Blog #3

     It is accurate to define critical thinking as a set of skills. Critical thinking takes thinking and evaluating to a more complex level, and helps us understand situations through several different perspectives.  In order for critical thinking to be successful, however, the set of skills must be used correctly. For example, when used incorrectly, the class ran into communication issues, and clashing opinions without reasoning.The discussion then became more focused on individual opinions and biases, rather than using our skills to break down the question. Using research and evidence to support our reasoning and using examples are essential skills, that eliminates bias. It was often difficult to have a bias-free mindset because the topic of college education personally impacts me, and the rest of the students in the class.  Using personal examples can be tricky because the event or situation impacted that individual in a certain way, usually resulting in a bias. Knowing that the topic directly impacted me, it was much more difficult to be open minded to the other perspectives, even if I was wrong. It was also be helpful if I challenged other people's opinions as well, to see who has better reasoning and which is more logical. This research taught me to be more patient, and to not jump to conclusions without having strong evidence first. I was able to successfully listen to other people's opinions, but need to take them more into consideration, Taking mind notes while others are stating their opinions, and attempting to pull away from my bias on the thought of free college tuition for everyone, will lead me into being a more successful critical thinker. My weaknesses relate to the explanation and self-regulating skills mentioned in the Facione article. When explaining, I need to ask myself where I got the information from, why I thought that way and how I came to my decision. When using the self-regulation skill, I need to ask myself if my stance is precise, if I have strong and accurate evidence, and most importantly, if I am missing anything., 

Blog #2

Out of all the aspects we have recently examined, confirmation bias definitely affected my thoughts on critical thinking the most. Confirmation bias, also known as the tendency to interpret evidence based on confirmation of one’s existing beliefs or theories, actually plays a large role in society. The decisions that we make are often influenced by biases that we have already created. As we discussed in class, confirmation bias affects all people of any age all day long. It can be as simple as a mother believing her child did nothing wrong or a teacher treating a student unfairly after overhearing another teacher bash this particular student.

My thinking hero is Nelson Mandela. After learning about confirmation bias and how it influences our decisions, he might not be as much of a hero as I had once envisioned. Mandela was a South African activist and fought for rights, but the media could have played a large role in my previous thought processes. I assumed that he made of all his decisions himself and he always did the right thing to better the lives of others. This, however, I thought due to the idea of confirmation bias and previous thoughts that I had. The news, newspapers, articles and media as a whole portray Nelson Mandela as an exceptionally important man, so I based my opinion on thoughts that I heard and grew up on. Nelson Mandela himself was most likely affected by confirmation bias and it ended up altering his decisions. I believe he was good at constructing arguments because he was passionate and educated on his beliefs, although they might have been affected by confirmation bias as well. Confirmation bias significantly narrows down your thoughts and your ability to critical think. Like the Dunning Kruger affect for example, it is something hard to stop and consistently present in everyday life. 

“It always seems impossible until it’s done” (Nelson Mandela). A hero is someone who puts others before themselves. A thinking hero on the other hand, is someone who not only has a unique way of thinking, but also has the ability to act upon those thoughts. Nelson Mandela was a South African activist who recently passed away at the age of ninety-five.  He was an intellectual who always saw the bigger picture and managed to persevere in the face of adversity. He attended the University of Witwatersrand where he earned his law degree and connected with key individuals who would join him in his fight against inequality in South Africa. His mindset drove him to become a powerful leader of the ANC, the African National Congress. Nelson Mandela became a global advocate for human rights as he peacefully protested against the apartheid, a system where non-white citizens did not have equal rights. He thought that following the non-violent ways of Mohandas Gandhi would result in a more accepting community. Nelson Mandela was sent to prison for his protests and was released due to international pressure a grueling twenty-seven years later in the year of 1990. Finally in 1994, people of all colors had the opportunity to vote. Nelson Mandela ran in the South African Presidential election in 1994 and despite the odds, was victorious. Although hostility and hatred continues to persist in South Africa despite his efforts, he was able to prevent a major civil war.  As discussed in class, thinking critically is goal oriented, broken down into steps and focused. Nelson Mandela is the epitome of a critical thinker. Everything that he did from protesting, to running for office had an ending goal. Nelson Mandela’s years in jail served a bigger purpose, as he dedicated his entire life to the fight for equality. After being jailed twenty seven years he forgave those who jailed him and showed nothing but love and compassion. He gained civil rights for the majority of the people of South Africa by sacrificing his own freedom. Nelson Mandela is my thinking hero because he was a successful and persistent man who used his mind to better the lives of others.