Critical Thinking in Writing

Phil 5

in Three Thinkers

Philosophy

Thales, 620 — 546 BCE

How do you know?mythos/logos

Philosophy

Anaximander, 610—546 BCE

What is real?the Boundless

Philosophy

Heraclitus, 500 BCEHow to live?

All are bound by one law

Philosophy

How to live?How to live?

How do you know?

What is real?What is real?

EpistemologyEpistemology

Philosophy

How to live?How to live?

How do you know?

What is real?

EpistemologyEpistemology

Philosophy

MetaphysicsMetaphysics

How to live?

How do you know?

What is real?

EpistemologyEpistemology

Philosophy

MetaphysicsMetaphysics

EthicsEthics

Philosophy: the attempt to Philosophy: the attempt to answer, critically, the answer, critically, the epistemological, epistemological, metaphysical, and ethical metaphysical, and ethical questions.questions.

Philosophy: the attempt to Philosophy: the attempt to answer, answer, criticallycritically, the , the epistemological, epistemological, metaphysical, and ethical metaphysical, and ethical questions.questions.

CharityReason

Questions

Critical Thinking

CharityReason

Questions

Truth

Consistency

CharityReason

Questions

Truth

CharityReason

Questions

Truth

Consistency

Validity, Soundness

Two Basic Principles

Critical Thinking

Principleof

Charity

Critical Thinking

Principle of Charity: Principle of Charity: for any claim, give it for any claim, give it the strongest possible the strongest possible interpretation.interpretation.

Principleof

Sufficient Reason

Critical Thinking

Principle of Sufficient Principle of Sufficient Reason: for or any Reason: for or any claim, give reason why claim, give reason why it is true, or not.it is true, or not.

A Method of Questioning

Critical Thinking

Is drinking milk healthy for humans?

Controlling the Question

Has the Constitutional right to bear arms outlived its

usefulness?Are single-sex schools better for

education?What is the best method of

education?

What Constitutional rights should we keep?

What are the healthiest drinks for humans?

Controlling the QuestionOpen Questions Yes-or-no Questions

Is drinking milk healthy for humans?

Has the Constitutional right to bear arms

outlived its usefulness?

Are single-sex schools better for

education?

What is the best method of education?

What Constitutional rights should we

keep?

What are the healthiest drinks for humans?

Open QuestionsYes-or-no Questions

What is the best method of education?

What Constitutional rights should we

keep?

What are the healthiest drinks for humans?

Are Topic or Theme Questions

Open Questions Yes-or-no Questions

Is drinking milk healthy for humans?

Has the Constitutional right to bear arms

outlived its usefulness?

Are single-sex schools better for

education?

Are Topic or Theme Questions Are Issue Questions

An Issue Question: is a An Issue Question: is a yes-or-no question, yes-or-no question, and is the way to and is the way to formulate questions formulate questions for the disputed for the disputed question method question method ((quaestioquaestio disputatadisputata).).

the question

yes:

no:

Reasons supporting the yes answer or

refuting the no answer.

Reasons supporting the no answer or refuting the yes

answer.

Which side has the better

reasons?

The Disputed Question Method

Is drinking milk

healthy?

yes:

no:

Reasons supporting the yes answer or

refuting the no answer.

Reasons supporting the no answer or refuting the yes

answer.

Which side has the better

reasons?

The Disputed Question Method

Is the right to bear

arms still useful?

yes:

no:

Reasons supporting the yes answer or

refuting the no answer.

Reasons supporting the no answer or refuting the yes

answer.

Which side has the better

reasons?

The Disputed Question Method

Are single-sex schools better for

education?

yes:

no:

Reasons supporting the yes answer or

refuting the no answer.

Reasons supporting the no answer or refuting the yes

answer.

Which side has the better

reasons?

The Disputed Question Method

A virtue is an excellence, A virtue is an excellence, a mean between two a mean between two extremes called extremes called vicesvices..

Virtues

Mean

Extreme

Extreme

Virtues

Virtue

vice

vice

Virtues

Courage

vice?

cowardice

Virtues

Courage

foolhardy

cowardice

Virtues

Fair Minded

vice?

vice?

Virtues

Fair Minded

gullible

prejudiced

Virtues

Inquisitive

vice?

vice?

Virtues

Inquisitive

obsessed

indifferent

Virtues

Careful

vice?

vice?

Virtues

Careful

pedantic

careless