PHIL1230
Week 1 1
Week 2 7
Week 3 13
Week 4 16
Week 5 20
Week 6 26
Week 7 28
Week 8 32
Week 9 35
Week 10 35
Week 11 40
Week 12 42
Week 1
CO1 — What is critical thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally about what to do or what to believe.
● not a matter of accumulating information
● should not be confused with being argumentative
Importance of critical thinking
- Domain-general skill
- Important in the new-knowledge economy
- Enhances communication and presentation skills
- Promotes creativity
- Crucial for self-reflection
- It is the foundation of science and democracy
Top 3 relevant skills:
1. Thinking skills related to critical thinking
2. Creativity
3. Practical application
CO2 — Improve our thinking skills
3 important components to mastering critical thinking:
1. Theory (rules and facts to know to possess the skill of CT)
a. Knowing what not to do, the common human mistakes, misconceptions, fallacies
2. Practice (translating theoretical knowledge to actual ability)
a. Do exercises - discussions and debates
b. Thinking deeper
3. Attitude
,CO3 — Defining critical thinking
clarity and rationality
Dewey: Reflective thinking
a composite of attitudes, knowledge and skills
CO5 — Beyond critical thinking
Complementary thinking skills aside from critical thinking:
● Creativity
● Metacognition (thinking about thinking)
○ Traits that enhance our thinking skills:
■ persistence in problem-solving
■ a strong desire for self-improvement
1. A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does
the ball cost?
Ball = $0.05
2. If it takes 5 machines 5 minutes to make 5 widgets, how long would it take 100 machines to
make 100 widgets?
5 min = 1 widget
5 min
3. In a lake, there is a patch of lily pads. Every day, the patch doubles in size. If it takes 48 days
for the patch to cover the entire lake, how long would it take for the patch to cover half of the
lake?
47 days
Textbook reading — Chapter 1
Critical thinking and creativity
● Creativity - coming up with new and useful ideas to solve problems
● Critical thinking - thinking clearly and rationally
○ To evaluate and improve ideas
Self-evaluation and transformation
Importance of self reflection, examining the purpose and meaning of life and changing our lives
Misconceptions about critical thinking
- Too confrontational, to criticize
- Not practically useful as people don’t listen to reason, but on self-interests & emotions
Rejecting bad ideas → better at finding the truth
,Improving our thinking
- Critical thinking helps us avoid errors such as “overestimating our abilities, interpreting
the world to confirm prejudices, looking for causes and patterns in the wrong places”
Theory
5 main areas:
1. Meaning analysis
a. Explaining ideas clearly and systematically; use definitions for clarity
2. Logic
a. Analyze and evaluate arguments; identify logical consequences and
inconsistencies
3. Scientific methods
a. Use empirical data to test a theory; identify causes and effects
4. Decisions and values
a. Rational decision making, critical reflection of value frameworks and moral
judgements
5. Fallacies and biases
a. Typical mistakes of reasoning and psychological traits which cause these
mistakes
Practice
Questions to ask:
● What does it mean?
● How many supporting reasons and objections?
● Why is this important or relevant?
● Which are the other possibilities to consider?
Attitude
● Independence of thought
○ Think independently and go against conventional wisdom if needed
● Open-mindedness
○ Admit mistakes, think about new possibilities, don’t reject new ideas without good
reasons
● Cool-headedness and impartiality
○ I.e. Don’t get angry easily
● Analytical and reflective attitude
○ Don’t jump to conclusions
, Week 2
Sound = true premise and true conclusion = must be valid
AO1 — What is an argument
An argument is a list of statements: one of which is the conclusion and the others are the
premises or assumptions of the argument.
If an argument is good, it is rational to accept the conclusion.
Example of an argument:
If you want to find a good job, you should work hard. You do want to find a good job. So you
should work hard.
- The first two sentences are the premises of the argument, and the last sentence is the
conclusion. To give this argument is to offer the premises as reasons for accepting the
conclusion.
It is raining.
So you should bring an umbrella.
- No.1 is the premise
- No.2 is the conclusion
Dogmatic people make assertions without giving arguments.
Words used before arguments: Words used before conclusions (are often
● this is because preceded by words like):
● since ● therefore, so, it follows that
● firstly, secondly, ... ● hence, consequently
● for, as, after all, ● suggests / proves / demonstrates that
● assuming that, in view of the fact that ● entails, implies
● follows from, as shown / indicated by
● may be inferred / deduced / derived
from
LO2 — Statements
● Declarative
● Interrogative
● Imperative
Week 1 1
Week 2 7
Week 3 13
Week 4 16
Week 5 20
Week 6 26
Week 7 28
Week 8 32
Week 9 35
Week 10 35
Week 11 40
Week 12 42
Week 1
CO1 — What is critical thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally about what to do or what to believe.
● not a matter of accumulating information
● should not be confused with being argumentative
Importance of critical thinking
- Domain-general skill
- Important in the new-knowledge economy
- Enhances communication and presentation skills
- Promotes creativity
- Crucial for self-reflection
- It is the foundation of science and democracy
Top 3 relevant skills:
1. Thinking skills related to critical thinking
2. Creativity
3. Practical application
CO2 — Improve our thinking skills
3 important components to mastering critical thinking:
1. Theory (rules and facts to know to possess the skill of CT)
a. Knowing what not to do, the common human mistakes, misconceptions, fallacies
2. Practice (translating theoretical knowledge to actual ability)
a. Do exercises - discussions and debates
b. Thinking deeper
3. Attitude
,CO3 — Defining critical thinking
clarity and rationality
Dewey: Reflective thinking
a composite of attitudes, knowledge and skills
CO5 — Beyond critical thinking
Complementary thinking skills aside from critical thinking:
● Creativity
● Metacognition (thinking about thinking)
○ Traits that enhance our thinking skills:
■ persistence in problem-solving
■ a strong desire for self-improvement
1. A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does
the ball cost?
Ball = $0.05
2. If it takes 5 machines 5 minutes to make 5 widgets, how long would it take 100 machines to
make 100 widgets?
5 min = 1 widget
5 min
3. In a lake, there is a patch of lily pads. Every day, the patch doubles in size. If it takes 48 days
for the patch to cover the entire lake, how long would it take for the patch to cover half of the
lake?
47 days
Textbook reading — Chapter 1
Critical thinking and creativity
● Creativity - coming up with new and useful ideas to solve problems
● Critical thinking - thinking clearly and rationally
○ To evaluate and improve ideas
Self-evaluation and transformation
Importance of self reflection, examining the purpose and meaning of life and changing our lives
Misconceptions about critical thinking
- Too confrontational, to criticize
- Not practically useful as people don’t listen to reason, but on self-interests & emotions
Rejecting bad ideas → better at finding the truth
,Improving our thinking
- Critical thinking helps us avoid errors such as “overestimating our abilities, interpreting
the world to confirm prejudices, looking for causes and patterns in the wrong places”
Theory
5 main areas:
1. Meaning analysis
a. Explaining ideas clearly and systematically; use definitions for clarity
2. Logic
a. Analyze and evaluate arguments; identify logical consequences and
inconsistencies
3. Scientific methods
a. Use empirical data to test a theory; identify causes and effects
4. Decisions and values
a. Rational decision making, critical reflection of value frameworks and moral
judgements
5. Fallacies and biases
a. Typical mistakes of reasoning and psychological traits which cause these
mistakes
Practice
Questions to ask:
● What does it mean?
● How many supporting reasons and objections?
● Why is this important or relevant?
● Which are the other possibilities to consider?
Attitude
● Independence of thought
○ Think independently and go against conventional wisdom if needed
● Open-mindedness
○ Admit mistakes, think about new possibilities, don’t reject new ideas without good
reasons
● Cool-headedness and impartiality
○ I.e. Don’t get angry easily
● Analytical and reflective attitude
○ Don’t jump to conclusions
, Week 2
Sound = true premise and true conclusion = must be valid
AO1 — What is an argument
An argument is a list of statements: one of which is the conclusion and the others are the
premises or assumptions of the argument.
If an argument is good, it is rational to accept the conclusion.
Example of an argument:
If you want to find a good job, you should work hard. You do want to find a good job. So you
should work hard.
- The first two sentences are the premises of the argument, and the last sentence is the
conclusion. To give this argument is to offer the premises as reasons for accepting the
conclusion.
It is raining.
So you should bring an umbrella.
- No.1 is the premise
- No.2 is the conclusion
Dogmatic people make assertions without giving arguments.
Words used before arguments: Words used before conclusions (are often
● this is because preceded by words like):
● since ● therefore, so, it follows that
● firstly, secondly, ... ● hence, consequently
● for, as, after all, ● suggests / proves / demonstrates that
● assuming that, in view of the fact that ● entails, implies
● follows from, as shown / indicated by
● may be inferred / deduced / derived
from
LO2 — Statements
● Declarative
● Interrogative
● Imperative
