It was refreshing to work in a group for this particular nugget of thought:
Learning to Think Critically
Monday, December 10, 2012
Drilling for Oil
To drill or not to drill.
It was refreshing to work in a group for this particular nugget of thought:
It was refreshing to work in a group for this particular nugget of thought:
Plagiarism
The consequences far out way the small bit of false victory that you will 'accomplish'
Here is what I have arrived after perhaps 1 full minute of critical thinking on the subject.
ALWAYS CITE YOUR SOURCES.
Global Warming
Issues and awareness on Global warming:
Global
Warming
There
exists within certain circles and in some extreme cases public opinions a
question of the oncoming effect of Global Warming on the earth. For many years
global warming has been a cause of several outcries by environmentalists and
even others who simply see a problem with today’s method of fuel and its costs.
The question is whether or not the current most expended fuel sources are the
cause of global warming. The current two main fuel sources are coal and oil.
The apparent reliance on coal has caused many issues in some cases death to the
world. The method of gathering oil and the recent disasters is also a major
issue in regards to the current encroaching global warming issue today.
Global
warming is the current environment shifting due to the increase in temperature
by the burning and or harvesting of the current fuel sources that humans use.
It is a potentially major cause of the earth changing radically. Global warming
by itself to my understanding is an already natural issue but it is being
exponentially accelerated by the actions and past actions that humanity has
made and is making today.
There
are two current fuels that humanity uses and one of them is coal. Accordingly
coal is extremely harmful to both the environment and to humans in general. The
real issues with coal is how the plants that produce are either using them,
harvesting them, or disposing of them. “These plants dump thousands of pounds
of mercury and other toxic compounds into the air and water, and are the
largest source of global warming pollution in the country,” (“GreenPeace”). Coal
from a business standpoint is a very reliable used fuel source mostly because
it has been used for thousands of years. Nearly every human in the past has
used coal in partnership with fire. It is reliable, and the majority of
business people understand it as a source of fuel that is already there.
However the fact that is understood should never take away from the fact that
humans in general are able to advance past such an old fuel source. Coal while
reliable is very harmful it is composed of several pollutants that are harmful
to humans in general. Such a dangerous source while reliable and understood as
well as easy to obtain should be retired. Not only because it is harmful but
also because it will potentially is more harmful in the future if global
warming being accelerated by its use.
Oil
is already a substance that is dangerous. While it burns the same as coal in
that it is extremely flammable it is also denser than water. This makes it even
more dangerous to my understanding in that it is nearly impossible to put out
oil fires with water and can get out of control. Oil is currently a sore topic
due to the Deepwater oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. “The Deepwater Horizon
accident and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is the worst environmental
disaster in American history. Even though the oil has stopped flowing from BP's
wellhead, the full extent of the damage will not be known for some time. The
oil will persist for decades, wreaking havoc on Gulf Coast communities and
ecosystems,” (GreenPeace). Oil is also an old reliable fuel and the same
thoughts I have in regards to coal nearly all also apply to oil. It is
significantly more dangerous because of how it is nearly impossible to control
if gotten out of hand.
The
issue of the current fuel sources is an issue of concern for me because it is
an issue. It is an issue because if one was to take a stand on it from a moral
point of view the environment suffering, future generations paying for the
mistakes of their predecessors and the many causes of deaths and injuries by
themselves is cause for an outcry to these fuels continuing to be in use. From
a business standpoint inflating the costs of a reliable fuel continuously
because the fuel is running out is a horrid business idea. Investing in the
production of a new fuel source that could potentially be less harmful to earth
will guarantee at least a more positive response for consumers. It is my final
understanding that many people want a different fuel source but business elites
are refusing to actually put their consumer’s needs and wants into play. These
fuels need to go. Should my local community feel the same way a protest will
not work neither will any deals. Full on investment into a better fuel source
is what would work. In the meantime people can carpool or take more
extracurricular methods of transportation.
References
"The
Problem." Greenpeace. Greenpeace.org, n.d. Web. 11 Oct 2012.
<http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/The-Problem/>.
Utilizing Critical Thinking
Congratulations to both of us!! We have learned the basics of critical thinking!
My next few posts will be in regards to putting what I have learned into practice. I start with issues regarding
Drilling
Global Warming
and Plagiarism
My next few posts will be in regards to putting what I have learned into practice. I start with issues regarding
Drilling
Global Warming
and Plagiarism
Types of Critical Thinking
Remember that the main point of thinking critically is to develop great problem solving and decision making skills.
In that respect be aware that there are two types of critical thinking.
As there are two sides of the brain so then there are two types of thinking critically.
On the left side of the brain you have logical thinking gathering the facts and following a logical thought path.
However on the right side you have the more creative thinking. Finding new and innovative ways to decision and problem solving.
Both sides work together to create a perfect harmony of a critical thinking process.
As there are different types of critical thinking so too are there habits that hinder them. Refer back to this list to make sure you are never caught unawares by these bad habits.
Lack of relevant background information
Poor reading skills
Poor listening skills
Bias
Prejudice
Superstition
Egocentrism
Socio-centrism
Peer pressure
Mindless Conformism
Mindless non-conformism
Provincialism
Narrow-mindedness
Closed-mindedness
Distrust of reason
Stereotyping
Unwarranted assumptions and stereotypes
Relativistic thinking
Scapegoating
Rationalization
Wishful thinking
Short-term thinking
Selective perception / attention
Selective memory
Overpowering emotions
Self-deception
Face-saving
Fear of change
The first I will do is explain critical reading so that you know this can be applied to reading:
In that respect be aware that there are two types of critical thinking.
As there are two sides of the brain so then there are two types of thinking critically.
On the left side of the brain you have logical thinking gathering the facts and following a logical thought path.
However on the right side you have the more creative thinking. Finding new and innovative ways to decision and problem solving.
Both sides work together to create a perfect harmony of a critical thinking process.
As there are different types of critical thinking so too are there habits that hinder them. Refer back to this list to make sure you are never caught unawares by these bad habits.
Lack of relevant background information
Poor reading skills
Poor listening skills
Bias
Prejudice
Superstition
Egocentrism
Socio-centrism
Peer pressure
Mindless Conformism
Mindless non-conformism
Provincialism
Narrow-mindedness
Closed-mindedness
Distrust of reason
Stereotyping
Unwarranted assumptions and stereotypes
Relativistic thinking
Scapegoating
Rationalization
Wishful thinking
Short-term thinking
Selective perception / attention
Selective memory
Overpowering emotions
Self-deception
Face-saving
Fear of change
The first I will do is explain critical reading so that you know this can be applied to reading:
It is not only important to think
critically it is also important to read critically. There are four steps to
critical reading. They are as follows skimming, reflecting, reading and
evaluating. Each one is an organized process to guide a person when reading
critically. Using critical reading can also be a great asset in your education.
Skimming
is a very fast glance over the material a person reads or even views. It is so
that a person can quickly identify what the author's main point is, and also to
see if there is any evidence present. Skimming goes over the skeletal outline
of content which is why layout is important in this case. Strategic layout can
be designed to aid the reader in gaining the overview. This is especially
useful when listening to lectures from instructors.
After
skimming over and getting the bare bones of the content the next step is to
reflect on it. Before reading the author's opinions or ideas you should first
think about the topic. Is it important? Is there any bias present within the
content? Reflect on all of these potential questions for step two. This is
possibly the most important step when dealing with an instructor, are they
truly instructing you as they should be?
The
third step is to finally read the content. However simply reading as you would
a snippet of news will not do; Have on hand a highlighter, pencil, notepad, or
even a word document open for you to take notes. Marking all important notes
and phrases of the content is how you read in critical reading. Note-taking
during a lesson is simply an important skill to all students.
The fourth and final step to
critical reading is to evaluate what you have read. You can primarily do this
by asking certain questions. Some of the questions should be whether the author
was vague, did they utilize emotional terms, did they stay relevant, is the
author using relevant examples, did they omit any evidence? These are only some
questions you should use to evaluate the content.
Critical
reading while seemingly hard to do takes practice so that it may develop into a
habit. When combining all four steps: skimming, reflecting, reading, and
evaluating you can then be more assured that you have used the correct tools to
make a fair, unbiased and well informed judgment. Critical reading when applied
to your lessons can help you to also further your knowledge.
What is Critical Thinking?
Now that you have the basics down time to move on from the basic thinking to thinking Critically.
Critical Thinking is the general term given to a wide range of cognitive and intellectual skills needed to:
Effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments.
Discover and overcome personal prejudices and biases.
Formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions.
Make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do.
With that in mind let's break it down on to how to make sure you are thinking critically about a subject.
You must always use these filters:
Accuracy- Is it really true? Can you check if it is indeed true?
Precision- Clarify further. Force more detail out and make sure it is specific.
Relevance- Is the information presented what the main subject is about? What does the information have to do with the topic?
Depth- Does the information address the real issue or the main points of the issue?
Breadth- Should you consider another point of view? Can you look at the topic another way? Should you?
Logic- Does the information make sense? Do your thoughts make sense after hearing it? Does it follow?
Fairness- Remember you are OPEN-MINDED. IMPARTIAL. FREE OF ANY BIASES AND PRECONCEPTIONS
Critical Thinking is the general term given to a wide range of cognitive and intellectual skills needed to:
Effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments.
Discover and overcome personal prejudices and biases.
Formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions.
Make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do.
With that in mind let's break it down on to how to make sure you are thinking critically about a subject.
You must always use these filters:
- Clarity
- Accuracy
- Precision
- Relevance
- Depth
- Breadth
- Logic
- Fairness
Accuracy- Is it really true? Can you check if it is indeed true?
Precision- Clarify further. Force more detail out and make sure it is specific.
Relevance- Is the information presented what the main subject is about? What does the information have to do with the topic?
Depth- Does the information address the real issue or the main points of the issue?
Breadth- Should you consider another point of view? Can you look at the topic another way? Should you?
Logic- Does the information make sense? Do your thoughts make sense after hearing it? Does it follow?
Fairness- Remember you are OPEN-MINDED. IMPARTIAL. FREE OF ANY BIASES AND PRECONCEPTIONS
Welcome to Critical Thinking
Hello again readers!
Welcome to my blog on learning the basics of critical thinking. Here I will be posting important factors about thinking critically and how to utilize it. I will also be posting some presentations and even an article response in which I used critical thinking.
First, however, I think it important to cover the basics of basics. Before I overload you.
First understand What is Thinking?
The answer is quite simple:
Thinking is a purposeful, organized cognitive process that we use to make sense of our world.
Now to expound on that basic process here are the following steps to understanding and learning Critical Thinking:
What is Critical Thinking?
Types of Critical Thinking?
Habits that Hinder critical thinking?
Utilizing Critical Thinking?
Welcome to my blog on learning the basics of critical thinking. Here I will be posting important factors about thinking critically and how to utilize it. I will also be posting some presentations and even an article response in which I used critical thinking.
First, however, I think it important to cover the basics of basics. Before I overload you.
First understand What is Thinking?
The answer is quite simple:
Thinking is a purposeful, organized cognitive process that we use to make sense of our world.
Now to expound on that basic process here are the following steps to understanding and learning Critical Thinking:
What is Critical Thinking?
Types of Critical Thinking?
Habits that Hinder critical thinking?
Utilizing Critical Thinking?
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