Notes_Chapter1_002643607

.Notes: Chapter 1: Critical Thinking, Facts, and Feelings A fundamental concern of critical thinking is _ a question about the quality of your beliefs . This means that critical thinking is not about what you think, but _ how _ you think. Critical thinking focuses not on what _ caused _ a belief, but on whether it is _ whether or not it’s worth believing _. A belief is worth believing, or accepting, if we have _ good reasons to accept it _. The better the reasons for acceptance, the more likely the belief is to be _ true _. CRITICAL THINKING: The systematic evaluation or formulation of beliefs, or statements, by rational standards. What makes it systematic? because it involves distinct procedures and methods. How does it entail evaluation and formulation? it’s used to both assess existing beliefs (yours or someone else’s) and devise new ones . How does it operate according to rational standards? it operates in that beliefs are judged by how well they are supported by reasons . Summarize in your own words what you have read/learned so far. _ Critical thinking is something that people would think that something is worth believing or not and how those beliefs are supported by reasons. _ Why It Matters A consequence of believing whatever others (such as your parents, friends, influencers, etc.) think is a loss of personal freedom. From what you read, what does the above statement mean? Your beliefs are yours only if you examine them for yourself to see if they’re supported by good reason Thus, in the most profound sense, critical thinking is not only enlightening but also empowering. This empowerment can take several forms. List these forms below: _ Skills for learning and exploring, Defense against error, manipulation and prejudice, and Tools for Self- Discovery _ In a very important sense, critical thinking is thinking outside the box. How so? When we passively absorb the ideas we encounter, refuse to consider any alternative explanations or theories, conform our ideas to the wishes of the group, or let our thinking be controlled by bias and stereotypes and superstition and wishful thinking is in the box. But the opposite is the courage to let our beliefs be tried in critical reasons. Claims and Reasons A statement is an assertion that something _ is or is not the case _. Statements, or claims, are the kinds of things that are either _ true _ or _ false _. Explain why each of these is NOT a statement: Does a triangle have three sides? this is a question Turn that music off. this is a command