Tools for Better Critical Thinking
One very useful tool to put into your toolbox of critical thinking skills, is the concept of logical fallacies and cognitive biases. I am just refreshing and perfecting this knowledge in myself, from what I learned in my twenties but which memory has faded somewhat, so we are much in the same boat, so take heart, we will learn this together :-)
NOTE: These are only to help you become aware of these things; they are not going to be on any tests, but as you begin to read, understand and apply them, they will help you in this class, in all classes in fact, and in life in general, including your life right now.
List of Logical Fallacies: "A fallacy is incorrect argument in logic and rhetoric resulting in a lack of validity, or more generally, a lack of soundness. Fallacies are either formal fallacies or informal fallacies."
List of Common Misconceptions: "This list pertains to current, widely held, erroneous ideas and beliefs about notable topics which have been reported by reliable sources. Each has been discussed in published literature, as has its topic area and the facts concerning it. Note that the statements which follow are corrections based on known facts; the misconceptions themselves are referred to rather than stated."
List of Cognitive Biases (Biases in Judgement, Decision-making, Memory Errors, Social Biases): "These are systematic deviations from a standard of rationality or good judgment."
NOTE: These are only to help you become aware of these things; they are not going to be on any tests, but as you begin to read, understand and apply them, they will help you in this class, in all classes in fact, and in life in general, including your life right now.
List of Logical Fallacies: "A fallacy is incorrect argument in logic and rhetoric resulting in a lack of validity, or more generally, a lack of soundness. Fallacies are either formal fallacies or informal fallacies."
List of Common Misconceptions: "This list pertains to current, widely held, erroneous ideas and beliefs about notable topics which have been reported by reliable sources. Each has been discussed in published literature, as has its topic area and the facts concerning it. Note that the statements which follow are corrections based on known facts; the misconceptions themselves are referred to rather than stated."
List of Cognitive Biases (Biases in Judgement, Decision-making, Memory Errors, Social Biases): "These are systematic deviations from a standard of rationality or good judgment."