Question.1912 - Chapter 7: 1. You classify many of the things in your experience differently than others do because of your individual needs, interests, and values. For instance, smoking marijuana might be classified by some as "use of a dangerous drug" and by others as a "harmless good time." Does the government have a moral right or obligation to classify concepts, especially controversial ones, for its citizens? Why or why not? 2. The Internet allows information to be easily and cheaply manipulated, duplicated, and shared. In this new environment, what happens to the concept of "ownership" of information, music, photos, or other online materials? What are the ethics of using such material for personal enjoyment? 3. As we navigate the mass of information on the Internet, we need to "keep our critical-thinking abilities dialed up to the maximum." It's important to be aware that information is not knowledge until we have applied our minds to it. What are some of the dangers of not using our critical-thinking skills as we take in all the easily accessible information on the Internet? 4. Given what you know about how diverse the United States is, explain who, in your opinion, counts as an American. What qualities form the structure of the concept "American"? 5. Use what you have learned in the chapter to write a detailed answer to the question, "Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?" Include a discussion of the structure of the concept of beauty, its properties, signs, and referents. CHAPTER 8: 1. Describe a situation of cause and effect from your life or from someone else's life. Which pattern does your example fit best: causal chain, contributory cause, or interactive cause? Explain and support your answer in detail.21/09/2023, 11:31 Week 5 Reflection - 2023 Fall Critical Thinking, Use of Research and Decision Making in the 21st Century (PRST-311-01) - … https://lms.cofc.edu/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_submit_files.d2l?db=307649&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=318838 2/2 Add a File Record Audio Record Video Due on Sep 24, 2023 11:59 PM Submit Assignment Files to submit (0) file(s) to submit After uploading, you must click Submit to complete the submission. Comments 2. Choose one of the three basic types of thinking patterns and consider how its absence might make it harder to make sense of the world. What specific ways of organizing would be missing? What effect might that have on our ability to actively participate in composing our world? 3. Every human culture has used narratives to pass on values and traditions from one generation to another, exemplified by such enduring works as the Odyssey or the Bible. Why do you think this is true? What characteristics of a narrative make it the ideal instrument to pass on traditions? What type of thinking pattern does a narrative qualify as? Why? 4. How do analogies improve our understanding? What is it about analogies that stimulate the brain in such an effective manner? 5. When making comparisons, you should try to avoid certain pitfalls. What are those pitfalls, and how can they be avoided? Have you ever succumbed to one of those pitfalls when making a decision? If so, provide a detailed example of what happened.
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3. As we navigate the mass of information on the Internet, we need to "keep our critical-thinking abilities dialed up to the maximum." It's important to be aware that information is not knowledge until we have applied our minds to it. What are some of the dangers of not using our critical-thinking skills as we take in all the easily accessible information on the Internet? In the age of the internet, critical thinking is necessary where information is readily available. While consuming online information, failing to use critical-thinking skills can cause several dangers. In this regard, individuals may believe false or deceptive information at face value without critical thinking, which can cause the spread of misinformation and disinformation, thereby harming public understanding and decision-making. Moreover, confirmation bias may be reinforced, as individuals may be drawn to information that aligns with their existing beliefs. The impact of bias is reduced through critical thinking, as it helps individuals evaluate information objectively. Individuals may become ingrained in online echo chambers without critical thinking, where they are only exposed to one viewpoint, which can limit their capability to consider diverse perspectives and stifle healthy debate. Furthermore, in making informed decisions, critical thinking is decisive, as failing to assess information critically can result in poor decision-making, whether in personal matters or public concerns. Thus, the non-use of critical-thinking skills while using the internet can lead to the spread of misinformation, reinforce biases, create echo chambers, and hinder effective decision-making (Chaffee, 2014). 4. Given what you know about how diverse the United States is, explain who, in your opinion, counts as an American. What qualities form the structure of the concept "American"? The concept of "American" is diverse and many-sided, which reflects the complexity of the United States. The qualities forming the structure of the concept "American" can comprise nationality and citizenship, as it is a simple aspect of being a legal citizen of the United States. Citizenship is usually defined by birthright, naturalization, or descent. Moreover, the United States is a country of immigrants, and diversity is a defining attribute, wherein being American can mean belonging to any cultural, ethnic, or racial background while embracing American values and ideals. Furthermore, being American often comprises embracing fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, equality, and the rule of law, wherein these collective values serve as a unifying factor. The quality of being American also involves a commitment to the principles mentioned in the US Constitution, such as individual rights and the rule of law. Additionally, it also involves being an active and contributing member of American society, participating in civic life, and respecting the rights and freedoms of others. Besides, a sense of love and loyalty to the United States and an eagerness to defend its values and principles can be part of the concept of being American (Chaffee, 2014). 5. Use what you have learned in the chapter to write a detailed answer to the question, "Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?" Include a discussion of the structure of the concept of beauty, its properties, signs, and referents. The concept of beauty is subjective and culturally influenced. Based on the structure of concepts discussed in the chapter, it can be analyzed that beauty is characterized by subjective qualities such as attractiveness, harmony, and aesthetic appeal. These properties can differ from individual to individual. Signs of beauty may comprise physical appearance, artistic creations, natural landscapes, or even abstract ideas, which are interpreted variedly by individuals. Moreover, the referents of beauty are the definite instances or objects that people recognize as beautiful, which can range from a person's face to a work of art to a sunset over the ocean (Chaffee, 2014). Chapter 8 1. Describe a situation of cause and effect from your life or from someone else's life. Which pattern does your example fit best: causal chain, contributory cause, or interactive cause? Explain and support your answer in detail. A situation that can be considered is when someone's car breaks down on the way to work. In a causal chain, events occur in a linear sequence, one causing the other and in this case, a causal chain might entail factors such as the car's engine overheating due to a coolant leak, which causes engine failure, and eventually, the car breaking down. Moreover, contributory causes refer to numerous factors contributing to an outcome, and in this scenario, the car breaking down could be attributed to a contributory cause where different factors, such as the age of the car, lack of regular maintenance, and the hot weather, together lead to the breakdown. Furthermore, interactive causes engross the interaction of numerous factors where each affects the other, and in this example, the car breaking down could be because of an interactive cause, where the combination of factors such as the hot weather worsening the coolant leak leads to the engine overheating and, finally, the breakdown (Chaffee, 2014). 2. Choose one of the three basic types of thinking patterns and consider how its absence might make it harder to make sense of the world. What specific ways of organizing would be missing? What effect might that have on our ability to actively participate in composing our world? Herein, "Comparative Relationships" as the thinking pattern has been chosen. We would struggle to make sense of differences and similarities between different objects, concepts, or ideas if the comparative thinking pattern was missing. In the absence of the ability to compare, we would miss identifying patterns, as comparative thinking helps us recognize patterns and trends by comparing different data points. It is necessary for creative problem-solving, where we often compare diverse solutions or approaches to decide the most effective one. Besides, the absence of comparative thinking would restrict our capability to participate actively in composing our world because we would struggle to adapt to new situations, make informed choices, and understand the diversity around us (Chaffee, 2014). 5. When making comparisons, you should try to avoid certain pitfalls. What are those pitfalls, and how can they be avoided? Have you ever succumbed to one of those pitfalls when making a decision? If so, provide a detailed example of what happened. Pitfalls of making comparisons include false equivalency, which is assuming two things are equal or comparable when they are not, and to avoid this, it is important to analyze the similarities and differences carefully between the objects or concepts you are comparing. Moreover, failing to consider the context of the comparison can lead to imprecise conclusions; thus, it is necessary to always consider the context and the precise circumstances surrounding the comparison. Allowing personal bias to influence the comparison can cause unfair or inaccurate judgments and to avoid this, it is decisive to endeavor for objectivity and consider numerous perspectives. Selectively choosing data or examples to support a preconceived notion is another pitfall and to avoid this, it is crucial to use an inclusive set of data and consider all applicable information. Besides, one common pitfall is confirmation bias, where people tend to seek out and favor information that confirms their existing beliefs. I have succumbed to this bias at times, for instance, when assessing a new product for purchase, I might only look for positive reviews that align with my initial preference to buy, and ignore negative feedback (Chaffee, 2014). Reference Chaffee, J. (2014). Thinking critically. Cengage Learning.More Articles From Psychology