critical thinking discusstion
1. “Identifying Truth or Fiction”
Please respond to the following:
The video clip ‘The Baloney Detection Kit’ in the Webtext this week discusses the many ways in which an effective critical thinker assesses the claims made by others.
Carefully define the terms ‘science’ and ‘pseudoscience’. Thoroughly explain the difference between them and provide your references.
Also, give at least one example of what counts as science, and of what counts as pseudoscience. Explain how you can tell the difference. How do we know when a claim counts a pseudoscience? How can you tell that a claim is truly a scientific claim?
Are there any pseudo-scientific claims that you hold? If yes, why is it?
Determine at least two (2) ways in which the material discussed this week has changed your own thinking.
2. “Problem Solving Interview Question”
Please respond to the following:
- Imagine you are interviewing for a job you really want.
- Here is the question you need to answer to: Describe a specific example in which you used critical thinking//problem solving strategies to resolve a problem in the real world. Make sure to carefully explain what specific problem solving strategies you have used. Provide your references.
- Provide your feedback from the perspective of an interview coach to at least one classmate. If you are a job coach, what suggestions would you make to maximize his or her answer to the interview question?
3. “The relationship between language and thinking”
Please respond to the following:
What is political correctness? How is it defined? What’s its goal? How does it illustrate the power of language? Do research – look for reliable scholarly sources to find a good definition; explain the term also in your own words, and provide an example.
Critically discuss the question: Is political correctness a good idea?
There are obviously two possible answers to this question. Present those two answers, and try to provide the strongest argument you can think of in support of BOTH sides (you’ll need one argument for each side). Then tell us which side you think is stronger and why.
You may want to consider the following additional questions: Does political correctness violate freedom of speech? (Please don’t forget to define the term ‘freedom of speech’ – what is it, what is its goal, where did it originate? Provide your references.)
When you create your arguments, clearly indicate the conclusion and the premises of the arguments. Use concrete examples to illustrate your point.
4. “Take a Look at Ethics Around You:”
Carefully read the material on Ethics and especially on Moral Theories in the Webtext. Then consider the following scenario:
A runaway train is speeding down a track. There are five people tied to the track in the train’s path. If the train isn’t stopped, the five people will for sure die. You are there near the train, and you happen to see a switch: if you flip the switch, the train will go down a different track and you will save the five people. Unfortunately, if you do so – one person will still die as there is one person also tied to that alternate track.
What is the morally right thing to do (according to the moral theories discussed in class?). Construct an argument.
That is, when you answer the question, support your view with the help from one of the moral theories of your choice.
After you write down your answer, watch the first video in the Instructor Insights for week 9.
How will you thinking change after you watch the video?
