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2020 Webinar Q&A Archive



2020 Webinar Q&A Archives

The Elements of Reasoning, Intellectual Standards, and Intellectual Traits [Dr. Linda Elder, Senior Fellow]

December 30th, 2020

View Recording Here


8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
(5:00 p.m. Pacific)

Duration: 90 Minutes

The elements of reasoning (also known as the elements of thought, components of thinking, etc.), the intellectual standards, and the intellectual traits (or intellectual virtues) together form the bedrock of critical thinking theory. Understanding these conceptual sets and their relationships with each other is the first step in elevating one’s reasoning, while deepening that comprehension through continued study and practice is a lifelong journey. Most people who begin to learn the fundamentals of critical thinking stop learning before they have a chance to adequately internalize them, and therefore to use them with significant consistency and effectiveness.

This webinar asks you to complete several activities ahead of time in the Center for Critical Thinking Community Online, all relating to the three concepts above, and to formulate questions that you can bring to the session. Therefore, Dr. Elder will presuppose that attendees have studied the subject matter through these activities, or previously through attending our conferences, academies, or courses. This webinar will be almost entirely based on the questions you bring to the discussion.

The following readings and activities are recommended prior to the webinar:

1) Review Page 14 in The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts & Tools.

2) Watch ‘Critical Thinking and the Basic Elements of Thought.’

3) Complete the activity ‘Analyze the Logic of a Problem or Issue’ after reading the template and example at the top of the page.

4) Review pages 19 and 20 in The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts & Tools.

5) Watch ‘Critical Thinking - Standards of Thought - Part 1.’

    Also watch ‘Critical Thinking - Standards of Thought - Part 2.’

6) Begin to Think About Intellectual Standards: after examining the diagram at the bottom of the page, complete the activities for at least four of the intellectual standards listed. The more you complete, the better you will understand how the various intellectual standards can be applied to the elements of thought.

7) Read ‘The Elements of Reasoning and the Intellectual Standards.’

8) Read ‘Valuable Intellectual Traits.’

9) Watch Parts 1-3 of ‘Intellectual Virtues by Dr. Linda Elder.’

10) Complete the activity ‘Articulate Your Own Definitions of Intellectual Virtues.’ (Activity begins halfway down the page.)

11) Examine the diagram on page 12 of The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts & Tools. Write at least four examples of how applying a given intellectual standard to a given element of reasoning can help develop a given intellectual trait over time.

Example: ‘Checking my assumptions for accuracy can help me to develop intellectual humility.’


Why Intellectual Character is Essential to Strong-Sense Critical Thinking and to Reasoning Within All Fields of Study [Dr. Linda Elder, Senior Fellow]

August 18th, 2020

View Recording Here
 

1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
(10:00 a.m. Pacific)

Duration: 50 Minutes


What is strong-sense critical thinking? What is weak-sense critical thinking? Where do you see either being played out in human life today? What is intellectual character and how do we develop it in ourselves and in our students? How do intellectual virtues interrelate with intellectual skills and abilities? Why is the development of intellectual character essential to teaching and learning, and to high-level functioning in personal and professional life? Can people develop intellectual traits partially? If so, how might this be manifest? In this webinar discussion, Dr. Elder will address these questions, as well as your questions about how to cultivate intellectual character in students and in yourself.

Prior to the webinar, please complete the numbered items listed below, which are found in the Center for Critical Thinking Community Online. In this discussion, Dr. Elder will presuppose that attendees have studied the Intellectual Virtues through these activities, or previously through attending our conferences, academies, or courses. Therefore, the webinar will be based on the questions you bring to the discussion.

1) Study Intellectual Virtues by reading pages 14 & 15 in The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools.

2) Read pages 37 & 38 in The Thinker's Guide on How to Study and Learn a Discipline.

3) Study Intellectual Virtues by watching this video.

4) Read the definitions of weak-sense critical thinking and strong-sense critical thinking in A Glossary of Critical Thinking Concepts and Terms.

5) Complete the four activities on this page.


Bringing Analysis to the Center of Instruction Using the Tools of Critical Thinking [Dr. Linda Elder, Senior Fellow]

June 9th, 2020
 

View Recording Here

 

4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
(1:30 p.m. Pacific)

Duration: 50 Minutes


How is thought best analyzed in any field of study? What are the parts of thinking or elements of thought? How can you bring analysis of thought more explicitly into teaching and learning? In this webinar discussion, Dr. Elder answers these questions, as well as your questions about how to bring explicit analysis to the core of instruction.

Prior to this discussion, please complete the numbered items listed below, which entail video, reading, and activities in the Center for Critical Thinking Community Online. During the discussion, Dr. Elder presupposes that attendees have studied the elements of reasoning through these activities, or previously through attending our conferences, academies, or courses.

1) Study the elements of reasoning by reading the following pages in The Thinker’s Guide to Analytic Reasoning: pages 4- 7, 12-13, 22, 40-41, and 51-52.

2) Study the elements of reasoning by watching these videos:

3) Complete the following activity:


4) Complete this activity in writing; write out the logic of one subject you teach, focusing on the elements of thought.


What is Truth in a Post-Truth Political Era? [Dr. Linda Elder, Senior Fellow]

Recording Published Wednesday April 22, 2020
View Recording Here

Live Discussion with Q&A Held Thursday April 23, 2020
View Recording Here

2nd Live Discussion with Q&A Held Friday April 24, 2020
View Recording Here 

 
Note: Due to widespread latency issues caused by abnormally high internet traffic during the COVID-19 lockdown, and the resulting risks posed to live video feeds, this webinar was changed from a live event to a prerecorded presentation. Two live Q&A sessions took place after the video was published (see details above and below).

Truth seems at the moment a matter of debate. No wonder, since in today’s political climate, lies are routinely camouflaged as truth so that truth has little chance of emerging from under the many levels of deception, manipulation, and mind-control. The people, as a result, are run roughshod over – fitting with a typical pattern throughout history.

The concept of truth in itself is fairly simple: 'based in facts, accurate.' But can we twist the concept of truth? Or, can we twist the truth and still have truth? Is truth whatever we decide it is? How do we apply the concept of truth in this or that situation? And when is truth relevant? How can people come to see through misuses of language that seek to cover up the truth?

This presentation will begin to deal with these questions using the explicit tools of critical thinking. You will be invited to apply critical thinking 'moves' (based in these questions) to today’s political arena, and to come up with your own examples of truth-as-lies and lies-as-truth. Be sure to have something handy to write with (either digital or manual), both to take notes before the live Q&A sessions and to complete any activities assigned.

Join us for this powerful presentation with many applications to living the examined life and dealing with life's many complexities.


Webinar Q&A Archives from Other Years