Chapter One Become a Fair-minded Thinker In the first chapter, we emphasize the importance of fairmindedness, the basis of what we call “strong sense” critical thinking We this to underscore the inherent danger of skilled but unethical thinking, thinking that serves selfish interests and motivations at the expense of the rights and needs of others We hope that as students begin to substantially understand critical thinking, they come to understand it in a “strong-sense” or fair-minded way, and conceive their own development as thinkers accordingly We focus on the following key concepts: “weak sense” versus “strong sense” critical thinking the following essential intellectual traits: fair-mindedness intellectual arrogance intellectual humility intellectual courage intellectual empathy intellectual integrity intellectual perseverance confidence in reason intellectual autonomy All the “Think for Yourself” activities in this chapter are designed to help students begin to understand essential intellectual traits (virtues of mind) and to recognize the intellectual work required to develop them Chapter Two The First Four Stages of Development: At What Level of Thinking Would You Place Yourself? This chapter is designed to help students begin to understand the first four stages of critical thinking development and to recognize, provisionally, the stage they are in In our experience students, and people in general, tend to rank themselves more highly when first introduced to this stage theory than they after they have done the intellectual work that advancing through the stages requires It is not useful to try to persuade students to rank themselves lower than they initially Hopefully, their own experience and insight will develop as the course proceeds and they will then freely revise their early estimates The key concept of “the stages of critical thinking development” is the focus of this chapter: Stage One: The Unreflective Thinker (we are unaware of significant problems in our thinking) Stage Two: The Challenged Thinker (we become aware of problems in our thinking) Stage Three: The Beginning Thinker (we try to improve but without regular practice) Stage Four: The Practicing Thinker (we recognize the necessity of regular practice) Stage Five: The Advanced Thinker (we advance in accordance with our practice) Stage Six: The Accomplished Thinker (skilled & insightful thinking become second nature to us) In this chapter, the “Think for Yourself” activities are designed to: foster a beginning understanding of the first four stages of critical thinking development, and help students design a beginning game plan for developing as thinkers PREFACE and INTRODUCTION MULTIPLE CHOICE Essay question: Before reading this chapter, answer these questions: To this point how have you thought about the role of thinking in your life? To what extent you understand your thinking or how it is influencing the way you live your life? question 1.According to the authors, you are what you answer a eat answer b earn answer c desire answer d think question For most people, thinking is _ answer a subconscious answer b rare answer c usually explicitly stated answer d deliberate question: _ causes problems, wastes time, wastes energy, and causes frustration and pain in all areas of life answer a Skilled thinking answer b Poor thinking answer c Poor paying job answer d Personal control of thinking The following are examples of _: self-knowledge, knowledge of how one’s own mind works, and knowledge of how and why we think as we answer a natural learning answer b inward learning answer c making a hell of heaven answer d an inevitable process question: What can critical thinking for you? i Be added on to everything else ii Provide tools of the mind for college and life iii Improve reasoning through short and long term goals answer a answer b answer c answer d i and iii ii and iii I and ii all of the above question: _ is spontaneous and non-reflective and often includes indiscriminate use of insight, prejudice, truth and error, and good and bad reasoning answer a First order thinking answer b Second order thinking answer c Reflective thinking answer d Empathetic thinking question: After her freshman year of college, when the anticipated social life and parties did not fulfill her original impression of college, Sara began to change her purposes for being a student, She consciously began to analyze, assess, and reconstruct her purpose and goals Sara was using answer a First order thinking answer b Second order thinking answer c Intellectual cowardice answer d Outward learning ANSWER KEY TO PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION 1:D 2:A 3:B 4:B 5:B 6:A 7:B CHAPTER BECOMING A FAIR-MINDED THINKER MULTIPLE CHOICE Essay question: what is your concept of a fair-minded thinker? Can you think of ways in which you have acted in a fair-minded manner, or in which you have failed to exhibit this trait? Focus on one situation in which you acted unfairly – how might you change your behavior to act more fairly in a similar situation? question All of the following are traits of strong sense critical thinking EXCEPT: answer a capable of exposing masters of intellectual games who gain something at the expense of the well-being of innocent people answer b capable of winning arguments through sophistry and rhetoric answer c capable of using intellectual courage in arguing publicly against unethical thinking answer d capable of higher-level fair-mindedness question A typical weak sense critical thinking high school or college student probably would answer a not be too concerned about grades answer b take coursework very seriously answer c examine deep issues related to subject matter answer d get high grades by cramming just before an exam You are in a heated discussion with your close friend concerning the teaching of evolution in science classes in high school curriculums You are an ardent creationist who passionately and eloquently argues your point Even though you vehemently disagree with the opposing point of view, you force yourself to listen to your friend’s defense of the merits of teaching evolutionary theory in public schools You try to accurately represent your friend’s view in your own mind You are using answer a intellectual empathy answer b intellectual perseverance answer c intellectual humility answer d intellectual integrity question 4.Which of the following is NOT a critical thinking trait? answer a intellectual autonomy answer b intellectual perseverance answer c intellectual conformity answer d intellectual humility question When one thinks independently without being blindly influenced by others, (s)he is practicing answer a intellectual integrity answer b unreflective thinking answer c intellectual autonomy answer d intellectual arrogance question One of your roommates is playing music loudly while you are trying to study You ask him to turn the music down but he refuses You start yelling at him and throw your shoe across the room at him You are using answer a egocentric thinking answer b intellectual empathy answer c academic sophistry answer d intellectual humility question7 When one practices what one preaches, and one’s beliefs are consistent with one’s actions, (s)he is practicing answer a intellectual humility answer b intellectual integrity answer c intellectual confidence in reason answer d intellectual hypocrisy assignment: Match the intellectual trait on the left with its opposite on the right Intellectual Autonomy Intellectual Integrity Intellectual Humility Intellectual Empathy Intellectual Courage Intellectual Perseverance Intellectual Sense of Justice Intellectual Confidence in Reason Intellectual Fair-mindedness Arrogance Intellectual Cowardice Intellectual Conformity Intellectual Self-Centeredness Intellectual Hypocrisy Intellectual Egocentrism Intellectual Laziness Intellectual Disregard of Justice Intellectual Distrust of Reason Correct: Intellectual Autonomy; Intellectual Conformity Intellectual Integrity; Intellectual Hypocrisy Intellectual Humility; Arrogance Intellectual Empathy; Intellectual Self-Centeredness Intellectual Courage; Intellectual Cowardice Intellectual Perseverance; Intellectual Laziness Intellectual Sense of Justice; Intellectual Disregard of Justice Intellectual Confidence in Reason; Intellectual Distrust of Reason Intellectual Fair-mindedness; Intellectual Egocentrism ANSWER KEY CHAPTER 1: 1:B 2:D 3:A 4:C 5:C 6:A 7:B Chapter Essay question: what is the significance of the stage theory presented in this chapter? In what ways does it help you assess your own level of development? What is the essence of the difference between each stage? What does this imply for improvement in critical thinking and thinking generally? question The third stage in the six stages of development of critical thinking is the answer a beginner thinker stage answer b advanced thinker stage answer c unreflective thinker stage answer d challenged thinker stage question Improvement in thinking may be compared to improvement in basketball, in playing the guitar, or in dance because answer a we always work harder at things we enjoy answer b we are all natural athletes and musicians answer c it is easy to change one’s habits answer d it is unlikely to take place without a conscious commitment question We can expect to be at the advanced thinker stage by time we complete a course using Critical Thinking - Tools for Taking Charge of Your Learning and Your Life textbook by Richard Paul and Linda Elder answer a True answer b False answer c Only if we attend 80% or more of the classes answer d We can probably reach this pinnacle by mid-term question 4: In the unreflective thinking stage, common characteristics include all but the following: answer a We lack intellectual traits but we are not aware that we not possess them answer b We fail to notice how self-centered and prejudiced we are answer c We become aware of problems in our thinking answer d We stereotype others question Bess has devised a game plan to improve her thinking skills She consciously strives to use even small blocks of time productively; she also tries to internalize one intellectual standard each week, and keeps a journal Which stage of critical thinking development is Bess in? answer a Beginning thinking stage answer b Unreflective thinking stage answer c Practicing thinking stage answer d Challenged thinking stage question One trap that derails beginning critical thinkers is _, believing that truth is acquired through some predetermined, nonintellectual faith answer a unreflective thinking answer b intellectual empathy answer c dogmatic absolutism answer d intellectual autonomy ANSWER KEY CHAPTER 1:A 2:D 3:B 4:C 5:C 6:C ... using Critical Thinking - Tools for Taking Charge of Your Learning and Your Life textbook by Richard Paul and Linda Elder answer a True answer b False answer c Only if we attend 80% or more of the... answer d i and iii ii and iii I and ii all of the above question: _ is spontaneous and non-reflective and often includes indiscriminate use of insight, prejudice, truth and error, and good and bad... “Think for Yourself” activities are designed to: foster a beginning understanding of the first four stages of critical thinking development, and help students design a beginning game plan for developing