Critical Reasoning

Critical Reasoning PLS26001 Lecturer: John Ballam Contact details: jballam@varsitycollege.co.za Phone: 031 5732038

Course materials Critical Reasoning Wiki

Course Assessment Requirements Assignment 01 – Due: 13 August (Tut 101:26) 5% • TOTAL 15 questions • 11 true or false • 4 multiple choice (guess?) Assignment 02 – Due: 23 September 15% (Tut 101:30) • TOTAL 20 questions • 8 true or false • 12 multiple choice (guess?)

Entrance to the Exam Exam Entrance 40% minimum for both assignments Examination +/- 60 multiple choice questions Time: 2 hrs Pass mark: 50%

Course Overview

The Socialisation Process Predictable: Perceptions Actions Beliefs Heuristics Dominant thinking patterns I have been unconsciously socialised into and accept.

Human beings are conditioned from birth to follow authority figures and not to question their pronouncements.…Most individuals reach adulthood in this conditioned form….the results of such conditioning is the antithesis of scientific thinking and critical thinking.” (Schafersman, S.D. 1991:5)

Heuristics – Habits of the heart, Mind and Body The “upside” of heuristics Helpful habits that enable us to unconsciously perform actions so that we can give our attention to other important tasks e.g. we change gears (unconsciously) while driving. What we consciously give our attention to is the road ahead and traffic around us.

The “downside” of heuristics Unconscious habits that prevent us perceiving new information or developing more productive responses to situations. (e.g. because our previous experience (school?) has taught that studying is not fun, we approach out studies assuming this will be the case and because we do this it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy)

For critical thinkers all knowledge is Dialogically constructed on the following assumptions

The Big heuristics - The assumptions From which we construct knowledge Brookfield, 1995:2-3

Why it might be difficult to become critically reflective

Loosing my innocence? What if I question my most cherished ideas and then find out they were inadequate or wrong?

Becoming an OUTSIDER? Which social group that I belong to at present might reject me or severely criticise me if I were to question their most cherished practices?

Feeling insecure? If I engage with becoming critically self reflective of my own beliefs, background, or culture how do I cope with it if I want to change?

What is critical reasoning? (SG:1-14 TB:1-7) Outcomes • Define what critical reasoning is and what it means to think philosophically. • Explain how critical reasoning differs from formal logic • Discuss how critical reasoning can be liberating. • Explain why having an opinion is not necessarily, reasoning critically.

Thinking for yourself Critical reasoning is…… Thinking in an informed way Different from formal logic Becoming critically self reflective Thinking philosophically

Thinking for yourself

Thinking in an informed way • Systematically evaluate the sources of our information – when “they” say who is “they” • Present informed opinions supported by sound reason.

Becoming critically self reflective • Critically examine our own assumptions about life/reality. • Reflect upon the values of: society, our culture, our families, our friends, our……

Different from formal logic “ explores the nature and function of arguments in natural language” “reflects on the quality and character of arguments” “statements have meaning as statements and as actions” “statements have an emotive side” “ how to evaluate the quality of argumentation” (Van den Berg, 2005:4)

Thinking philosophically

Critical Reasoning