for AIDS still appears to be a long way off.
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Passage 3 Thoughts and Feedback
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Passage 4
There is an abundance of indisputable evidence
within the scientific community that HIV is the
causative agent of AIDS. First off, HIV
fulfills all of Kochs postulates which are the
standard way to correlate a pathogen with a
disease or syndrome. Further, HIV can be
detected in virtually every individual with AIDS.
In addition, HIV and AIDS are invariably and
consistently linked in time, place and population
group according to numerous studies from the CDC.
Lastly, drugs which prevent or impede HIV
replication consistently and significantly lessen
the severity of AIDS. Researchers around the
world are investing incredible amounts of
valuable time and money studying HIV. The
reality is that a cure for AIDS still appears to
be a long way off.
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Passage 4 Thoughts and Feedback
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Critical Thinking and Science

• DHMO (DiHydrogen-Monoxide)

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Critical Thinking

• What is CRITICAL THINKING? What is CRITICAL
  READING?
• Why is it necessary to study CRITICAL THINKING?
• What role does CRITICAL THINKING play in science?
• How does (how should?) CRITICAL THINKING affect
  the Internet user?

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Critical Thinking and the Internet

• The Internet Risk Ease of access to information
  vs. ease of dissemination of information.
• Should you believe everything you read on the
  Internet? Of course not, but what should you
  believe?

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Todays Assignment.