Strengthening Critical Thinking Skills

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Strengthening Critical Thinking Skills

• by Elizabeth A. Johnson
• College Board Consultant

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How do these three ideas fit together?

• Everyone has a right to an opinion.
• Some opinions are better than others.
• Some opinions are wrong.

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What is a fact?

• A fact is a statement that can be verified by an
  independent observer.
• A fact cannot be shown to be false.

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Inference and assertion

• An inference is a statement about the unknown
  that is based on known facts.
• An assertion is a statement about the unknown.
  Supported by evidence, it is less certain than a
  fact.

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Fact, inference, assertion
Degree of Uncertainty
Assertion
Inference
Fact
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Comparing degrees of certainty

• The certainty of a fact may be cast in doubt if
  new information appears.
• Inference?
• Assertions give meaning to facts.
• Does the table represent a true fact?

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Dichotomies

• A dichotomy is a statement offering two mutually
  exclusive alternatives.
• It takes the form A v A, where v means or
• Is gender a true dichotomy?

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Literal vs. Figurative Truth

• A fact is literally true 1 1 2
• Proverbs are examples of figurative truth
• Slow and steady wins the race.
• He who hesitates is lost.
• Power corrupts absolute power corrupts
  absolutely.
• An assertion is half as true as a fact.

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Varieties of Truth

• Scientific, empirical truth
• Social sciences (Psychology, Sociology,
  Economics)
• Historical truth Power corrupts.
• Literary truth A theme of a novel
• Be true! Be true! The Scarlet Letter
• Religious/Philosophical truth An eye for an eye
  only makes the whole world blind. -- Gandhi

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Qualities of Truth
Science Social Sciences Humanities
Universal May vary according to time, place May vary according to time, place
Finds answers to answerable questions Finds answers to answerable questions Offers answers to unanswerable questions
Replicable May be replicable Truth of human experience.
Math, logic, physics, chemistry, biology Psychology, sociology, Anthropology, econ. History, philosophy, literature, religion
A v A A v A is ideal A A
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Answerable vs. Unanswerable Questions

• What day is today?
• Where were you born?
• What is the capital of France?
• Can Mars sustain life?
• Are electrons particles or waves, or both?

• Should the Celtics hire a new coach?
• Is democracy the best form of government?
• Why do good people suffer?
• Who am I?
• Why are we here?

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Two Types of Opinions

• Personal opinions are
• neither true nor false
• unique to each individual
• All equally valid
• Personal opinions reflect ones taste.

• A reasoned opinion may be supported by facts,
  reasons, and other evidence.
• Are all equally valid?

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Personal vs. Reasoned Opinions

• The Beatles are the best rock group ever!
• Face jewelry is stylish.
• JFK was a great president.
• I know what I like, and I dont like Picasso.

• The earth was formed 4 billion years ago.
• Humans are the only tool-making animal.
• The Civil War was caused by Northern industrial
  expansion.
• Shakespeare is the greatest writer who ever
  lived.

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Aesthetics

• Classical philosophy considers three main
  questions
• What is Truth? Epistemology
• What is Justice? Politics
• What is Beauty? Aesthetics
• Aesthetics asserts the existence of objective
  knowledge regarding the nature of beauty.
• Modern aesthetics tends to blend truth and beauty

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Uneducated vs. Educated Opinion

• A The Celtics should hire a new coach.
• Segregated schools preserve the natural order of
  society.
• A Sonic Youth music sounds like a rusty washing
  machine.

• B The Celtics should hire a new coach.
• Gilligans research supports the value of
  single-sex education.
• B Sonic Youth is an original, seminal band.

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Educated opinions

• Rebecca Nurse was a witch.
• Disease is caused by mal-aria (bad air) or
  demons.
• Humans and chimps are nearly identical, owing to
  similar genetics.
• The education of women is the key to solving most
  social and economic problems of the poor.

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How do these three ideas fit together?

• Everyone has a right to an opinion.
• Some opinions are better than others.
• Some opinions are wrong.