Category: Critical Thinking

Anaïs Nin: “When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow.”

To begin with, it was an amazing experience to know about different types of biases. Now coming across the situations, I can easily relate how our thinking is affected by these biases. The sessions held till now has given much clarity on what is it to think critically and how it affects our decision-making.

The sessions also taught us to value the opinions of different people. These small things gives us the opportunity to introspect our own thinking and respect others perspective though if you choose to go ahead with your own beliefs and trust.

Overall it was an enriching experience to learn from experienced facilitators and looking forward to seeing myself as a critical thinker in upcoming sessions.

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

What generally tries to keep shut your critical thinking?

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.