Phi1101 Study Notes
PHI 1101A | May 2, 13
LECTURE 1
The basic toolbox of critical thinking consists of: * Statement * Premise * Conclusion * Argument
Problems with how we think: * Self-interested thinking – accepting a claim solely on the grounds that it advances or coincides with our interests - too much focus on ourselves * Ex. “I’m against gun control, because I’m a hunter” * Arguments should have more solid reasons, other than one’s own self interest * Group thinking – we are all members of groups (social classes, religions etc.) and all of these groups, intentionally or not, exert pressure on our views. * Peer pressure - pressure from one’s peers to believe or do the things the group does * Stereotyping – drawing conclusions about people without sufficient reasons
Problems with what we think: * We all have a world view * Part of the world view of critical thinking – the world is publically understandable * Ex. 2 + 2 = 4 / whales are mammals / the world is flat * The fact that we believe this statement does not make it true / false * Described as being objectively true * Subjective relativism: the view that truth depends solely on what someone believes – the truth is relative to the individual (what each person believes it to be) * Problems with this include: if we could make something true by just believing it we could never be wrong * Its self- defeating since it involves logical contradiction * Consider the statement: all truth is relative * Social relativism - the view that the truth is relative to to societies or groups. Also known as a cultural relativism: different cultures believe different things. Who are we to say that other societies are wrong? * Problems with this include: it implies that societies are infallible, it involves a logical contradiction
LECTURE 1
The basic toolbox of critical thinking consists of: * Statement * Premise * Conclusion * Argument
Problems with how we think: * Self-interested thinking – accepting a claim solely on the grounds that it advances or coincides with our interests - too much focus on ourselves * Ex. “I’m against gun control, because I’m a hunter” * Arguments should have more solid reasons, other than one’s own self interest * Group thinking – we are all members of groups (social classes, religions etc.) and all of these groups, intentionally or not, exert pressure on our views. * Peer pressure - pressure from one’s peers to believe or do the things the group does * Stereotyping – drawing conclusions about people without sufficient reasons
Problems with what we think: * We all have a world view * Part of the world view of critical thinking – the world is publically understandable * Ex. 2 + 2 = 4 / whales are mammals / the world is flat * The fact that we believe this statement does not make it true / false * Described as being objectively true * Subjective relativism: the view that truth depends solely on what someone believes – the truth is relative to the individual (what each person believes it to be) * Problems with this include: if we could make something true by just believing it we could never be wrong * Its self- defeating since it involves logical contradiction * Consider the statement: all truth is relative * Social relativism - the view that the truth is relative to to societies or groups. Also known as a cultural relativism: different cultures believe different things. Who are we to say that other societies are wrong? * Problems with this include: it implies that societies are infallible, it involves a logical contradiction