Drilling for Oil

To drill or not to drill.

It was refreshing to work in a group for this particular nugget of thought:

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is not something that requires a whole lot of critical thinking.

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

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:

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:

• Clarity
• Accuracy
• Precision
• Relevance
• Depth
• Breadth
• Logic
• Fairness

Clarity- Never ever take the information presented to you at face value. Always question, ask for examples make them clarify their point and information.

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?