Critical Thinking

Title	% from total grade	Grade
1. Individual work	-	-
In the independent work the student reviews potential data analysis thinking models, argumentation of his/her opinion.

Title	% from total grade	Grade
1. Examination	-	-
Participation of students in practical works is evaluated. In the independent work the student reviews potential data analysis thinking models, argumentation of his/her opinion. The class test is passed, if practical works and the independent work have been performed successfully. The test assessment consists of assessments of practical works and the independent work and is passed, if corresponds to at least grade 4.

Definitions of critical thinking. Critical thinking skills. Knowledge of methodology. Disposition of critical thinking. Self-assessment of critical thinking. Perfect critical thinker. Dual-system theory: fast and slow thinking.

Process of mastering critical thinking skills: description, analysis, evaluation. Steps of the analytical process steps of critical thinking. Reflection and clarification.

Laws of logic: the law of clarification of the studied value; the law of contradiction; the law of excluded middle; the law of sufficient (satisfactory) evidence. Difference of causal links from other types of links (correlations, similarities, matches).

Values limiting logic: values; feeling of being correct; impulsive emotions; own image as self-deception.

Most frequent logical errors.

Short history of development of the most important ideas in scientific and critical thinking.

Critical thinking in consciousness theories. Debates.

Components of disposition of critical thinking and their development.

Argumentation skills. Differentiation between weak and strong arguments. Disproof of erroneous assumptions. Socratic dialogue. Debates.

Determining convictions or assumptions. Debates – what a mental disease is and what mental health is. Homosexuality – norm or pathology.

Critical thinking and empathy. Ability to tolerate opposite viewpoints. Ability to adequately perceive criticism. Inadequate perception of criticism.

Critical thinking as truthfulness. Necessity of lies. Debates.

Critical thinking and emotional intelligence.

Critical thinking and morals. Intuitive morals and critical thinking based ethics. Disproof of prejudices.

Formulating disproving intuitive moral arguments. Debates.

Critical thinking and creative thinking. Flexibility, open-mindedness and scepticism as conservatism of evidences. Brainstorming as a technique.

Development of Socratic dialogue skills.

Conflict of critical thinking with irrational subpersonalities. Types of irrational human subpersonalities. Significance of recognising subpersonalities in the self-assessment development of critical thinking.

Critical thinking in theories on human nature and gender differences. Debates.

Critical thinking in theories on free will. Debates.

Illusions. Self-deception. Delirium. Magical thinking, mythological thinking, belief in paranormal and critical thinking. Errors in the argumentation of conspiracy theories. Problems of disaproving conspiracy theories.

Critical thinking in matters of faith (scepticism, agnosticism, atheism, secular humanism, rationalism).

Critical thinking and accomplishment of happiness or feeling of comfort.

Five forms necessary for future thinking (Howard Gardner’s theory). Disciplined, synthesising, creative, respectful and ethical types of thinking.