MDST*1010 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Computer And Network Surveillance, Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking
What is Critical Thinking?
-Critical thinkers look for evidence and for good reasons before believing
something to be true.
-Critical thinking is the attempt to ask and answer questions systematically to get
as close to
-the truth as possible.
-Questions to ask: What, Who, Where, When, How, Why, What if, What next, and
So what.
-Three key functions of critical thinking: Description, Analysis and Evaluation.
Description: how you introduce a topic - define clearly what you are talking about, say
exactly what is involved, where it takes place, or under what circumstances.
Analysis: examining and/or explaining how parts of your topic fit into the whole and
comparing and contrasting these.
Evaluation
-Judge the success or failure of an idea or argument, its implications and/ or
value.
-How to evaluate an argument (āArgumentā = any debatable claim):
-When you evaluate an argument, you are aiming to form a judgement about the
validity of the argument presented.
-Do this by looking at: 1. the coherence of the argument and 2. the supporting
evidence.
Coherence
-being able to identify when an argument is valid.
-āValidā = the claims made support the conclusions drawn adequately and
justifiably.
-Check the line of reasoning: is it logical?
-Look at the conclusions drawn ā are they supported adequately by the
claims made throughout the argument? Are they valid and do they make
sense?
-Is there any indication that a claim made is merely the authorās opinion
rather than based on evidence?
-Does the claim make sense when compared to the evidence used?
Supporting Evidence
-You also need to evaluate the evidence you have been presented with to
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Critical thinkers look for evidence and for good reasons before believing something to be true. Critical thinking is the attempt to ask and answer questions systematically to get as close to the truth as possible. Questions to ask: what, who, where, when, how, why, what if, what next, and. Three key functions of critical thinking: description, analysis and evaluation. Description: how you introduce a topic - define clearly what you are talking about, say exactly what is involved, where it takes place, or under what circumstances. Analysis: examining and/or explaining how parts of your topic fit into the whole and comparing and contrasting these. Judge the success or failure of an idea or argument, its implications and/ or value. How to evaluate an argument ( argument = any debatable claim): When you evaluate an argument, you are aiming to form a judgement about the validity of the argument presented.
