The Virtues of Critical Thinkers Before answering this week’s discussion prompt, complete The Graduate (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. interactive scenario. You will notice that there are multiple arguments presented to influence your perspective on the issue confronted in the scenario. You confront arguments every day. In our digital age, however, they do not merely happen in face-to-face gatherings. Media and social media are often used to convey arguments. What aspects of what you have learned in this class apply to the analysis of such arguments? Keep these considerations in mind as you complete this week’s discussion. Your instructor will choose the discussion question and post it as the first post in the discussion forum. The requirements for the discussion this week are a minimum of four posts on four separate days, including responses to at least two classmates. The total combined word count for all of your posts for this discussion, counted together, should be at least 600 words. Answer all the questions in the prompt, and read any resources that are required to complete the discussion properly. In order to satisfy the posting requirements for the week, complete your initial post by Day 3 (Thursday) and your other posts by Day 7 (Monday). We recommend that you get into the discussion early and spread out your posts over the course of the week. Reply to your classmates and instructor. Attempt to take the conversation further by examining their claims or arguments in more depth or responding to the posts that they make to you. Keep the discussion on target, and analyze things in as much detail as you can. For further instruction about how to address discussion prompts in the new format, view the key terms and discussion videos visible in the Week One Standard · Be sure to check out the Critical Thinking Community online: http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/content-is-thinking-thinking-is-content/958  (Links to an external site.) Valuable Intellectual Traits: http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/valuable-intellectual-traits/528  (Links to an external site.) Though it has focused on arguments, this course is not merely designed to give skills and tools for creating arguments; it is designed to create critical thinkers. Critical thinking is not merely a set of tools, but a habit of mind based on carefully reasoning about what is true and how best to live. It is an approach to life based in careful thought (Vic Le vine, 2012). In other words, it is possible to use the lessons from this course to genuinely live better and smarter lives. This discussion is designed to explore some of the virtues of mind that one can develop as a result of developing the habit of critical thinking. Prepare: In addition to using the readings and scenarios of this course, take a close look at the web pages associated with the Foundation for Critical Thinking website.  Reflect:  Search wi.

1. The Virtues of Critical Thinkers
Before answering this week’s discussion prompt, complete
The Graduate (Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
interactive scenario. You will notice that there are multiple
arguments presented to influence your perspective on the issue
confronted in the scenario. You confront arguments every day.

2. In our digital age, however, they do not merely happen in face-
to-face gatherings. Media and social media are often used to
convey arguments. What aspects of what you have learned in
this class apply to the analysis of such arguments? Keep these
considerations in mind as you complete this week’s discussion.
Your instructor will choose the discussion question and post it
as the first post in the discussion forum. The requirements for
the discussion this week are a minimum of four posts on four
separate days, including responses to at least two classmates.
The total combined word count for all of your posts for this
discussion, counted together, should be at least 600 words.
Answer all the questions in the prompt, and read any resources
that are required to complete the discussion properly.
In order to satisfy the posting requirements for the week,
complete your initial post by Day 3 (Thursday) and your other
posts by Day 7 (Monday). We recommend that you get into the
discussion early and spread out your posts over the course of
the week. Reply to your classmates and instructor. Attempt to
take the conversation further by examining their claims or
arguments in more depth or responding to the posts that they
make to you. Keep the discussion on target, and analyze things
in as much detail as you can.
For further instruction about how to address discussion prompts
in the new format, view the key terms and discussion videos
visible in the Week One Standard
·
Be sure to check out the Critical Thinking Community online:
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/content-is-thinking-
thinking-is-content/958

3. (Links to an external site.)
Valuable Intellectual Traits:
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/valuable-intellectual-
traits/528
(Links to an external site.)
Though it has focused on arguments, this course is not merely
designed to give skills and tools for creating arguments; it is
designed to create critical thinkers. Critical thinking is not
merely a set of tools, but a habit of mind based on carefully
reasoning about what is true and how best to live. It is an
approach to
life based
in
careful thought (Vic Le vine, 2012). In other words, it is
possible to use the lessons from this course to genuinely live
better and smarter lives. This discussion is designed to explore
some of the virtues of mind that one can develop as a result of
developing the habit of critical thinking.
Prepare:
In addition to using the readings and scenarios of this course,
take a close look at the web pages associated with the
Foundation for Critical Thinking website.
Reflect:
Search within the website for the pages associated with the
options below, and Reflect how each can help you to live a
better life. Choose one of the four topics below and develop the
ideas in the page into a plan for implementing it into your life
more.

4. Write:
Choose one of the topics below from the Critical Thinking
Community website and address the prompts underneath.
CULTIVATE
Purpose, Point of View, and Decisions
Outline a problem that you currently face or have faced
recently. Define the assumptions that you have about this issue.
Explain your point of view, and outline the information that you
have analyzed in relation to this problem. Finally, explain the
implications that have arisen or will arise when you respond to
this problem. How
caproblem
in a healthier and more intelligent manner? (Here is a good
example of such an approach: Steven
Brookfiend
on Critical Thinking [link to
video
:
http://vimeo.com/65688214 (Links to an external site.)
]).
Valuable Intellectual Traits
Of the valuable intellectual traits listed in the online readings
from this week, identify three of them that you can further
strengthen. Explain the traits, and then describe how you will
attempt to implement actions in your life that will maximize
those intellectual virtues. How can each of them make your life
better? Will you be more likely to find truth by developing

5. them?
Open-Minded Inquiry
Using the online reading “Open-minded Inquiry,"
identify
what you consider to be the three most important attributes that
one must have as he or she approaches problems. Explain why
you think these attributes are the three most important, and
describe examples from your own life, or from the lives of those
you know, in which people failed to display those attributes.
How will learning this virtue improve your life and
relationships with others? Will it help you to find more truth?
Guided Response:
Respond substantively to at least three of your classmates’
posts in a way that furthers the conversation. For example, you
might discuss what you learned from their musings and how you
have learned from similar experiences. You might add to the
understanding of the points they have raised. You might
comment on the value of the intellectual traits they have
discussed. You might discuss how these traits can help us to be
more successful in our daily lives. You might comment on some
aspect of the Chapter or any other resources you have used
during this course as they may relate to the discussion. Enjoy.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bbykbnrhebvzym4/the-intellectual-
traits%20a%20PPT.pdf?dl=0 (Links to an external site.)
FYI: A few other thoughts and references pertaining to human
cognitive biases
How Cognitive Biases Can Help (and Hurt) Your Business

6. http://www.nirandfar.com/2017/02/cognitive-biases.html
(Links to an external site.)
Trust the Data: how to Counteract Human Cognitive Biases
http://www.aunalytics.com/trust-the-data/
(Links to an external site.)
Cultivating qualities handout for AU PHI 103.pdf
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