WGU D265: Critical Thinking: Section 1

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D265 -

17 terms Emi Why is it important to think critically?Individuals can evaluate information objectively, consider multiple perspectives, and analyze complex situations more effectively Which definition(s) of critical thinking are most closely aligned to your current thinking?The definition about "knowing oneself enough to avoid biases and errors of thought" describes me the best Which definition(s) of critical thinking do you need more practice or awareness around?A definition I need to improve on is "understanding arguments, reasons, and evidence" Being curious and thinking creativelynot believing things are simple and settled, being willing to go the next step and think about all of the possible positions and arguments before settling into a position.Separating the thinker from the position:being able to discuss a position without attacking or judging the person holding the position, without getting caught up in our own attachment to the position or its antithesis, and without having our identities wrapped up in a particular viewpoint or opinion.Knowing oneself enough to avoid biases and errors of thoughts Being aware of the flawed patterns of reasoning we are disposed to engage in, being aware of cognitive biases and mental heuristics (rough rules that work well enough to survive don't work in many cases) that we're prone as a species to have, all in the interest of counteracting these biases and flaws

Having intellectual honesty, humility, and charity Being honest about what we know and how we know it, what evidence we have and what questions are not yet settled; being humble in recognizing the vast number of things we don't yet know or understand and in recognizing how very difficult it is to truly know anything at all and so recognizing that the standards are high and we, most of the time, don't meet them (and that's okay); and being charitable or having the disposition to attribute the best intentions and most sophisticated positions and arguments that we can imagine to own opponents in arguments Understanding arguments, reasons, and evidence thinking carefully about thinking, about arguments and positions.What new understanding do you have around propositions?Any proposition may be affirmed or denied Why do you think it is fundamental to understand the definition for propositions?Proposition mirrors the world and explains how world is arranged in an orderly manner PropositionsStatements that can be true or false.Non-PropositionsNot statements about matters of fact. They do not make a claim that can be true or false ExhortLet's go get dinner! Let's go hiking on Tuesday!CommandGo to the store later to buy me some cheese. Don't do that.Plead/RequestWould you please stop that? Please read me a bedtime story!QuestionWhat is the capital of Florida? How much do pineapples cost?PerformI hereby adjourn this meeting. I pronounce you husband and wife.Which sentence is a non-proposition?Where are the keys to my car?Did the company really close that deal? It has had a great year. Where is the president right now? Let's go ask whether the deal was closed.In the above paragraph, which sentence expresses a proposition?

• Where is the president right now?
• Did the company really close that deal?
• Let's go ask whether the deal was closed.
• It has had a great year.

It has had a great year What is the difference between simple and complex propositions?Simple propositions are declaritive sentences which do not contain a connective.A complex proposition contains the connective "and" which connects two separate propositions.

Can you recall a time when someone made a host of claims in a single sentence?When my parents say... "You need to focus on school" Why is it important to break down complex propositions into parts?The concept of propositions is relevant because it allows us to state or restate claims in an argument to make the argument clearer or to structure the argument so it can be put into logical form as the statement we make captures the same exact meaning or propositional content Simple PropositionsHave no internal logic structure, meaning whether they are true or false does not depend on whether a part of them is true or false. They are simply true or false on their own.Complex PropositionsHave internal logic structure, meaning they are composed of simple propositions.Whether they are true or false depends on whether their parts are true or false.Which sentence expresses a complex proposition? The cat ate the food, but did not like it.If the computer is not fixed, then the company either needs to buy a new one or will not be able to keep up productivity.Which of the following breaks down the complex proposition above into the simple propositions?

• If the computer is not fixed, then the company needs to

buy a new one. The company will not be able to keep up productivity.

• The computer is not fixed. The company needs to buy a

new computer. The company will not be able to keep up productivity.

• The computer is not fixed. The company either needs to

buy a new one or will not be able to keep up productivity.

• The company does not have enough computers.

The computer is not fixed. The company needs to buy a new one or will not be able to keep up productivity Where have you witnessed fallacies in your interactions or discussions?I have witnessed fallacies when my students come to me with invalid arguments about situations What new insight have you gained around formal and informal fallacies?Formal Fallacies (Form) are a defect or error traceable to the very structure (or form) of the argument. Informal Fallacies (content) are a defect which can be detected only by reference to the content of an argument How do you think it might be beneficial for people to study fallacies?It teaches you to identify these errors in other people's arguments and avoid them in your own How can you guard against using an informal fallacy as a weapon of humiliation?