Tag: #criticalthinking

Sessions: 3 and 4, offered an enriching exploration into the subject of stereotypes and biases. Until now, my understanding of stereotyping had been narrowly framed around gender. However, these sessions broadened my perspective significantly, introducing me to 14 different types of biases. This expansion of knowledge was truly an eye-opener.
A particularly impactful concept discussed was that of gatekeepers—the realization that we ourselves often become channels through which stereotypes are reinforced and circulated. This understanding prompted meaningful dialogue and critical reflection. One exercise, centered around analyzing headlines, highlighted how a single line seldom conveys the entire truth. Instead, it underscored the importance of delving deeper, questioning narratives, and avoiding hasty conclusions.
The activities conducted further strengthened these insights. Two Truths and One Darling—with the powerful idea of “murder your darling”—was especially memorable. The exercise emphasized the importance of not clinging blindly to a single perspective but instead evaluating whether it stands the test of evidence, research, and relevance. It reinforced the value of investing our time, energy, and resources only after careful consideration.
Overall, these sessions moved beyond surface-level learning. They challenged existing assumptions, encouraged open-mindedness, and equipped us with critical tools to question, reflect, and act more responsibly in how we perceive and communicate information.

This week’s Life Class turned out to be a thought-provoking journey into the heart of something we often take for granted—our own thinking.

The theme was “Critical Thinking”, a skill that may sound academic but plays a vital role in how we understand the world, make decisions, and shape our beliefs. Through a mix of theory, real-life examples, engaging conversations, and a powerful film, we explored what it truly means to think critically in today’s information-saturated world.

—

What is Critical Thinking?

At its core, critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas. It’s about asking questions, challenging assumptions, and not accepting information at face value.

We began by exploring a simple yet powerful definition:

> “Critical thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it.”

—

Fear, Opinions, Beliefs & Facts

To truly understand critical thinking, we dove into some interconnected concepts:

Fear: We discussed how fear can often cloud judgment and prevent us from asking the right questions. Sometimes, the fear of being wrong or challenging authority silences our inner skeptic.

Opinions vs. Beliefs vs. Facts: A central part of the discussion revolved around distinguishing these three. We reflected on how opinions are personal views, beliefs are often long-held and emotionally rooted, and facts are objective truths. Understanding the difference helps us navigate debates and disagreements with more clarity and respect.

Gullibility vs. Skepticism: Where do we draw the line between being open-minded and being easily misled? We examined the importance of healthy skepticism—not to dismiss everything, but to question and verify. A well-exercised mind doesn’t jump to conclusions, nor does it blindly accept every claim.

—

Sharing and Perspectives:

The most enriching part of the session was hearing thoughts and reflections from different people. Real-life examples brought depth to the theory—how we form beliefs based on upbringing, how media influences opinions, or how peer pressure sometimes overrides logic.

These conversations reminded us that critical thinking is not just an intellectual exercise—it’s deeply personal and often emotional

—

The Truman Show:

To bring the concept alive, we watched “The Truman Show”—a film that couldn’t be more relevant to the topic. Truman lives in a constructed reality, unaware that his world is scripted. As he starts questioning everything around him, he embarks on a journey toward truth.

The film sparked powerful reflections:

1) How much of our reality is shaped by others?

2) What role does questioning play in our freedom?

3) Are we living authentically—or just accepting the version of life handed to us?

Truman’s courage to challenge his reality served as a metaphor for our own lives. It asked us: what are we not questioning enough?

—

Key Takeaways:

1. Critical thinking is not about always being right—it’s about being willing to examine, question, and grow.

2. We need to recognize the influence of fear, emotion, and external narratives on our thinking.

3. Facts, opinions, and beliefs are not interchangeable—and confusing them can lead to poor decisions.

4. Being skeptical is healthy; being gullible is not.

5. Sometimes, truth demands discomfort but it also leads to growth and freedom.

In this session we understood about ethical dilemmas that people may face. Here there were some statements given to us and we were to arrange them in order as per our choices. The statements were about personal and national level choices. This challenged us to think critically as to what choices we make or would make if we were in a situation. The session also covered about the concept of ‘Trolley problem’. Here the situation stated was that a train had only 2 choices – whether to go over 5 people on one side, or change its direction and go over one person on the other side. We came to the conclusion that it should go over the one person on the other side. However, when the situation was tweaked, it mentioned that there is a single track with five people tied to it, and we had an option to push one person off the bridge which would cause the train to stop, but the person wouldn’t survive. We felt it wouldn’t be the right thing to do as it would mean directly being involved in the demise of that person.

Next, we read about a case study about a tradition being followed in the southern regions of Malawi. The case study was discussed in detail and was followed up with learning of various concepts such as – Moral Reasoning, Moral Relativism, Self-Interest theory, Deontology (Duty ethics – Kant’s Approach), Utilitarianism, Rule Utilitarianism. Each of the concept was deeply discussed along with examples and side effects. Lastly we were tasked with some choices under some scenarios. These scenarios were again related to personal, professional and national choices. The challenge here was that for a few scenarios it became a bit tricky as there was an argument between our emotional thinking and moral duties. Yet when it came to we were to do if there was a national threat some were clear with the choices that were in front of us.

This session helped us understand that it’s necessary to take into perspective all the angles of a situation before making a decision in some of the cases. However, there might still be some situations where we may act based on our emotions and self interests and that is okay as it might affect us directly.

Ethics is at the heart of every decision we make. Whether we realize it or not, we are constantly going through a world of moral dilemmas, some are small, others can be big. But how do we decide what is right and wrong? 

Is morality universal, or does it shift based on circumstances? 

 Moral reasoning, the process of evaluating right and wrong based on logic, emotions, and societal values. But morality isn’t always straightforward. Moral relativism is shaped by our cultural and personal context. what is considered ethical varies across cultures and contexts. What one society finds acceptable, another might find completely unjust. This led to a question: Can morality ever be absolute, or is it always shaped by personal and cultural perspectives?

Self-interest theory, people act in ways that benefit themselves, sometimes at the expense of others. The person’s personal growth and well being is focused. So, are humans selfish, or we are just trying to prioritise ourselves? 

Deontology, introduced by Kant, teaches that morality is about following absolute rules, regardless of the outcome. This approach clashes with utilitarianism, which focuses on maximizing happiness for the greatest number. But then, what happens when an action that benefits many also harms a few?

Through various scenarios, testing these theories against real-world situations.
Would you tell a lie to protect someone?

Would you sacrifice one life to save many?

These are not easy questions, and there are no perfect answers. But that’s the beauty of ethical inquiry, it forces us to think, to question, and to see beyond ourselves.

In the end, ethics is not about finding a single truth. It is about understanding perspectives, challenging assumptions, and embracing the complexity of human morality.

Life is full of difficult decisions, from telling a small lie to protect someone’s feelings to balancing profit and environmental impact. Ethical theories help us navigate these dilemmas. Moral relativism suggests that right and wrong depend on cultural beliefs, while self-interest theory argues that people act in ways that benefit themselves, though not always selfishly. Deontology, championed by Kant, insists on strict rule-following, whereas utilitarianism focuses on maximizing happiness for the majority. Rule utilitarianism blends both, advocating rules that generally lead to the best outcomes. Understanding these theories enhances our critical thinking, helping us see different perspectives and make fair, informed decisions. Ethical dilemmas aren’t just challenges; they encourage personal growth and better judgment. By exploring these ideas, we become more thoughtful and responsible individuals, equipped to handle life’s toughest choices. What ethical dilemmas have you faced? Share your thoughts!

-Gurpreet singh.

Sometimes, we face situations where there’s no clear right or wrong answer. These are ethical dilemmas, and how we handle them says a lot about our values.