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1: Critical Thinking

  • Page ID
    355222

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    CRITICAL-THINKING-MOSAIC.png

    Critical Thinking Mosaic © ChatGPT is licensed under a CC0 (Creative Commons Zero) license

    • 1.1: Introduction to Critical Thinking
      This page discusses critical thinking as the analysis of information and arguments for informed decision-making, emphasizing tools like epistemology and media literacy. It dispels myths that equate critical thinking solely with intelligence and highlights the importance of humility and curiosity. In a landscape filled with misinformation, effective critical thinking acts as a crucial defense, influencing our information consumption, voting behavior, and social engagement.
    • 1.2: Epistemology
      This page discusses epistemology, the study of knowledge and belief, highlighting the distinction between subjective beliefs and justified knowledge. It emphasizes the necessity of strong evidence and critical thinking in evaluating claims, particularly extraordinary ones. The burden of proof rests on the claimant, encouraging individuals to verify information and reflect on their beliefs to better understand truth versus misinformation.
    • 1.3: Cognitive Bias
      This page discusses cognitive biases and their influence on decision-making, emphasizing biases like confirmation bias and the illusory truth effect. It suggests strategies for managing these biases, such as improving metacognition and seeking diverse information. Additionally, it references studies on the effects of media and social media on public health perceptions, highlighting the role of advertisements and misinformation as significant threats.
    • 1.4: Logic and Intuition
      This page distinguishes between logic and intuition, noting that logic provides a structured approach for sound conclusions, while intuition can lead to errors influenced by emotions. It highlights the significance of logic in analyzing complex information and references academic literature on emotions, decision-making, and behavior.
    • 1.5: Media Literacy
      This page emphasizes the importance of media literacy, defining it as the ability to critically engage with media. It introduces the SIFT method by Mike Caulfield for assessing information credibility through steps like stopping to think, investigating sources, seeking better coverage, and tracing claims. Additionally, it highlights the need to identify red flags, such as absence of authorship and sensationalism, and to be wary of fake credibility markers to combat misinformation effectively.
    • 1.6: AI Literacy
      This page discusses the evolving role of AI in society, addressing myths about its consciousness and objectivity while advocating for balanced skepticism. It examines AI's contribution to misinformation and biases and suggests responsible usage guidelines.

     


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