S2_E5_Video_Critical Thinking: Quality and Clarity of Thought

People talk about critical thinking, logic, and reasoning but what constitutes all of the above?  How do you conceptualize critical thinking to discipline your thoughts and reasoning skills?  Wouldn't it be nice if we could reduce critical thinking into its constituent parts and also apply some standards by which the quality of your thought could be measured?  Well you're in luck!  That is what we will discuss in this episode.

 

Elements of Thought: MDMP

-Purpose: Goals and objectives

-Question at issue/at hand: problem, issue

-Information: data, facts, reasons, observations, experiences, evidence

-Interpretation and Inference: conclusions, solutions

-Concepts: theories, definitions, laws, principles, models

-Assumptions: presuppositions, axioms, taking for granted (valid, necessary)

-Implications and Consequences

-Point of View: frames of reference, perspectives, orientations (beliefs, experiences, antecedents)

 

Universal Intellectual Standards: making arguments and assertions properly

-Clarity: prerequisite for assessing other standards. "What can be done about education in the US" lacks clarity

-Accuracy: trueness, can be validated/confirmed

-Precision: specificity, detail, granularity

-Relevance: connection to the question, bearing on the problem or issue

-Depth: not superficial, not addressing the complexities of an issue adequately

-Breadth: comprehensive, taking into account other perspectives or arguments

-Logic: thoughts and assertions that are mutually supporting, they follow from one another

-Fairness: Have we considered relevant viewpoint in good faith? Ensuring we are not misrepresenting a position or distorting information to fit our needs ie deliberate use of logical fallacies.