Chapter 1. Introducing Critical Thinking and Philosophical Inquiry
Summary
This chapter…
- Introduces the concept of critical thinking and its importance.
- Discusses the basics of critical thinking and emphasizes its relevance.
- Explores the concept of a love for knowledge and why it is important.
- Addresses the questions of what philosophy is and its role as an educational foundation.
- Includes practice exercises included to help improve critical thinking skills.
- Ends with a review of the main points and recommended readings.
Outline
§1 Understanding Critical Thinking
1.1 What is “critical thinking”?
1.2 The Importance of Critical Thinking
1.3 Characteristics of Critical Thinkers
1.4 The Relationship between Critical Thinking and Philosophical Inquiry
§2 The Process of Critical Thinking
2.5 Formulating Well-Reasoned Judgments
§3 Why Critical Thinking Matters
3.1 Applications of Critical Thinking
3.2 Critics of Critical Thinking
3.3 Why It Matters: The Value of Philosophy [forthcoming]
5.5 Philosophy of Anything & Everything!
Key Terms
- Argument = gives reasons for believing that something is the case
- Assertion = a statement that something is or is not the case / either true or false
- Axiology = the study of value, including both aesthetic value and moral value
- Bias = obstacle to thinking well by preferring someone / thing for irrelevant reasons
- Critical Thinking = the systematic evaluation or formulation of beliefs, or statements, by rational standards
- Epistemology = the study of knowledge / justified belief
- Explanation = tells us why or how something is the case
- Fallacy = error in reasoning
- Issue = topic being discussed; whether something is [not] the case
- Inference = the logical link between premises and a conclusion
- Logic = the study of / codification of rules for correct reasoning
- Metaphysics = the study of reality
- Philosophy = “the love of wisdom”; study of general and fundamental problems in the form of questions
- Philosophical Questions = arise from the critical examination of one’s ordinary beliefs
- Philosophical Beliefs = fundamental beliefs that underlie many other ordinary beliefs
- Philosophical Thinking = thinking about the truth of a philosophical belief
- Premise(s) = supporting statement(s) in an argument
- Conclusion = statement being supported in an argument
- Value Judgment = evaluation of something that is neither true nor false.
