Welcome to the final post regarding the critical thinking crash course. We can see that argumentation and critical thinking go hand in hand. Now, then, how do you integrate this into our daily lives? This is shown here.

section 1 – having a critical life

So how do we have a life orienteering to critical thinking and argumentation? We use introspection to evaluate the following and extrospection to see if our changed thinking reflects what we want to reflect. Some famous examples we introduced in Chapter 1 are vocational, sociological, philosophical, ethical, intellectual, anthropological, ideological, economic, historical, theological, psychological, and physiological.

The more information you know, the more options you have. But there are numerous differences, idealistic, hopeful, and realistic choices. Ideals, hope, and realism apply to other choices and options. We also know that everything, even experiences, should be criticized, as how we process something determines our thinking, feelings, and wants. So, the main question is how a critical thinker performs a nonbiased investigation.

The answer is through numerous techniques (all of which will be provided in a separate post); one example is the investigation techniques I should use.

section 1.1 – a list of investigative techniques

• The Scientific Method: A famous approach to discovering and improving information systematically and analytically. Numerous components comprise the scientific method: (1) Induction – Reasoning based on experiences or observations that can lead to conclusions or generalizations; (2) Deduction – Reasoning that commences with a generalization or a premise, using careful, systematic thinking and moves to a particular fact or consequence, (3) A Priori – Using a known or assumed cause to explain an effect, and (4) A Posteriori – Reasoning from empirical factors or particulars such as experience, experiments to general principles, or causations. When using the scientific method, we follow the instructions here:
  • Ask a Question: This often uses the question starting from Chapter 1.
  • Background Research: The more information you can access, the more specific and direct the questions are. Open-source and closed-source intelligence are famous examples of information.
  • Hypothesis Construction: You make educated guesses based on the data provided and information from your sources. It must state the variables that are or could be involved. Account for small details not focused upon.
  • Analyze the results and conclude: Collect any measurements and see if they support the hypothesis. If they don’t, repeat the process; if they do, continue. 
  • Communicate the findings: Present your findings to others as a presentation, technical report, or research article. It should encourage others to review and critique your findings.
• The SCIM-C Strategy: This is a technique for researching and understanding the past by determining the audience, authenticity, legitimacy, and authors of the work. The majority of the content is presented here. The acronym stands for the following:
  • Summarization: This phase focuses on extracting explicit information from the source. Identify the document type (e.g., letter, photograph), subject, author, purpose, and audience. Key facts, dates, ideas, and perspectives should be noted. Essential questions include:
    • What type of document is it?
    • What specific details and perspectives does it provide?
    • What is the subject and purpose?
    • Who is the author and intended audience?
  • Contextualization: Engage with the source’s temporal and spatial context, noting any archaic language or imagery that may affect interpretation. Understanding the values and customs of the period is vital. Key questions include:
    • When and where was it produced?
    • Why was it created?
    • What events surrounded its production?
    • What summarizing information situates it in time and place?
  • Inferring: Reassess the source for deeper meanings and implications. Explore the context to derive interpretations and insights. Key questions include:
    • What implications does the source suggest?
    • What interpretations can be made?
    • What viewpoints are indicated?
    • What can be inferred from absences in the source?
  • Monitoring: Reflect on initial assumptions and ensure all critical questions have been addressed. Scrutinize the source’s credibility. Essential questions include:
    •  What additional evidence is needed?
    • Which concepts need clarification?
    • How significant is the source for the historical question?
    • What prior questions need revisiting?
  • Corroborating: Analyze multiple sources to compare evidence, noting similarities, differences, and gaps. Investigate contradictions and verify sources for a comprehensive understanding. Key questions include:
    • What similarities and differences exist?
    • What factors account for them?
    • What gaps hinder interpretation?
    • What additional sources may help verify the evidence?
• The Fahsing Method: In the method proposed by Ivar Fahsing, you identify fallacies and biases by reflecting on your original perspective. Exploring potential explanations and testing each one is essential to determine its validity. Additionally, you should be aware that these explanations may be perceived as “acceptable” due to the concealment of information from government and corporate censorship, misinformation and disinformation, and lying techniques.
  • Acknowledge you need critical thinking.
  • Do not jump to conclusions. Some learned that the hard way.
  • Use existing information as the starting point for your systematic investigation.
  • Identify possible explanations based on your acquired information.
  • Test the alternative explanations using the 6-C’s:
    • Collect all available and acquired information.
    • Check the ‘facts.’
    • Connect the dots.
    • Construct hypotheses.
    • Consider what further information you need.
    • Consult someone you deem rational and a critical thinker, or become a self-critic through deep introspection.
  • Use a mind map or chronicle to track information that supports or contradicts your possible explanations. Look for patterns without jumping to conclusions, and follow standards from critical thinking, argumentation, and heuristic pinpointing and elimination.
  • Remain skeptical but not in denial; that is the beauty of a critical thinker.
  • Continue improving your skills.

Section 1.2 – the degree of evidence

Information or evidence is categorized into seven main groups for conducting an investigation. This framework, derived from “Criminal Investigation: A Method for Reconstructing the Past: Sixth Edition,” can also be adapted for critical thinking.

section 2 – Remembering to take your time

It is important to take time to think about a situation rather than merely reacting to it. The phrase “respond, don’t react” applies here as well. When improving your decision-making, we account for some of the principles here:

1. Regularly reassess and articulate your fundamental goals, purposes, and needs. Your decisions should help eliminate obstacles and create opportunities to reach those goals, achieve your purposes, and satisfy your needs.
2. Whenever possible, take problems and decisions one by one. State the situation and formulate the alternatives as clearly and precisely as possible.
3. Examine the circumstances regarding the various alternative decisions to understand the type of decision you are facing clearly. Analyze the implications that arise from each possible alternative. Distinguish between decisions you can influence and those that feel imposed on you. Focus on the most significant decisions, particularly where you can make the greatest impact.
4. Figure out the information you need and actively seek that information.
5. Carefully analyze and interpret the information you collect, drawing what reasonable inferences you can.
6. Figure out your options for action. What can you do in the short term? In the long term? Recognize explicitly your limitations in money, time, and power.
7. Evaluate your options, considering their advantages and disadvantages.
8. Adopt a strategic approach to the decision and follow through on that strategy. This may involve direct action or a carefully thought-through wait-and-see strategy.
9. When you take action, pay attention to the consequences as they unfold. Be ready to adjust your strategy instantly if the situation calls for it. Stay prepared to change your approach, analysis, the type of decision you’re making, or even all three, as more information about the situation becomes available.

end of the crash course

You have finished the Abraid Scientism crash course! Although it does not provide as many examples, it offers straightforward information on critical thinking and argumentation and when and why to use them. I hope you enjoyed it!