Critical Thinking

Unit 1 Discussion Assignment

What is Critical Thinking?

Step 1. Review what you and other students wrote in Unit 0 – the “Icebreaker” Discussion Forum about critical thinking and why we need to study it.

Step 2. From your reading assignment in Chapter One, select any three topics that you found particularly interesting or useful (for example, World Views, Questions and Autonomy; or Values, Courage and Consistency). Any three topics will do that correspond to sub-headings in this Chapter. Re-read those sections again and take some notes.

Step 3. Create a new definition for critical thinking, using the concepts and ideas from your selected reading topics. See if you can come up with a more accurate and informed definition of critical thinking and the reasons we need to study it. What are the habits of good thinking that you find most important? Use the textbook as your reference and either quote or paraphrase from it to support your new definition, with appropriate citations. Address the following questions, and then read and respond to at least two other students with substantial comments:

• What is your new definition of critical thinking?

• How is it different from your original definition (from your Unit 0 “Icebreaker”

  post)? Specifically, what has changed?

• How were the three selected topics from the text useful for clarifying your thinking?

• What is the single most important habit of good thinking for your own development as a critical thinker? Explain why.