Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
week 3: critical week 3: critical thinkingthinking
[email protected] [email protected]
Critical thinking and the learning process
What is it to be critical?
The role of language and communication
Constructing and deconstructing arguments
Critical thinking and creative process
Sustainability requires that we transform the way we think about ourselves, our relationships with others and the world. This week we will discuss critical thinking focusing on the following:
critical thinkingcritical thinking
Scepticism or suspension of belief towards particular statements, information, or norms.
Being critical of the prevailing structures, values, and rationalities of a society.
Mingers (2000) What is it to be Critical, Management Learning, 31(2): 219-237.
critical thinkingcritical thinking
Knowledge and skills specific to a problem or discipline
Reflective scepticism
Mingers (2000) What is it to be Critical, Management Learning, 31(2): 219-237.
Awareness Ability to offer alternatives
Critical thinking involves…
critical thinking and the critical thinking and the learning processlearning process
Lower-level learning
Task oriented problem solving
Mundane, everyday, incremental learning
Coping with the current environment
Cope (2003) Entrepreneurial Learning and Critical Reflection, Management Learning, 34(4): 429-450.
critical thinking and the critical thinking and the learning processlearning process
Higher-level learning
New ways of looking at the world
Transformation of our “meaning perspectives”
Radical change: learning that requires a shift in mindset
Cope (2003) Entrepreneurial Learning and Critical Reflection, Management Learning, 34(4): 429-450.
meaning meaning perspectivesperspectives
Metaphors, symbols and language
Metaphors provide vehicles for making sense of the world by conceptualising specific aspects of it.
These conceptualisations rely on a system of symbols and language inherently proprietary to the metaphor.
The language of the metaphor makes strong theoretical statements about what is being studied, not only in terms of explicit meaning, but also in more implicit terms.
being criticalbeing critical
CRITIQUE OF CRITIQUE OF RHETORICRHETORIC
CRITIQUE OF CRITIQUE OF TRADITIONTRADITION
CRITIQUE OF CRITIQUE OF AUTHORITYAUTHORITY
CRITIQUE OF CRITIQUE OF OBJECTIVITYOBJECTIVITY
critical thinking and critical thinking and sustainable developmentsustainable development
Why be critical?
What is there to be critical about?
What are the benefits of being critical?
WWF Change the way you think
Sir Ken Robinson Changing education paradigms
Frances Moore Lappé Changing the way we think to create the world we want
Naomi Klein Addicted to risk
questioning the status questioning the status quoquo
Questioning the status quo is the first stage on improving on what has gone before!
Critical thinking is thus a means to open up new spaces, and not simply to react to old ones.
changing the status changing the status quoquo
critical thinking barrierscritical thinking barriers
What stops one from being critical?
Focus only on operational learning (“know-how”) rather than on conceptual learning (“know-why”)
Negativity
Critique as criticism or arrogance
Resistance to critique
therefore, being therefore, being critical…critical…
…is not the same as criticising; it involves asking questions about given assumptions, claims and beliefs.
…is not about simply rejecting/reacting to conventional ways of thinking, but also about generating alternative ways of seeing, thinking and doing.
…values active dissent over passive consent, because the former implies far more agreement than the latter.
critical thinking and the critical thinking and the process of process of argumentationargumentation
Inch, Warnick, and Endres (2006) Crticial Thinking and Communication, Pearson.
Argumentation is the process of making arguments intended to justify beliefs, attitudes, and values so as to influence others.
arguments as forms of arguments as forms of communication communication
LOGOS Clarity and structure of message; logic of main supporting evidence; logical appeal
PATHOSAppeal to audience’s emotions and values; turn from abstractions of logic to tangible stories; engages the reader’s imagination, moving the audience to a deeper appreciation of the argument’s significance; emotional appeal
ETHOSCredibility or character of speaker/writer; tone/style/voice/presence; illustrates your personal investment in your claim; establishes reputation/honesty/expertise; ethical appeal
Online Resource: http://www.rit.edu/~w-asc/download/tutoring/writing/The%20Rhetorical%20Triangle%20ASC.pdf
examples of examples of fallacies fallacies
Online Resources: http://www.logicalfallacies.info/ http://www.rit.edu/~w-asc/download/tutoring/writing/Logical%20Fallacies.pdf
Ad Hominem
Ad Populum
Appeal to Tradition
Straw arguments
Inch, Warnick, and Endres (2006) Crticial Thinking and Communication, Pearson.
AUDIENCE BASED FALLACIES
examples of examples of fallacies fallacies
Begging the question
Non Sequitur
GROUNDING FALLACIES
Online Resources: http://www.logicalfallacies.info/ http://www.rit.edu/~w-asc/download/tutoring/writing/Logical%20Fallacies.pdf
Inch, Warnick, and Endres (2006) Crticial Thinking and Communication, Pearson.
examples of examples of fallacies fallacies
False analogy
Hasty generalization
False cause
Slippery slope
REASONING FALLACIES
Online Resources: http://www.logicalfallacies.info/ http://www.rit.edu/~w-asc/download/tutoring/writing/Logical%20Fallacies.pdf
Inch, Warnick, and Endres (2006) Crticial Thinking and Communication, Pearson.
critical reading critical reading exerciseexercise
Excerpt from “The Nuclear Solution” by Professor Tony Ryan
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/Issues/2005/February/Thenuclearsolution.asp
creative problem creative problem solving and solving and sustainabilitysustainability
http://www.ted.com/talks/bjarke_ingels_hedonistic_sustainability.html
http://marshmallowchallenge.com/TED_Talk.html
The marshmallow The marshmallow challengechallenge
http://marshmallowchallenge.com/TED_Talk.html
