This document discusses key aspects of critical thinking. It notes that a critical thinker is willing to challenge deep beliefs and change their mind given new evidence rather than claim to know the absolute truth. Validity, not truth, is emphasized - the validity of a claim depends on the available evidence and can change. There is a continuum of certainty where arguments move from no validity to completely valid, and critical thinkers determine a threshold of reasonable validity to accept a claim rather than insist on absolute truth. The goal is to thoughtfully evaluate arguments based on evidence, not cling to preconceived truths without question.

1. By A’jaee Foster

2.  A critical thinker is willing to challenge his or her
most deepest held beliefs.

3. Remember!!
 1. The critical thinker could be wrong.
 2. The critical thinker can, and should at
times, change his or her mind.
 3. The critical thinker is never
completely,100%, sure of anything.
 4. The critical thinker is always growing and
learning.

4. Groundwork
 Communication:
 Critical thinking does not exist in a vacuum it is
effected by the communication process

5. Don’t run from the Truth
 Truth with the capital "T"
 Only one Truth to a situation and all other explanations or
understandings are incorrect.
 truth with the small "t"
 what someone believes as being the only answer to a
situation or only interpretation of an event. Everyone can
have their own truth in every situation.

6. Validity
 Critical thinkers do not rely on Truth.
 Instead they use the concept of validity to make decisions
and maintain positions in arguments.
 Validity is a measurement of how certain we are of any
situation.

7. Truth v.s Validity
 So what's the difference??
1. Where there is only one Truth, there can be many reasonable positions.
2. Where Truth is absolute and can never change, new more valid
positions are created with the discovery of new evidence.
3. Where Truth is created internally and is a part of our self
esteem, validity is based on external information and so it is okay to
change our minds when new evidence is presented.

8. The Continuum of Certainty.
 is simply a measurement of validity. Think of a straight line.
At one end of the line the argument has no validity, while at
the other end the argument is 100% valid.
 The more you move towards the right, the more certain you are of
your belief.
 A threshold is that specific location on the Continuum of Certain
where we accept the argument. It is now "valid enough" to be
accepted." meaning that it is the argument "reasonable" enough to be
accepted.

9.  NOW LETS STAY CRITICAL THINKERS BY USING 3
INSIDERS!!!