Introduction to Critical Thinking
What you'll learn
- Students will be able to read media more thoughtfully, and identify biases in how information is presented.
Requirements
- You'll need to bring an open mind and a willingness to challenge what you think you know. Paper and pencil will be necessary for some of the problem sets.
Description
How do you tell truth from fiction? How do you get past your own biases and misconceptions to have a clearer-eyed view of things? How do you tell when someone's trying to mislead you intentionally? This course will give you some basic groundwork for skepticism and critical thinking -- how to recognize fallacies in media, how to pick out spurious statistics, how to craft an argument, and how to know when scientific terms are being misdefined. By the end, you'll be a more savvy reader and listener, and have a better ability to articulate your own views clearly and accurately.
Who this course is for:
- The course is accessible to anyone of high school age or older who is interested in refining his/her ability to think critically.
Instructors
- 4.0 Instructor Rating
- 48 Reviews
- 207 Students
- 1 Course
Gordon is the author of the blog Skeptophilia, now in its eighth year, which looks at media and science through a skeptical lens. He is also a writer of novels of speculative fiction (seven in print as of April 2018), and teacher of Critical Thinking, AP (Advanced Placement) Biology, Latin, Ancient Greek, and a neuroscience elective, "The Brain and Senses" at C.O. Dickerson High School, Trumansburg, New York.
- 4.0 Instructor Rating
- 48 Reviews
- 207 Students
- 1 Course
I am primarily responsible for the design, graphics and video production at Skeptophilia and am owner, director, and artist behind my work, Carol Bloomgarden Micrography. I also have a M.A.from Cornell University in the Department of Natural Resources; B.S.N. from Elmira College; a B.A. from SUNY Stony Brook; other miscellaneous edumication elsewhere including Rhode Island School of Design. What else? I'm also Gordon Bonnet (the primary instructor)'s wife, partner, friend, and failing housekeeper. I take my artwork on the road; you can see examples and check my schedule at my website below.