Beyond Feelings - Vincent Ruggiero.original_ [0]
A GUIDE TO CRITICAL THINKING
by VINCENT RYAN RUGGIERO
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
The Context
01 Who are YOU
02 What is CRITICAL THINKING
03 What is TRUTH
04 What does it mean to KNOW
05 How GOOD are your OPINIONs
The Problems
06 The Basic Problem- MINE IS BETTER
07 RESISTANCE to change
08 CONFORMITY
09 FACE-SAVING
10 STEREOTYPING
11 OVERSIMPLIFICATION
12 HASTY CONCLUSIONS
13 UNWARRANTED ASSUMPTIONS
14 LOGICAL FALLACIES
15 The problems in COMBINATION
A Strategy
16 Knowing Yourself
17 Being Observant
18 Clarifying Issues
19 Conducting Inquiry
20 Interpreting Evidence
21 Analyzing Viewpoints
22 Forming Judgments
The Issues
Some Contemporary Issues
INTRODUCTION
Beyond Feelings is designed to introduce you to the subject of critical thinking. The subject is undoubtedly new to you because it is not taught in most elementary and secondary schools. In fact, until fairly recently it was not taught in most colleges. During the 1960s and much of the 1970s the emphasis was more on subjectivity than on objectivity, more on feeling than on thought.
Over the past ten years, however, a number of studies of America's schools have criticized the neglect of critical think, and a growing number of educators and leaders in business, industry, and the professions have urged the development of new courses and teaching materials to overcome that neglect.
It is no exaggeration to say that critical thinking is one of the most important subjects you will study in college regardless of your academic major. The quality of your schoolwork, your efforts in your career, your contributions to community life, and your conduct of personal affairs will all depend on your ability to solve problems and make decisions.
The book has four main sections. The first, "The Context," will help you to understand such important concepts as individuality, thinking, truth, knowledge, and opinion and to overcome attitudes and ideas that obstruct critical thinking. The second section, "The Problems," will teach you to recognize and avoid nine common errors that often occur, singly or in combination, during the thinking process. The third section, "A Strategy," will help you acquire the various skills used in addressing problems and issues. This section includes tips on identifying and overcoming you personal intellectual weaknesses, as well as techniques for becoming more observant, clarifying issues and conducting inquiry, interpreting evidence, analyzing other people's views, and making sound judgments.
At the end of each chapter you will find a number of applications to challenge your critical thinking and provide exercise for your skills. These applications cover problems and issues both timely and timeless. The fourth section of the book, "Some Contemporary Issues," presents additional important issues that continue to occupy the attention of the best thinkers of our time.
In brief, Beyond Feelings is designed to help you acquire the intellectual skills necessary to solve the exciting problems of today and tomorrow.
CHAPTER ONE
WHO ARE YOU?
Suppose someone asked, "Who are you?" it would be simple enough to respond with your name. but if the person wanted to know the whole story about who you are, it would be more difficult to answer. You'd obviously have to give the details of your height and age and weight. You'd also have to include all your sentiments and preferences, even the secret ones you'd never shared with anyone – your affection for you parents; your desire to please the crowd you associate with; your dislike of your older sister's husband; your allegiance to Budweiser beer, the Ford Motor Company, the Denver Broncos, Calvin Klein jeans, and Bruce Springsteen.
Your attitudes couldn't be overlooked either – the impatience you have when an issue gets complex, your aversion to English courses, your rejection of communism, your fear of high places and dogs and speaking in public. The list would go on. To be complete, it would have to include all your characteristics