computer science for critical thinking, Lecture notes of Computer Science

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Lecturer:

FRANK ADJEI-NTEKOR

Executive Masters in Governance

and Leadership

from

Ghana Institute of Management

and Public Administration

(GIMPA)

I am not a parrot !

“Give someone a fish and he will eat that day; teach him how to catch a fish and he’ll never go hungry”

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

INTRODUCTION

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

• (^) A proverb like this reminds us that learning skills help to move towards self reliance. This is never truer than critical thinking.

INTRODUCTION

Critical thinking (CT) refers to a diverse range of intellectual skills and activities concerning evaluating information as well as our own thoughts in a discipline way.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

Analyzing Conceptualizing Defining Examining Inferring Listening Questioning Reasoning Synthesizing CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITIES EVALUATION INFORMATION^ EVALUATION INFORMATION

EVALUATING OUR THOUGHTS^ EVALUATING OUR THOUGHTS In a Disciplined way HELPS US REFINE OUR THOUGHT PROCESSES Intellectual skills/Activities

• (^) Indeed when we think critically, beliefs tend not be cherished, but held on the understanding that if they are shown to be unfounded, a change of position is the most appropriate response.
• (^) Critical thinkers cultivate an attitude of curiosity and eagerness to widen their perspective and broaden their knowledge and they are willing to do the work required to keep themselves properly informed about the subject.
• (^) They recognize that the explanations must actually explain and be attestable and be worthy of serious consideration; and they legitimately clearly define the circumstances in which they will concede defeat.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

• (^) Critical thinking embraces skepticism. Skepticism doesn’t mean any discriminate rejection of certain ideas.
• (^) It refers to doubting and suspending our judgment about claims with which we are represented, so we don’t simply accept claims which might be unjustified, but first have the time to examine them: examining the reasoning and possible assumptions and biases behind them.
• (^) Reasoning behind factual claims should be based in sound, consistent logic not on emotions and social pressure, because the true value of factual claims is not determined by the emotions that accompanies them OR the fact that they may be believed by certain social groups

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

• (^) If one sees only two options when more exist, this constitutes a false dichotomy.
• (^) E.g. Consciousness is often presented as something that is either an eternal immaterial entity or reducible and identical to brain states, when in fact there are various other positions.

FALSE

DICHOTOMY

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

• (^) Many divide people into those who accept evolution and those who believe in specific Gods when these categories are not mutually exclusive.
• (^) If we think in false dichotomies, we tend to draw false conclusions, for example, by judging that IF option “A” is false, option “B” must be true. We may also misrepresent others, by wrongly assuming that if they don’t hold attitude “X” they must hold attitude “Y”.
• (^) Black and white thinking often reflects and underlines reluctance or refusal to deal with the uncertainty that results from the complexity and the absence of definite answers.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

• (^) Critical thinking provides each one of us with keys for unlocking our own intellectual independence leaving us willing and able to explore and solve problems for ourselves.
• (^) It moves us away from rush conclusions, mystification and the reluctance to question received wisdom, authority and tradition.
• (^) It moves us towards intellectual discipline, the clear expression of ideas, and the acceptance of personality for our own thinking.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

• (^) Communities in which individuals are eager to acquire and apply the best knowledge and reason in all fields and willing to acknowledge and correct flaws in their own thinking are better equip to create more profoundly effective solutions to the challenges they face in living and living together.
• (^) When we teach and encourage critical thinking, we empower individual lives and invest in our collective future.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

I am not a parrot !

Solution— Critical Thinking Exercise

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