PGCT Chapter 1.ppt

Toronto Metropolitan University Faculty of Arts SSH105: Critical Thinking Professor David Hunter Chapter 1 The Nature and Value of Critical Thinking How to succeed in SSH105 Critical Thinking 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Attend class and pay careful attention. Attend tutorials!!!!!! Ask questions! Stay...

Toronto Metropolitan University Faculty of Arts SSH105: Critical Thinking Professor David Hunter Chapter 1 The Nature and Value of Critical Thinking How to succeed in SSH105 Critical Thinking 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Attend class and pay careful attention. Attend tutorials!!!!!! Ask questions! Stay on top of the material! Attend the Student Learning Groups. (More details to follow.) Practice, practice, practice. Study in groups. The Nature of critical thinking Critical thinking is reasonable and reflective thinking aimed at deciding what to believe and what to do. Critical Thinking and Knowledge Critical thinking can help us to attain knowledge. Knowledge is justified, true belief. What is Truth? Three attitudes one might have to claims in some subject matter: Realism Relativism Nihilism Relativism and Disagreement Argument from Disagreement (for Moral Relativism) (i) There is considerable sincere disagreement about morality. (ii) If there is considerable sincere disagreement about morality, then moral relativism is true. (iii) So moral relativism is true. Critical Thinking presupposes Realism It is best to assume that Realism is the proper attitude to take towards some subject matter, unless we have REALLY good reason to think otherwise. The strategies and methods we will study all assume that truth is independent of our beliefs. What is Justification? A belief is justified if it is based or grounded in good reasons. Different kinds of reasons pragmatic emotional epistemic (a.k.a. evidence) Critical Thinking requires that our beliefs be based on sufficient and acceptable evidence. When Reasons Conflict Two bits of evidence are in direct conflict when one indicates that something is true and the other indicates that it is false. If one piece is stronger than the other, then the first overrides the second. When Reasons Conflict Two bits of evidence are in indirect conflict when one indicates that the other is not acceptable. If the first is stronger than the second, then the first undermines the second. When Reasons Conflict Sometimes when evidence conflicts, the proper thing for a critical thinker to do is to withhold belief. Critical Thinking and Personal Autonomy Critical Thinking can help us to avoid prejudice. Jumping to a conclusion is BAD for your health! Pre-Judging Critical Thinking and Personal Autonomy But critical thinking can also help you make up our own mind. Philosophers have a word for this: autonomy. Some Mistakes to Avoid Personalizing Reasons: it is a mistake to personalize reasons by treating them as if they belonged to someone. This is a mistake for two reasons. 1. Epistemic reasons are universal: if they are reasons for one person to believe something, then they are reasons for everyone to believe it. 2. Epistemic reasons are objective: whether a piece of evidence is sufficient or acceptable is an objective matter. What to do for next week Read Chapter 1 carefully. Do all of the chapter exercises, aside from those at the very end of the Chapter. (Answers are on D2L.) Attend your tutorial!!!!! Start learning the course’s key concepts. Memorize the definitions! Read Chapter 2 in preparation for next week’s class. Start preparing study notes and cue cards!