A critical look at A critical look at critical thinking critical thinking

Alan McLeanAlan McLeanInternational School of Kuala International School of Kuala

LumpurLumpur

Presented atPresented at

SEGi CollegeSEGi College

2424thth June 2009 June 2009

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/crit_crit/crit_crit

My contact details & My contact details & aims:aims:

http://www.angelfire.com/linux/alan1http://www.angelfire.com/linux/alan1 016 636 0754016 636 0754

My aims:My aims:Say why I think critical thinking Say why I think critical thinking is importantis importantBe open to criticismBe open to criticismTest my ideasTest my ideas(what is critical thinking?)(what is critical thinking?)

Here is a definition Here is a definition

Critical thinkingCritical thinking is purposeful is purposeful and reflective judgment about what and reflective judgment about what to believe or what to do in response to believe or what to do in response to to observationsobservations, , experienceexperience, , verbalverbal or or writtenwritten expressions, or expressions, or argumentsarguments. .

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking)

Here is a definition Here is a definition

Skilled, active, interpretation Skilled, active, interpretation and evaluation of observations, and evaluation of observations, communications, information, communications, information, and argumentation. and argumentation.

(Fisher & Scriven (Fisher & Scriven

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking)Critical_thinking)

Here is a definition Here is a definition

the careful, deliberate the careful, deliberate determination of whether one determination of whether one should accept, reject, or suspend should accept, reject, or suspend judgment about a judgment about a claimclaim and the and the degree of confidence with which degree of confidence with which one accepts or rejects it.one accepts or rejects it.

(Parker & Moore (Parker & Moore http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinkinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking)g)

Our Wikipedia author goes on Our Wikipedia author goes on to say …to say …

Critical thinking gives due Critical thinking gives due consideration to the consideration to the evidenceevidence, the , the context of context of judgmentjudgment, the relevant , the relevant criteria for making the judgment criteria for making the judgment well …….well …….

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking)

What critical thinking is What critical thinking is not:not:

Always negativeAlways negative Marxist / StructuralistMarxist / Structuralist

Memory (and other relatively Memory (and other relatively well understood cognitive well understood cognitive functions)functions)

Totally unpredictableTotally unpredictable

A suggested (partial) A suggested (partial) definition definition

Critical thinking is something Critical thinking is something that machines cannot do.that machines cannot do.

(Somewhere in there is a larger and hidden (Somewhere in there is a larger and hidden assumption, that the development of assumption, that the development of information technologies influence the way information technologies influence the way people think.)people think.)

(of course, this hypothesis is problematic in a number of ways)(of course, this hypothesis is problematic in a number of ways)

… … a central ideaa central idea

My starting point is that this is a period of My starting point is that this is a period of innovation in information technology and innovation in information technology and that this change is important.that this change is important.

My central idea is My central idea is automationautomation. . Industrialisation partially replaced the physical Industrialisation partially replaced the physical labour of people. Information technology can labour of people. Information technology can also be seen as a form of automation. But also be seen as a form of automation. But what what does IT automate?does IT automate? (and what does it have the (and what does it have the potential to displace?)potential to displace?)

Perhaps we need to look at other advances in Perhaps we need to look at other advances in information technology, such as the Gutenberg information technology, such as the Gutenberg revolution.revolution.

The analytical potential of this The analytical potential of this approachapproach social and economic social and economic

phenomenaphenomena Industrialisation is associated with Industrialisation is associated with

other phenomena such as urbanisation, other phenomena such as urbanisation, capitalism, nuclear family relationships capitalism, nuclear family relationships and universal schooling.and universal schooling.

This approach (a focus on automation) This approach (a focus on automation) allows us to ask questions about allows us to ask questions about whether changes of this magnitude are whether changes of this magnitude are associated with developments in associated with developments in information technology.information technology.

The analytical potential of this The analytical potential of this approachapproach epistemic epistemic

phenomenaphenomena Our special interest today is on critical Our special interest today is on critical

thought. thought. At various stages in the automation of At various stages in the automation of

manufacturing, people have been manufacturing, people have been displaced my machines. This had displaced my machines. This had implications for what people did and for implications for what people did and for what they were able to do. Communities what they were able to do. Communities of knowledge were transformed or died. of knowledge were transformed or died. Somehow, there was a need for people Somehow, there was a need for people to embrace new kinds of knowledge.to embrace new kinds of knowledge.

ManufacturingManufacturing Information TechnologyInformation Technology

Scribal reproduction Scribal reproduction of texts replaced by of texts replaced by printing. Human and printing. Human and animal distribution animal distribution replaced by replaced by mechanized mechanized transportation.transportation.

Unemployment Unemployment among artisans among artisans and craft workers and craft workers (e.g. weavers) as (e.g. weavers) as their products are their products are displaced by mass displaced by mass manufacturing.manufacturing.

PrimaryPrimary

MechanisatioMechanisationn

ControlControl

AutomationAutomation Unemployment in Unemployment in

the manufacturing the manufacturing sector as automation sector as automation displaced human displaced human control of control of mechanized mechanized manufacturing manufacturing processes.processes.

Unemployment in Unemployment in the administration, the administration, office work, retail, office work, retail, professional service professional service and other non- and other non- manual sectors of manual sectors of the economy.the economy.

So, what is happening So, what is happening now?now?

A trend: A trend: ubiquitous computingubiquitous computing A project: theA project: the Semantic Web Semantic Web

Ubiquitous ComputingUbiquitous Computing

Ubiquitous computing is the idea of Ubiquitous computing is the idea of computers everywhere in the real computers everywhere in the real environment which can environment which can interconnect, exchange data and interconnect, exchange data and work together. work together. Computing capability Computing capability and appropriate interfaces will be and appropriate interfaces will be installed throughout the urban installed throughout the urban environment, in shops, banks, environment, in shops, banks, classrooms and public spaces. classrooms and public spaces. Computer access will become Computer access will become increasingly ordinary, even invisible.increasingly ordinary, even invisible.

The Semantic WebThe Semantic Web

““... our... our capacity to find and retrieve, capacity to find and retrieve, much less manipulate and organize … much less manipulate and organize … material is … at a very rudimentary state. material is … at a very rudimentary state. The Semantic Web … allows humans and The Semantic Web … allows humans and agents to query and infer knowledge agents to query and infer knowledge from information quickly and in many from information quickly and in many cases automatically”.cases automatically”. ((Anderson & Whitelock Anderson & Whitelock

(2004))(2004)) In the era of ubiquitous computing In the era of ubiquitous computing and the Semantic Web, and the Semantic Web, accessaccess to the kind to the kind of knowledge available in books and of knowledge available in books and periodicals will be instant and effortless. periodicals will be instant and effortless.

A New FrameworkA New Framework

Working backwards from these Working backwards from these innovations, we see the immediate innovations, we see the immediate function of function of automationautomation in in information technology two parts information technology two parts

• bringing the resource and its user bringing the resource and its user togethertogether

• identifying an appropriate resource. identifying an appropriate resource.

Utility of the New FrameUtility of the New Frame Allows a reconceptualisation of the history Allows a reconceptualisation of the history

of IT. For example, the importance of of IT. For example, the importance of printing is understood in terms of printing is understood in terms of scalability, but the Gutenberg revolution of scalability, but the Gutenberg revolution of 1450 can be understood in three phases:1450 can be understood in three phases:

• Printing – scalabilityPrinting – scalability• Page numbering, indexing and cataloguing Page numbering, indexing and cataloguing

– resource identification– resource identification• Steam powered transportation - bringing Steam powered transportation - bringing

the resource and its user togetherthe resource and its user together In this way, we can understand the In this way, we can understand the

slowness of the impact of the Gutenberg slowness of the impact of the Gutenberg revolution and usefully contrast it with our revolution and usefully contrast it with our current situation.current situation.

The Future of these The Future of these TechnologiesTechnologies

It will neither be appropriate to It will neither be appropriate to carry a significant quantity of carry a significant quantity of information in human memory information in human memory nor to know how or where to find nor to know how or where to find information. information.

Individuals will be able to access Individuals will be able to access the information they need in the information they need in almost any place, effortlessly and almost any place, effortlessly and without delay. without delay.

… … so, you simply don’t get paid any more for knowing things!so, you simply don’t get paid any more for knowing things!

Consequences -MemoryConsequences -Memory

It will no longer be useful for people It will no longer be useful for people to carry in their head the kind of to carry in their head the kind of thing that can be found in booksthing that can be found in books

……or to perform any other function or to perform any other function that machines can perform better, that machines can perform better, cheaper or faster.cheaper or faster.

Consequences -MemoryConsequences -Memory

The printed book is The printed book is prostheticprosthetic

Innovations in Innovations in information technology information technology accelerate the accelerate the exteriorisation of exteriorisation of knowledgeknowledge

Consequences -MemoryConsequences -Memory

The field of useful human The field of useful human knowledge is defined knowledge is defined negativelynegatively, in terms of what , in terms of what machines machines cannotcannot do. do.

This highlights the importance This highlights the importance of critical thoughtof critical thought

and …. this presents a and …. this presents a challenge for challenge for educationeducation

How can education How can education respond?respond?

Education, particularly Education, particularly schooling is a social schooling is a social institution.institution.

Social institutions are not Social institutions are not planned or rational entities.planned or rational entities.

Change is likely to be Change is likely to be mediated by larger social and mediated by larger social and economic transformations.economic transformations.

A critical look at A critical look at critical thinking critical thinking

Alan McLeanAlan McLeanInternational School of Kuala International School of Kuala

LumpurLumpur