PowerPoint Presentation

Prudent ThinkingLesson on what a prudent thinker is and how to become one

ContentWhat is the Thinking Process? What Is Prudent Thinking? What Does the Absence of Thinking Prudently Look Like?Characteristics of People who Excel at Prudent Thinking What Are the Major Components in Prudent Thinking?

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/14710-overview-of-critical-thinking/#ixzz16QczAdZg

What is the Thinking Process?

* Senses provide our bodies with sensations which they pick up from the outside world. These sensations are transmitted by nerves to the biological structures which will translate them.

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Biologicalthe sensations provided by the senses are inputted by nerves to the brain which then translates, decodes and encodes messages and sends them out through the nervous system.

Psychologicaltakes the messages from the brain and translates them into perceptions and reactions.

Cognitivetranslations through the biological and psychological dimensions of the thinking process of the perceptions and reactions into concepts, ideas, assumptions, suppositions, inferences, hypotheses, questions, beliefs, premises, logical arguments, etc.

Communications

takes the messages from the brain and translates them into verbal, non-verbal and written language to communicate the thoughts and ideas which were generated.

What Is Prudent Thinking? Prudent thinking consists of three steps:1. Becoming aware that assumptions exist2. Making assumptions explicit3. Assessing their accuracyo Do these assumptions make sense?o Do these assumptions fit reality as we understand and live it?o Under what conditions do these assumptions seem to hold true? Under what conditions do they seem false?

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/14710-overview-of-critical-thinking/#ixzz16Qmz59Rt

Misconceptions About Prudent Thinking

It is wholly a negative process-it tears down ideas and puts nothing in their place (rather it is a positive process to put things in a more realistic perspective).It will lead to relativistic freeze--the inability to make commitments to people, ideas, structures (rather. commitments are informed ones).

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/14710-overview-of-critical-thinking/#ixzz16QnbH5cT

Misconceptions About Critical Thinking

It seems to involve traumatic change-one is expected to abandon old assumptions continually. (rather: Some beliefs stay the same--they are simply more informed).It is dispassionate and cold (it is rather highly emotive and liberating to be free of past assumptions and the anxiety of self-scrutiny).

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/14710-overview-of-critical-thinking/#ixzz16QnbH5cT

Why Is Prudent Thinking Important?

All actions, decisions and judgments spring from assumptions--if they are unchecked or inappropriate, we will make poor decisions and wrong judgments.In personal relationships we learn to keep our lines of communications open-we avoid uncritically reproducing patterns of the modeled interactions we learned from our parental interaction.In the workplace we avoid stagnation and atrophy and are willing to challenge the current paradigms which are uncritically accepted and may have come down in the workplace from a time and thinking which is no longer relevant to our current reality.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/14710-overview-of-critical-thinking/#ixzz16QoYiDTD

What Does the Absence of Thinking Prudently Look Like?

We blindly reproduce the damaging reactions we have learned.We blindly accept at face value all justifications given by organizations and political leaders.We blindly believe TV commercials.We blindly trust political commercials.We blindly accept and say that if the textbook says it must be so.We blindly accept and say that if the organization does it must be right.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/14710-overview-of-critical-thinking/#ixzz16Qp7pQNS

What Does Prudent Thinking Look Like?

Contextual sensitivity--being sensitive to stereotypes about people from a particular group and trying to accept others at face value unconditionallyPerspective thinking--trying to get into the other person's head, or walking in the other person's shoes so as to see the world the way that person sees and perceives the world.Tolerance for ambiguity--ability to accept multiple interpretations of the same situationAlert to premature ultimatums--invoking a powerful idea or concept which inspires such reverence that any further debate is forestalled. E.g., a politician invokes "democracy.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/14710-overview-of-critical-thinking/#ixzz16QpszvcX

Characteristics of People who Excel at Prudent Thinking Truth seeking: A courageous desire for the best knowledge, even if such knowledge fails to support or undermines one's preconceptions, beliefs or self-interests.

Characteristics of People who Excel at Prudent ThinkingOpen-mindedness: Tolerance to divergent views, self-monitoring for possible bias.

Characteristics of People who Excel at Prudent ThinkingAnalyticity: Demanding the application of reason and evidence, alert to problematic situations, inclined to anticipate consequences.

Characteristics of People who Excel at Prudent ThinkingSelf-Confidence: Trusting of one's own reasoning skills and seeing oneself as a good thinker.

Characteristics of People who Excel at Prudent ThinkingSystematicity: Valuing organization, focus and diligence to approach problems of all levels of complexity.

Characteristics of People who Excel at Prudent ThinkingInquisitiveness: Curious and eager to acquire knowledge and learn explanations even when the applications of the knowledge are not immediately apparent.

Characteristics of People who Excel at Prudent ThinkingCognitive Maturity: Prudence in making, suspending or revising judgment. An awareness that multiple solutions can be acceptable. An appreciation of the need to reach closure even in the absence of complete knowledge.

What Are the Major Components in Prudent Thinking?

PerceptionAssumptionsEmotionLanguageArgumentFallacyLogicProblem Solving

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/14710-overview-of-critical-thinking/#ixzz16bkjGHe1

What Are the Major Components in Prudent Thinking?PerceptionThe way we receive and translate our experience.Also a significant filtering system.How we perceive defines how we think.

What Are the Major Components in Prudent Thinking?AssumptionsCentral to Prudent ThinkingImplied, not conscious of themNot always badRest on notion some ideas are obviousMake us comfortable with present beliefs and shut out alternatives

What Are the Major Components in Prudent Thinking?EmotionTrying to "leave emotion out of it" is Impossible.Part of everything we do and think.Personal barriers are a given.Prudent thinkers don't ignore or deny emotions; accept and manage them.

What Are the Major Components in Prudent Thinking?LanguageThinking can't be separated from.Three primary purposes: inform, persuade and explain.Language denotes and connotes.

What Are the Major Components in Prudent Thinking?MetaphorsMetaphors are powerful language tools that influence how we think and problem solve. Metaphors are figures of speech which can give great color and depth to our language. Metaphors can be short phrases, stories or poems. A metaphor is a verbal message which can be easily visualized by the reader or listener.

What Are the Major Components in Prudent Thinking?ArgumentClaim, used to persuade that something is (or not) true or should (or not) be doneContains three basic elementso Issueo One or more reasons (premises)o One or more conclusions

Argument cont.Can be valid or invalid based on structureOnly premises and conclusions true or falseGoal of Prudent Thinking is sound argumentsValid (proper structure)With true premisesSound argument has both: so the conclusion must be trueTherein the beauty and usefulness of logic

What Are the Major Components in Prudent Thinking?FallacyReasoning that doesn't meet criteria for sound argument is fallaciousValidTrue premisesComplete (all relevant information)Fallacy is incorrect pattern of reasoningDoes not always mean conclusion is falseAds and editorials

What Are the Major Components in Prudent Thinking?LogicTwo methods of reasoning:DeductiveFacts, certainty, syllogisms, validity, truth of premises sound arguments and conclusionsInductiveDiverse facts, probabilities, generalizations, hypotheses, analogies

What Are the Major Components in Prudent Thinking?Problem SolvingUnderstand the problemIdentify unknowns and knownsRelationships between these (visual aids)Generate strategy from step aboveApply and solve; repeat if necessary

Requirements for Effective Prudent Thinking Six Cognitive SkillsInterpretationAnalysisEvaluationInferenceExplanationSelf-regulation

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/14710-overview-of-critical-thinking/#ixzz16bqFwG5R

Requirements for Effective Prudent Thinking InterpretationComprehend and express meaning or significance of wide variety of experiences, situations, data, events, judgments, conventions, beliefs, rules, procedures or criteria.

Requirements for Effective Prudent Thinking AnalysisIdentify the intended and actual inferential relationships among statements, questions, concepts, descriptions or other forms of representation intended to express belief, judgment, experiences, reasons, information or opinion.

Requirements for Effective Prudent Thinking EvaluationAssess the credibility of statements or other representations which are accounts or descriptions of a person's perception, experience, situation, judgment, belief or opinion; and to assess the logical strength of the actual or intended inferential relationships among statements, descriptions, questions or other forms of representation.

Requirements for Effective Prudent Thinking InferenceIdentify and secure elements needed to draw reasonable conclusions; to form conjectures and hypotheses; to consider relevant information and to reduce the consequences flowing from data, statements, principles, evidence, judgments, beliefs, opinions, concepts, descriptions, questions or other forms of representation.

Requirements for Effective Prudent Thinking ExplanationState the results of one's reasoning; justify that reasoning in terms of evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological and contextual considerations upon which one's results were based; and to present one's reasoning in the form of cogent arguments.

Requirements for Effective Prudent Thinking Self-regulationSelf-consciously to monitor one's cognitive activities, the elements used in those activities and the results deduced, particularly by applying skills in analysis and evaluation to one's own inferential judgments with a view toward questions, confirming, validation or correcting either one's reasoning or results..

Affective Dispositions

Something else is needed.More to Prudent Thinking than just cognitive skills.Human beings more than just thinking machines."the Prudent Spirit" (affective dispositions).A probing inquisitiveness.A keenness of mind.A zealous dedication to reason.A hunger or eagerness for reliable information.

Prudent Thinking is:

How you approach problems, questions and issues.The best way we know to get to the truth.Experts conclude: Prudent Thinking is a pervasive, purposeful human phenomenon.Ideal prudent thinker characterized also by how he approaches life and living in general.

Approaches to characterizing good Prudent Thinking:

Inquisitiveness about wide range of issues.Concern to become and stay well-informed.Alertness to opportunities to use Prudent Thinking.Self-confidence in one's abilities to reason.Open-mindedness about divergent world views.Flexibility in considering alternatives and opinions.Understanding the opinions of other people.Fair-mindedness in appraising reasoning.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/14710-overview-of-critical-thinking/#ixzz16jLPJ2nL

Approaches to life characterizing good Critical Thinking:Honesty in facing one's own biases, prejudices, stereotypes, egocentric and sociocentric tendencies.Prudence in suspending, making, altering judgments.Willingness to reconsider and revise views.Clarity in stating question or concern.Orderliness in working with complexity.Diligence in seeking relevant information.Reasonableness in selecting and applying criteria.Care in focusing attention on the concern at hand.Persistence through difficulties.Precision to the degree permitted by subject and circumstances.

Well that wraps up the lesson for today!Go on and be Prudent thinkers and success will be eating our of your hands

success

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Works Cited cont.http://www.livestrong.com/article/14710-overview-of-critical-thinking/OUR MISSION: DARE TO CHANGE YOUR LIFEWe believe everyone has the power to make their life better. Our members are people who want to take responsibility and give 100 percent to achieve everyday victories to help themselves and then help others.Demand Media and the Lance Armstrong Foundation built LIVESTRONG.COM as the definitive daily health, fitness and lifestyle destination. Through its rich and extensive content, interactive tools and an engaged community, LIVESTRONG.COM will help people take action to make the most of their life, their time, their body and their world.