Critical Thinking session 1 and 2 were quite interesting. Whenever we have to take decision we are more prone to use System 1 which is our instinct, our first reaction. System 2 is rational, its activated when we do something that does not come naturally and requires some sort of conscious mental effort. Also understood the concept of facts, opinions, beliefs and truths.
Firstly, one should be aware that none of us think critically all the time. To develop critical thinking skills you need time, patience and practice.
System 1 thinking works when no logical thinking is required and System 2 thinking requires pausing for a moment and analyzing. The first two days allowed us to really brainstorm of certain things. Specially when ‘Knowledge, Belief and Continuum’ activity was done. Got to know the difference between Facts, Belief and Opinion.
Sadhguru: “When your mind is full of assumptions, conclusions, and beliefs, it has no penetration, it just repeats past impressions.”
Its difficult to understand about truth and fact. If you feel, there’s a thin line, but if you critically think, there will be n numbers of aspects, which help you to critically evaluate “Truth” and “Fact”. This is new learning for me, and I will try to implement it in professional as well as in personal life..!!
It was good session. Thank you.
The Critical Thinking session 1 and 2 was really very impulsive and heated. where we actually got to know how sometimes we are caught in our assumptions, conclusions, and beliefs without having proper knowledge which may lead us to wrong decisions. it also proves that if we have proper knowledge of any beliefs or conclusions they may be right but the truth can differ from person to person. a person may be wrong or right but the truth stays in its place.
And when it is wrong
Docter A:- You have an 80% chance of full recovery
Patient assumptions
Docter B:- There is a 20% chance that you will dai after being treated
Patient assumptions
https://blog.ed.ted.com/2016/04/14/5-tips-to-improve-your-critical-thinking-in-ted-ed-gifs/
Biasedness and Manipulation
How to avoid assumptions?
there are many ways to improve our chances — and one particularly effective technique is critical thinking. This is a way of approaching a question that allows us to carefully deconstruct a situation, reveal its hidden issues — such as bias and manipulation — and make the best decision.
steps to follow
1: Formulate your question.
2: Gather your information.
3: Apply the information — something you do by asking critical questions.
4: Consider the implications.
5: Explore other points of view.
My system 2 works more now!!
CT session 1 and 2 actually made us realize the meaning of the quote by Sadhguru. “When your mind is FULL of assumptions, conclusions and beliefs, it has no penetration, it just repeats past impressions.
Slowly and steadly trying to get rid of assumptions and beliefs. Still long way to go though.
The Critical Thinking life class is adding a new dimension to my thinking patterns. The concept mapping activity worked well in understanding the way CT works. There were interesting distinctions catered like System-1 and System-2 thinking. The debate helped me understand the difference between facts, opinions, beliefs and truths (justified true beliefs). I learnt that critical thinking is about claiming and countering your own claim. I learnt other important concepts like inherited opinions, mundane truths, etc. which is going to help me both professionally and personally.
To take any major or smaller step one should think emotional as well critical to balance life.
Critical Thinking sessions enabled me to make sense of why we act the way we do, and the place those approaches and behaviors stem from. While in some sense there was already some implicit understanding of it (or so I thought), these interactions allowed us to consciously connect the dots and put names on those feelings, especially biases.
On multiple occasions when we collaborated, it expanded my knowledge set and offered opportunities to acknowledge diverse view-points, often making me reflect on my own, and even alter them.
I had always thought of myself as an open-minded person, deliberately wanting to accommodate others’ beliefs duly, but these interactions also shed light on how one must also be pragmatic and not just let our prime emotions take the driver’s seat.
Initially, when we started the class I was not sure how I will be able to have serious discussions or think critically. However, as when we went further in the sessions there were a mix of intense and mild engagements, a mix of watching short videos, discussions, and reflections. Some of the discussions lead to a lot of perspectives which were different from what I thought. There was new learning and confirmation of what I already knew. The engagement where we were divided into groups, given topics to research and add in our perspectives in a PPT was really helpful. It also helped us understand what people in society thought about at large. We then also had to present our topics which lead to healthy discussion. Movies were also included in the plan along with taking our suggestions as and when it was possible.
I would like to thank all the facilitators to be great listeners, facilitating our thinking, and asking critical questions. They also shared their experiences in order to help us understand or encourage us to do so. Since we attended this workshop, I am sure it will help us in many aspects of life if we go back to what we have learned and think about where we can implement it.
After attending Emotional Intelligence last year, this year Critical Thinking has expanded the knowledge horizon exponentially. While last year we focused a lot on well-being and care of feelings, of ours, others, this year it was all about questioning the existence, think what is shown/ presented…
Already as IB educators, we inculcate CT a lot in units but this time CT in normal life was thought-provoking. Thinking critically, thinking hard, and discussing with others have proven fruitful to change the perspective further. Thank you to all the facilitators.