SSH 105 CRITICAL THINKING (DAVID HUNTER)
What is Critical Thinking ? - Answers -Critical thinking is reasonable and reflective
thinking aimed at deciding what to believe and what to do.
Why is Critical thinking reasonable? - Answers -Critical thinking requires that we have
reasons for our beliefs and our decisions.
What does Critical thinking and Reason require? - Answers -Strategies and methods to
make sure that we have good reasons, and that our reasons are good ones.
Critical thinking is reflective thinking! Why? - Answers -Because we have to reflect on
the methods and strategies as we use them.
What is knowledge? - Answers -Knowledge is justified true belief
What is the 3 elements of Knowledge? - Answers -1. Justification
2. Truth
3. Belief
To know something you need to have all 3 elements! - Answers -you have to believe it,
it has to be true and it has to have good evidence.
Example of false knowledge ?!? (Santa is fake news !!!!!) Something that is not TRUE -
Answers -Kids believe that Santa is real because their parents told them, their friends,
plus they have evidence that he is real because he leaves presents under the
Christmas tree. Sadly, Santa is not a true person which would mean that kids
knowledge of Santa is false.
Example of someone who believes and is right (but do not really know because
evidence is not JUSTIFIED) - Answers -Someone looks at a clock and it says 3:50 so
she believes that it is 3:50. It turns out that it was actually 3:50 so that person was right.
Although she was right about the time, the clock has been broken for weeks and weeks
meaning that her belief is not justified. So overall, she was right but it was not based on
good evidence.
Example of someone who has lots of evidence of something and is true, but they cant
bring themselves to believe it. (BELIEVE) - Answers -Someone that believes that
vaccines are dangerous even though it has been proven to be safe through saving
millions of people. People that deny the true evidence but don't believe it are in denial.
Three attitudes one might have to claims in some subject matter? - Answers -1.
Realism
2. Relativism
3. Nihilism
, What is realism? - Answers -If you are a realist about a subject matter that means you
believe that there are facts that support the subject matter. Whatever they are
independently of us.
A good example of being a realist is mathematics!!! - Answers -If you are in a
restaurant and what to give the waiter a 15% tip on a $233 bill it would make absolute
sense to use a realist approach. It is a fact that their is a certain number that would
equal 15%. Its a fact that you can either get right or wrong. (CHEM, BIOLOGY are other
good examples).
What this Nihilism? - Answers -Having a Nihilistic attitude towards a subject matter
says that you believe there a no facts there at all. Its an empty subject matter and
theres nothing to really get right or wrong.
Harry potter is a good example of Nihilism! - Answers -Harry potter is not a real person.
So there is no facts what type of person they were. Theres no facts. Theres no facts
about people but there is evidence for the story. (Astrology is another example of
Nihilism)
What is Relativism? - Answers -A relativist In a subject matter believes there is facts,
but also believes that those facts are made up or society has made them up. Theres
something fiction like when you are a relativist. (Being a relativist you are mix of both
Realism and Nihilism).
Morality - Answers -principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or
good and bad behavior.
Moral Relativism - Answers -The view that there is no absolute or universal moral law
or truth, resulting in a morality determined by cultural factors or personal preference.
What is the argument for Moral relativism? (ARGUEMENT FROM DISAGREEMENT) -
Answers -- The argument has two premises and a conclusion.
Premise 1 : There is considerable sincere disagreement about mortality
Premise 2: If there is considerable disagreement about mortality then moral relativism is
true
Conclusion: Moral relativism is true
What is an argument? - Answers -A person is trying to persuade us to believe the
conclusion by giving use reason or evidence. The reasons and evidence of the
argument go into the premises to support the conclusion.
What is Critical Thinking ? - Answers -Critical thinking is reasonable and reflective
thinking aimed at deciding what to believe and what to do.
Why is Critical thinking reasonable? - Answers -Critical thinking requires that we have
reasons for our beliefs and our decisions.
What does Critical thinking and Reason require? - Answers -Strategies and methods to
make sure that we have good reasons, and that our reasons are good ones.
Critical thinking is reflective thinking! Why? - Answers -Because we have to reflect on
the methods and strategies as we use them.
What is knowledge? - Answers -Knowledge is justified true belief
What is the 3 elements of Knowledge? - Answers -1. Justification
2. Truth
3. Belief
To know something you need to have all 3 elements! - Answers -you have to believe it,
it has to be true and it has to have good evidence.
Example of false knowledge ?!? (Santa is fake news !!!!!) Something that is not TRUE -
Answers -Kids believe that Santa is real because their parents told them, their friends,
plus they have evidence that he is real because he leaves presents under the
Christmas tree. Sadly, Santa is not a true person which would mean that kids
knowledge of Santa is false.
Example of someone who believes and is right (but do not really know because
evidence is not JUSTIFIED) - Answers -Someone looks at a clock and it says 3:50 so
she believes that it is 3:50. It turns out that it was actually 3:50 so that person was right.
Although she was right about the time, the clock has been broken for weeks and weeks
meaning that her belief is not justified. So overall, she was right but it was not based on
good evidence.
Example of someone who has lots of evidence of something and is true, but they cant
bring themselves to believe it. (BELIEVE) - Answers -Someone that believes that
vaccines are dangerous even though it has been proven to be safe through saving
millions of people. People that deny the true evidence but don't believe it are in denial.
Three attitudes one might have to claims in some subject matter? - Answers -1.
Realism
2. Relativism
3. Nihilism
, What is realism? - Answers -If you are a realist about a subject matter that means you
believe that there are facts that support the subject matter. Whatever they are
independently of us.
A good example of being a realist is mathematics!!! - Answers -If you are in a
restaurant and what to give the waiter a 15% tip on a $233 bill it would make absolute
sense to use a realist approach. It is a fact that their is a certain number that would
equal 15%. Its a fact that you can either get right or wrong. (CHEM, BIOLOGY are other
good examples).
What this Nihilism? - Answers -Having a Nihilistic attitude towards a subject matter
says that you believe there a no facts there at all. Its an empty subject matter and
theres nothing to really get right or wrong.
Harry potter is a good example of Nihilism! - Answers -Harry potter is not a real person.
So there is no facts what type of person they were. Theres no facts. Theres no facts
about people but there is evidence for the story. (Astrology is another example of
Nihilism)
What is Relativism? - Answers -A relativist In a subject matter believes there is facts,
but also believes that those facts are made up or society has made them up. Theres
something fiction like when you are a relativist. (Being a relativist you are mix of both
Realism and Nihilism).
Morality - Answers -principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or
good and bad behavior.
Moral Relativism - Answers -The view that there is no absolute or universal moral law
or truth, resulting in a morality determined by cultural factors or personal preference.
What is the argument for Moral relativism? (ARGUEMENT FROM DISAGREEMENT) -
Answers -- The argument has two premises and a conclusion.
Premise 1 : There is considerable sincere disagreement about mortality
Premise 2: If there is considerable disagreement about mortality then moral relativism is
true
Conclusion: Moral relativism is true
What is an argument? - Answers -A person is trying to persuade us to believe the
conclusion by giving use reason or evidence. The reasons and evidence of the
argument go into the premises to support the conclusion.
