Sum Ergo Cogito _ I Am Therefore I Think (paraphrase of Descartes)

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Sum Ergo Cogito _ I Am Therefore I Think
(paraphrase of Descartes)
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• Why is it important to be a critical thinker?
• Accelerating change
• Intensifying complexity
• Escalating interdependence
• Increasing danger

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The overview

• THE STANDARDS
• must be applied to
• THE ELEMENTS
• As we learn to develop
• INTELLECTUAL TRAITS

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The StandardsAll thinking must be assessed for
quality using universal intellectual standards

• Clarity
• Accuracy
• Precision
• Relevance

• Depth
• Breadth
• Logic

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The ElementsAll thinking can be analyzed by
identifying its eight elements

• We think for a Purpose, Goal, Objectives
• Within a Point of View
• Based on Assumptions
• Leading to Implications Consequences

• We use Information (data, evidence, facts,
  experiences
• To make Inferences Judgements
• Based on Concepts Theories
• To answer a question or solve a problem

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NICK - You Challenge my Assumptions

• He dances, skis, swims, bikes, loves, and makes
  us laugh

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An Example Genetically Modified Foods

• Purpose to investigate the health risks of GM
  foods.
• Point of View - That the sale of GM foods should
  be banned until the long-term impacts on humans
  and animals can be determined.
• Assumptions There are environmental hazards,
  human health risks and economic concerns with
  GMF.

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• Implication Consequences GMF could affect our
  immune systems, result in mono-crops, increase
  the level of allerginecity
• Evidence, Data Council of Canadians, Sierra
  Club of Canada, Cornell University, Iowa State
  University, Greenpeace)
• Inferences Interpretations The growth of GM
  crops should be halted until all of the risks
  have been identified and dealt with.

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• Concepts Theories - That corporations are more
  interested in profits than the long-term effects
  of GMFs.
• Question What are the human, health, economic,
  and ecological ramifications of GMFs?

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The TraitsThe ultimate goal of critical thinking
is to foster the development of intellectual
traits and dispositions

• Fair-mindedness
• Intellectual humility
• Intellectual courage
• Intellectual autonomy

• Intellectual empathy
• Intellectual perseverance
• Intellectual integrity
• Confidence in reason

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Traits

• Fair-mindedness- looking at other viewpoints
  (Monsanto)
• Intellectual Humility - What dont I know about
  GMFs.

• Intellectual Integrity - I need to hold myself to
  the same standards of evidence and proof as I do
  Monsanto.

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Two Barriers to Critical Thinking

• 1. Egocentric Thinking
• the tendency to view everything in the world in
  relation to oneself, to be self-centered.
• To see the world in self-serving terms

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Barriers contd

• 2. Sociocentric Thinking
• Tendency to view everything in the world in
  relationship to ones group, to be
  group-centered.
• Because most people are egocentric, they form
  groups that are centered on themselves

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Two primary tendencies of egocentric and
sociocentric thought

• Seeking to get what the individual (or the group)
  wants without regard to the rights and needs of
  others
• Rationalizing the beliefs and behaviours of the
  individual (or the group) irrespective of whether
  those beliefs and behaviours are rational.

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The overview

• THE STANDARDS
• must be applied to
• THE ELEMENTS
• As we learn to develop
• INTELLECTUAL TRAITS