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Critical Thinking
Study Course Description
Course Description Statuss:Approved
Course Description Version:8.00
Study Course Accepted:02.02.2024 12:25:54
| Study Course Information | |||||||||
| Course Code: | KSK_235 | LQF level: | Level 7 | ||||||
| Credit Points: | 4.00 | ECTS: | 6.00 | ||||||
| Branch of Science: | Communication Sciences | Target Audience: | Information and Communication Science | ||||||
| Study Course Supervisor | |||||||||
| Course Supervisor: | Artūrs Utināns | ||||||||
| Study Course Implementer | |||||||||
| Structural Unit: | Faculty of Social Sciences | ||||||||
| The Head of Structural Unit: | |||||||||
| Contacts: | Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szf rsu[pnkts]lv | ||||||||
| Study Course Planning | |||||||||
| Full-Time - Semester No.1 | |||||||||
| Lectures (count) | 12 | Lecture Length (academic hours) | 2 | Total Contact Hours of Lectures | 24 | ||||
| Classes (count) | 12 | Class Length (academic hours) | 2 | Total Contact Hours of Classes | 24 | ||||
| Total Contact Hours | 48 | ||||||||
| Study course description | |||||||||
| Preliminary Knowledge: | Basic knowledge in critical thinking. | ||||||||
| Objective: | To promote mastering of knowledge about scientific scepticism in information analysis, thinking logic, argumentation and leading a scientific discussion. To promote shaping of understanding of the importance of objective thinking in professional and public life, conducting and interpreting research. | ||||||||
| Topic Layout (Full-Time) | |||||||||
| No. | Topic | Type of Implementation | Number | Venue | |||||
| 1 | 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. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 2 | Process of mastering critical thinking skills: description, analysis, evaluation. Steps of the analytical process steps of critical thinking. Reflection and clarification. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 3 | 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). | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 4 | Values limiting logic: values; feeling of being correct; impulsive emotions; own image as self-deception. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 5 | Most frequent logical errors. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 6 | Short history of development of the most important ideas in scientific and critical thinking. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 7 | Critical thinking in consciousness theories. Debates. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 8 | Components of disposition of critical thinking and their development. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 9 | Argumentation skills. Differentiation between weak and strong arguments. Disproof of erroneous assumptions. Socratic dialogue. Debates. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 10 | Determining convictions or assumptions. Debates – what a mental disease is and what mental health is. Homosexuality – norm or pathology. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 11 | Critical thinking and empathy. Ability to tolerate opposite viewpoints. Ability to adequately perceive criticism. Inadequate perception of criticism. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 12 | Critical thinking as truthfulness. Necessity of lies. Debates. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 13 | Critical thinking and emotional intelligence. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 14 | Critical thinking and morals. Intuitive morals and critical thinking based ethics. Disproof of prejudices. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 15 | Formulating disproving intuitive moral arguments. Debates. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 16 | Critical thinking and creative thinking. Flexibility, open-mindedness and scepticism as conservatism of evidences. Brainstorming as a technique. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 17 | Development of Socratic dialogue skills. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 18 | Conflict of critical thinking with irrational subpersonalities. Types of irrational human subpersonalities. Significance of recognising subpersonalities in the self-assessment development of critical thinking. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 19 | Critical thinking in theories on human nature and gender differences. Debates. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 20 | Critical thinking in theories on free will. Debates. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 21 | 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. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 22 | Critical thinking in matters of faith (scepticism, agnosticism, atheism, secular humanism, rationalism). | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 23 | Critical thinking and accomplishment of happiness or feeling of comfort. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 24 | Five forms necessary for future thinking (Howard Gardner’s theory). Disciplined, synthesising, creative, respectful and ethical types of thinking. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| Assessment | |||||||||
| Unaided Work: | In the independent work the student reviews potential data analysis thinking models, argumentation of his/her opinion. | ||||||||
| Assessment Criteria: | 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. | ||||||||
| Final Examination (Full-Time): | Exam (Written) | ||||||||
| Final Examination (Part-Time): | |||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | |||||||||
| Knowledge: | 1. Knowledge about the principles of analysis of information, theories and individual beliefs. 2. Knowledge about principles of strong argumentation. | ||||||||
| Skills: | 1. Skills to substantiate their own opinion. 2. Skills to differentiate scientifically justified beliefs from pseudoscientific beliefs. 3. Skills in discussions and conducting talks. 4. Skills to draw justified conclusions. 5. Skills to analyse the read information. 6. Skills to critically justify own research. | ||||||||
| Competencies: | After mastering the study course students will be able to evaluate information and scientificity of different theories. | ||||||||
| Bibliography | |||||||||
| No. | Reference | ||||||||
| Required Reading | |||||||||
| 1 | Stella Jones-Devitt and Liz Smith. Critical Thinking in Health and Social Care. SAGE Publications, 2007. | ||||||||
| 2 | Browne, M. Neil. Asking the right questions: a guide to critical thinking / M. Neil Browne, Stuart M. Keeley. Bowling Green State University. 11th edition. | ||||||||
| Additional Reading | |||||||||
| 1 | Rubene, Z. Kritiskā domāšana studiju procesā. Otrs papildinātais izdevums. LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2008. | ||||||||
| 2 | Schick, T. How to think about weird things: critical thinking for a new age. 7th edition. The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2014. | ||||||||
| 3 | Smith, Jonathan C. Pseudoscience and extraordinary claims of the paranormal: a critical thinker’s toolkit. Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. | ||||||||
| Other Information Sources | |||||||||
| 1 | Argumentācija un kritiskā domāšana. 1.-6. lekcija. Mārtiņš Vaivars, Edgars Lapiņš. YouTube. | ||||||||
| 2 | https://www.criticalthinking.org/ | ||||||||
