If it's an essay for a Critical Writing class, you should be able to present both sides with reasons for each. Then using your own worldview, evaluate the reasons (possibly even assigning number values to them) and then present whichever side outweighs the other.
Personally, I'm taking a critical thinking class, and it's acomplete waste of time. All I've learned is really basic logic that I was already aware of. I would have been much more entertained to take a Formal Logic class, which teaches critical thinking much more differently by looking at argument structure and determining flaws mathematically.
That being said, yes, I think college teaches critical thinking (especially in the higher level mathematics), but not nearly enough. Critical thinking is a skill that can be applied to all situations, and it involves being open-minded. A quote from Aristotle comes to mind: "Wisdom is being able to entertain a thought without accepting it as truth." I interchange the words 'wisdom' and 'critical thinking', but I believe that both are highly self-taught. In many of my classes we don't even have discussions or alternative points of view presented, so many students don't even get the opportunity to see critical thinking in work, much less actively do it themselves.
yea you're right. I think I'll build a stronger essay if I talk about both sides. And really? that's a bummer. I'm taking philosophy and I feel that's the only class we use REAL critical thinking, even though most of the facts are just a bunch of never ending questions.
Personally, I'm taking a critical thinking class, and it's acomplete waste of time. All I've learned is really basic logic that I was already aware of. I would have been much more entertained to take a Formal Logic class, which teaches critical thinking much more differently by looking at argument structure and determining flaws mathematically.
That being said, yes, I think college teaches critical thinking (especially in the higher level mathematics), but not nearly enough. Critical thinking is a skill that can be applied to all situations, and it involves being open-minded. A quote from Aristotle comes to mind:
"Wisdom is being able to entertain a thought without accepting it as truth."
I interchange the words 'wisdom' and 'critical thinking', but I believe that both are highly self-taught. In many of my classes we don't even have discussions or alternative points of view presented, so many students don't even get the opportunity to see critical thinking in work, much less actively do it themselves.
Might explain voting patterns.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment