1—Course Overview; Introduction to Critical Thinking

8/9/2019 1—Course Overview; Introduction to Critical Thinking

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1—Introduction to

Critical Thinking

SJSU Spring 2014 Comm 41 Sect 04, 06

Minna Holopainen

SJSU Spring 2014 Comm 41 Holopainen

Photo Sonja Holopainen

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Agenda

Course overview

Introduction to critical thinking

Reasoning

Propositions

SJSU Spring 2014 Comm 41 HolopainenPhoto Sonja Holopainen

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Course overview:

your first homework

Course outline

Syllabus

Deliverables

Learning philosophy

How to study for COMM 41

Canvas LMS

Peer Mentor

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%2Bof%2Blife.jpg SJSU Spring 2014 Comm 41 Holopainen

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Introduction to Critical Thinking


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Critical Thinking

Evaluating whether we should be

convinced that some claim is true

or some argument is good.

Formulating good arguments.

Freewrite: How do these skills

apply in your life?


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Discourse

Explanation

Description

Argument


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Discourse

! Written or spoken communication

or debate (e.g., everyday

discourse, political discourse );

a formal discussion of a topic in

speech or writing

! Public discourse = conversation

or talk among ‘the people’ relating

to issues of common concern

! Discourse defines the socially

constructed boundaries for a

topic, and and it shapes our

perception and reasoning. It is

revealed in language.

Following Oxford Dictionary for Mac OSX, Michel Foucault, Judith Butler,

Anne Marie Todd.


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Explanation

! Makes something more

understandable

! Tells why or how something

happens/happened

! Contains two things:

1. explanandum, the thing which

is supposed to be explained

2. explanans, the statements that

do the actual explaining

The vase is broken because Houdini

jumped on the table and dropped it

on the floor. It wasn’t me.


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Argument

! Tells why a claim should be

accepted

! An attempt to convince

someone that a particular claim(=conclusion / issue ) is true

P1: All men are mortal.

P2: Socrates is a man.

C: Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

Picture from http://shaunmiller.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/socrates.jpg without permission. SJSU Spring 2014 Comm 41 Holopainen

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PARTS ANSWERS A QUESTION FUNCTION

EXPLANATION

DESCRIPTION

ARGUMENT

The thing which is

supposed to be explained

+ The statements that do

the actual explaining

Why or how something

happened?

To make something more

understandable;

clarification

Declarative sentences What is the world like? To describe the world

Claim

+ Reasons/grounds

+ Premises

Why should we accept the

claim? To support a claim

Source: Kakkuri-Knuuttila, M.-L. (2003). Argumentti ja kritiikki: Lukemisen, keskustelun ja vakuuttamisen taidot (5th ed.), p. 63. Oy Yliopistokustannus University Press Finland Ltd.


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New concepts

Discourse

Explanation

Description

Argument


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Reasoning


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Reasoning

Our brains receive sensory

components of reality piece by

piece.

From those pieces, we composewhole ideas by reasoning.

SJSU Fall 2012 Comm 41 HolopainenPhoto Sonja Holopainen

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Reasoning is rational

mental activity.

Selecting data

Coordinating data

Interpreting data

Applying data

Reasoning is di ! erent from

recollection or imagination.

SJSU Fall 2012 Comm 41 HolopainenPhoto Sonja Holopainen

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Model of Reasoning

Data(premises + evidence)

/grounds

Reasoning

/warrant

Claim

/argument

Claim/argument is a declarative sentence.

SJSU Fall 2012 Comm 41 Holopainen

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Claim

A declarative sentence that is

either true or false

Socrates is mortal.

Picture from http://www.utilitarianism.com/socrates.jpg without permission. SJSU Fall 2012 Comm 41 Holopainen

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Premises

A collection of claims which are

given as the reasons for believing

the conclusion is true

All men are mortal.

Socrates is a man.

Picture from http://filipspagnoli.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/socrates1.jpg without

permission. SJSU Fall 2012 Comm 41 Holopainen

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Argument= Premises + conclusion

! Tells why a claim should be

accepted

! An attempt to convince

someone that a particular claim

(=conclusion / issue ) is true

P1: All men are mortal.

P2: Socrates is a man.

C: Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

Picture from http://shaunmiller.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/socrates.jpg without permission. SJSU Fall 2012 Comm 41 Holopainen

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New concepts

Reasoning

Claim

Premise

Conclusion


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Propositions


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Types of Propositions

Proposition of fact

Proposition of value

Proposition of policy

Proposition of conjecture


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Proposition of Value

Takes a more evaluative position.

Judges whether something is

good/bad, right/wrong, just/

unjust, ethical/non-ethical, etc.

Judges the worth of something.

Killing animals is wrong.


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Proposition of Policy

Suggests a specific course of

action.

U.S. government should protect

its citizens’ access to foreign oil

reserves.


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New concepts

Proposition of fact

Proposition of value

Proposition of policy

Proposition of conjecture


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Read! Canvas course front page! Course overview (Canvas)! Ch 1 Critical thinking: Why it’s

important

Assignments! Online study packet #1: Introduction

to critical thinking (Canvas; approx.

3.5 hrs)! Register for COMM 80

For Jan 31 11:59 pm


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Read! Ch 2 Reason and emotion! Article Analysis and Critical Analysis

assignment sheets

Assignments

! Online study packet #2: Reason &emotion (Canvas; approx. 6 hrs)

For the next class


Documents

1—Course Overview; Introduction to Critical Thinking