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This page was translated from the German original, partly by machine. Some passages may read awkwardly or contain inaccuracies. When in doubt, please read the original.

What is Critical Thinking?

This page provides an overview of the Critical Thinking course taught by Allan Di Donato, a philosophy professor at Central Piedmont Community College, with nearly 20 years of experience.

 

Structured Summary: Critical Thinking Course Overview​

1. Introduction to the Course and Instructor​

  • Instructor: Alan Ditonato, teaching philosophy and humanities for nearly 20 years.
  • Course: Humanities 115 — Critical Thinking, designed to be accessible and engaging, especially for online learners.
  • Approach: Informal, conversational style, mirroring in-person teaching.
  • Background: Experience in logic, ethics, cultural studies, and leading study abroad programs.

2. Course Topics & Schedule​

  • Key Themes:
    • Cognitive Bias & Persuasion: Understanding how biases and rhetoric shape thinking and decision-making.
    • Advertising Tactics: Analyzing how media and store layouts exploit psychological predispositions.
    • Logic & Argumentation:
      • Informal Logic: Focus on fallacies (ambiguity, relevance, presumption).
      • Inductive Reasoning: Certainty, probability, scientific/historical methods, causal reasoning.
      • Deductive Logic: Categorical logic, propositional logic, syllogisms, and formal argument structures.
    • Philosophy of Science: Exploring the intersection of science, logic, and critical analysis.
  • Case Study: Darwinism vs. Intelligent Design — A controversial, interdisciplinary topic to apply critical thinking skills (science, education, politics, religion).
  • Goal: Develop skills to analyze arguments, spot fallacies, and distinguish science from pseudoscience.

3. What is Critical Thinking?​

  • Definition: The careful application of reason to determine the truth of claims.
  • Core Skills:
    • Distinguish rational from emotional claims.
    • Separate fact from opinion.
    • Identify logical flaws, contradictions, and ambiguous information.
    • Construct cogent, evidence-based arguments.
    • Avoid overstated conclusions and extraneous details.
    • Evaluate evidence and propose alternative options.

4. Key Vocabulary & Concepts​

  • Belief/Opinion/Judgment: Interchangeable terms for ideas held about a subject.
  • Claim: A statement with a truth value (true or false).
    • Objective Claim: Truth value independent of personal opinion (e.g., "Earth is round").
    • Subjective Claim: Truth value depends on personal opinion (e.g., "Vanilla ice cream is the best").
  • Truth: Correspondence between claims and reality (Aristotelian view).
  • Knowledge: Justified true belief (JTB theory).
  • Issue: A question or assertion requiring a decision about truth (e.g., "Should we adopt this policy?").

5. Types of Claims & Issues​

  • Factual (Objective) vs. Non-Factual (Subjective):
    • Factual: Can be verified by agreed-upon criteria (e.g., "There is a planet beyond Pluto").
    • Non-Factual: Based on personal taste or preference (e.g., "Eggplant is funnier than broccoli").
  • Value Judgments: Evaluative claims (e.g., "This is good/bad").
    • Moral Value Judgments: Ascribe moral qualities (e.g., "Stealing is wrong").
  • Subjectivism vs. Relativism:
    • Subjectivism: Moral/value judgments are purely personal opinions.
    • Relativism: Moral/value judgments vary by culture, but both can be "right."

6. Arguments: Structure & Types​

  • Components:
    • Premises: Supporting claims.
    • Conclusion: The claim being argued for.
  • Types:
    • Deductive: Conclusion necessarily follows from premises (certainty).
    • Inductive: Conclusion probably follows from premises (probability).
  • Note: Arguments aim to support claims, not just explain or persuade.

7. Practical Application​

  • Determining Subjective vs. Objective Issues:
    • If disagreement means at least one party is wrong, it’s likely objective.
    • If established methods exist to settle the question, it’s objective.
  • Examples:
    • Objective: "Africa has the most animal species."
    • Subjective: "Wilt Chamberlain was better than Michael Jordan."
    • Moral: "The death penalty is morally acceptable" (often debated as objective or subjective).

8. Course Takeaways​

  • Critical Thinking as a Process: Actively assess opinions, claims, and arguments.
  • Avoid Pitfalls: Clarify ambiguity, question assumptions, and seek evidence.
  • Interdisciplinary Relevance: Skills apply to science, philosophy, ethics, and everyday decision-making.

Next Steps: The course will delve into cognitive biases, followed by deeper exploration of logic, argumentation, and case studies.

Question for Reflection: How might you apply these critical thinking skills to a real-world issue you care about?