Critical Thinking and Logic Introduction

Critical Thinking and Logic

• Critical thinking is a crucial aspect of college or university education, focusing on fostering "higher-order thinking" skills, such as active, intelligent evaluation of ideas and information.
• The primary goal of a college education is to teach students how to think, rather than what to think, making them independent, self-directed thinkers and learners.
• Critical thinking enables individuals to navigate the complexities of the modern world, where information and misinformation are readily available.

The Concept of Critical Thinking

• Critical thinking involves skilled judgment or observation, thinking clearly and intelligently, and identifying, analyzing, and evaluating arguments and truth claims.
• It is a disciplined thinking process governed by high intellectual standards.
• Critical thinking is not the same as negative and fault-finding, but rather involves clear and intelligent thinking.

Explanations of Critical Thinking

• John Dewey, the American philosopher, psychologist, and educator, defined critical thinking as "active, persistent, and careful consideration of a belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds which support it and the further conclusions to which it tends."
• Dewey's definition emphasizes the importance of active, rather than passive, thinking.
• Robert Ennis, another prominent contributor to the development of critical thinking, defined it as "reasonable, reflective thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe or do."
• Simon Gieve's definition highlights the need for critical thinkers to examine the reasons for their actions, beliefs, and knowledge claims, requiring them to defend themselves and question others.

The Concept of Logic

• Logic is the analysis and appraisal of arguments, and can be briefly defined as the study of reasoning.
• Reasoning is a special kind of thinking, involving an attempt to pass on certain items of information (reasons) to others for which they are evidence.
• Logic can be looked at from two approaches: logic as sound reasoning and logic as a discipline.

Logic as Sound Reasoning and Logic as a Discipline

• Logic as sound reasoning involves a reasonable manner of speaking or writing, based on good judgment.
• Logic as a discipline is the study of the methods and principles used to distinguish correct reasoning from incorrect reasoning.
• The purpose of studying logic is to acquire the principles and methods to judge or test arguments, distinguishing good arguments from bad ones.

Importance of Logic

• Logic enables individuals to evaluate what others say or write, determining whether their arguments are good or bad.
• It helps to distinguish between argumentative discourse and non-argumentative discourse.
• Learning logic affords individuals the skill to communicate logically, evaluate arguments, and distinguish between good and bad arguments.

Assignment

• The assignment requires explaining the views of various critical thinkers, including Adrienne Rich, Albert Einstein, Anais Nin, Anatole France, and Aristotle, using the Glossary on Critical Thinking.

This quiz covers the basics of critical thinking and logic, including classical and contemporary explanations of critical thinking and an introduction to logic. Test your understanding of these essential concepts.