Critical Thinking course at Strathmore University is a core Unit and hence a requirement for graduation. This slides were used for the first class hence a lot of focus is on course content and and a little part of topic one.

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2. BCOM & SFAE STUDENTS
Lecturer: Raji Thomas
INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL
THINKING.
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3. trathmore University
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4. Strathmore University Mission
To provide all round quality education in
an atmosphere of freedom and
responsibility; excellence in teaching,
research and scholarship; ethical and
social development; and service to
Society.
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5. WHY SHOULD I STUDY INTRODUCTION
TO CRITICAL THINKING?

6. WHY SHOULD I STUDY PHILOSOPHICAL
SUBJECTS?

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Why do YOU study for
a Degree?

8. HUMAN BEINGS ARE RATIONAL BEINGS
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11. How are we to change the world?
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12. • The aim of Strathmore University is to
provide an all-round education for its
students in an atmosphere of freedom
and responsibility.
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13. S.H.S.S. Our aim.
• To forge personalities that are of the same
caliber as the technical knowledge and skills of
the person.
• Thus providing society with good individuals
and professionals who are technically and
morally prepared to place their knowledge at
the service of the human person and the
common good of society.
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15. School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
(SHSS)
Strathmore offers humanities subjects in order
to enable its students attain a holistic
development.
Ethics classes are an integral component of that
all-round development.
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16. and many
more other
means for
developing
the person…
In the few months I have stayed
in Strathmore I have come to
realize that there is the power of
a positive environment of
studying, positive interactivity,
tutor's support, peer support…
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18. Aim:
To help students to
appreciate and endeavour to
develop art of reasoning
accurately in all aspects of life.
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Introduction to Critical Thinking

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20. At the end of the course the student should be
able to:
• Recognize the significance of search for truth in
University Education.
• Appreciate nature and significance of philosophy in
achieving the ends of university education.
• Formulate and evaluate arguments.
• Apply Critical Thinking skills in academic writing and
other forms of communication.
• Appreciate the role of Critical Thinking in all areas of
personal life.
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Introduction to Critical Thinking

21. TOPIC 1
Idea of University Education
and the Role of Critical Thinking
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By the end of this topic, the learner should be
able to:
• Relate the purpose of the university with
the need for critical thinking
• Unveil the role of critical thinking in
execution of the university’s key functions
• Recognize the significance of Critical
Thinking in student’s life and beyond the
university

22. By the end of this topic, the learner should be
able to:
• Trace the genesis of philosophical thinking
• Define Philosophy explaining its branches.
• Identify fundamental concepts and attributes of
Philosophy that bear on Critical Thinking
• Examine the application of Philosophy in daily life
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TOPIC 2
What is Philosophy?

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24. TOPIC 3
Knowledge and Truth
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By the end of this topic, the learner should be
able to:
• Explain types, sources and
relationship between knowledge and
truth
• Recognize errors committed in search
for knowledge and truth
• Appreciate the value of truth for a
flourishing life (within the university
and beyond)

25. TOPIC 4
Fallacies
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By the end of this topic, the learner
should be able to:
• Define various types of fallacies
• Identify fallacies in arguments
• Show weaknesses of a fallacious
argument and correct the
identified fallacies.

26. TOPIC 5
Critical Thinking: Tools and Skills
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By the end of this topic, the learner
should be able to:
• Analyze the elements/parts of
thinking
• Evaluate thinking on basis of
appropriate intellectual standards
• Recognize and barriers in critical
thinking and ways to overcome
them

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28. TOPIC 6
Argumentation
By the end of this topic, the learner should be able to:
– Define an argument
– Identify arguments and parts of arguments; i.e.
reasons and conclusions.
– Identify different patterns of arguments
– Identify syllogisms and their structure, mood, and
figures.
– Rewrite arguments in standard form.
– Assess assumptions and context of arguments.
– Apply the art of assuring, guarding and discounting
arguments.
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30. Topic 7
Rhetoric
By the end of this topic, the learner
should be able to:
•Explain the meaning and uses of
rhetoric
•Illustrate the use of rhetorical
devices
•Relate critical thinking and use of
rhetorical devices in presentation
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31. TOPIC 8
Self-Examination
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By the end of this topic, the learner should be able
to:
• Apply critical thinking skills in evaluation of
oneself
• Scrutinize oneself on the basis of strengths,
weaknesses, potentialities, opportunities
and threats
• Develop personal development project that
can be used in improving a person’s critical
thinking skills.

32. TOPIC 9
Faith and Reason
By the end of this topic, the learner should be
able to:
•Appreciate the fundamental differences
between faith and reason
•Relate errors in faith and reason debate
to errors of truth
•Highlight the significance of both faith
and reason in living a flourishing life
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33. The students are expected to apply various critical
thinking skills they have learnt through:
• Oral presentation in class on group work.
• Writing a philosophical essay on the topic
of their choice using philosophical writing
skills.
• Apply what has been learnt so far and
use public speaking and other social
media platforms to communicate good
arguments.
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TOPIC 9
Group work presentations

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Abortion Rights Gambling Population Domestic Violence Media Violence
Adoption Gangs Pornography
Driving Under the
Influence Medical Ethics
Affirmative Action Genetic Engineering Poverty Drug Legalization Mental Health
Alcohol Global Warming
Prayer In Public
Schools Eating Disorders Middle East
Animal
Experimentation Gun Control Prisons
Endangered
Species Suicide
Animal Rights Hate Crimes Racism Environment Teenage Pregnancy
Bioethics Health Care Rape Euthanasia Terrorism
Biological Weapons Homelessness School Violence Family Relations Welfare
Capital Punishment Homosexuality Sex Education National Security Women’s Rights
Censorship Human Rights Sexual Harassment Nuclear Weapons
Women In The
Military
Child Abuse Immigration Smoking Nutrition
Workplace
Violence
Cloning Internet Privacy Stem Cells Political Corruption
MISSING CLASSES
Crime Victims Juvenile Offenders Steroids
CHEATING IN EXAMS MAKING NOISE
INCLASS

35. 01Idea of University Education
02 What is Philosophy?
03 Knowledge and Truth
04 Fallacies
05 Critical Thinking: Tools and Skills
06 Argumentation
07 Rhetoric
08 Self-Examination
09 Faith and Reason
Group work presentations .
Course Outline
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37. STUDENT CENTERED LEANING.
FREEDOM
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38. Lecturer’s details
• Email: traji@strathmore.edu
• Office: SRCC
• Consultation hours: Tue, Wed and Fri Morning hours
and Wed Evenings
Feel free to talk to me on any matter you
think I may help you in.
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39. Teaching methodology
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40. Class participation.
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41. The ethics class has been so good
to me because it is the only lecture
that am able to be taught realities
about life
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44. Presentation in class after group Discussions.
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45. Guest lecturers in class when possible.
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47. Blogs
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48. Personal development
project in critical
thinking.
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49. The art of decision making.
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53. Idea of University
Education and the role
of critical thinking

54. University
• Latin- Universus
• Anglo-French- university or universitas
• The academy or studium

55. Historical Time Frame
• 12th Century AD University of Bologna which
became the center of legal studies

56. Current Universities
• Bologna founded in 1088
• University of Paris founded in 1150
• University of Oxford founded in 1167
• University of Cambridge founded in 1209
• University of Salamanca founded in 1218

57. • If the idea of University is re-coined to mean
ancient institutions that did not originally
grant degrees but now do some European and
non-European Universities pre-date University
of Bologna
• Nalanda University- 258 in India
• Al-Azar University- 988 in Egypt

58. Septem artes liberales
The seven liberal arts:
• Grammar
• Logic
• Rhetoric
• Arithmetic
• Geometry
• Music
• Astronomy

59. Trivium & Quadrivium
• Trivium:
• Grammar
• Logic
• Rherotic
• Quadrivium:
• Arithmetic
• Geometry
• Music
• Astronomy

60. Metamorphosis
• Universities in the medieval period considered
themselves to be protectors of human
knowledge, but they did not feel the urge to
make it grow.
• Septem Artes Liberales were considered as the
whole of human knowledge.
• From a Static kind of knowledge to one that is
dynamic

61. Principles of University
• Universality- Open to truth in totality
• Academic Freedom- Free to engage in inquiry
• Autonomy- free from external influence

62. Aims of a University
• To Create or generate knowledge
• Knowledge dissemination and transfer
• Service to society

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“Critical thinking consists of a mental process of analyzing
or evaluating information, particularly statements or
propositions that people have offered as true. It forms a
process of reflecting upon the meaning of statements,
examining the offered evidence and reasoning, and
forming judgments about the facts.”
– Wikipedia
“Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of
actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing,
synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered
from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection,
reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and
action. “
- Michael Scriven & Richard Paul

65. Critical thinking is the art of thinking about thinking
while thinking to make thinking better. It involves
three interwoven phrases: in analyzes thinking, it
evaluates thinking and it improves thinking.
Richard Paul and Linda Elder 2012
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66. Analyzing thinking
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• By focusing on the parts of
thinking in any situation-
its purpose, question,
information ..

67. What is Critical Thinking?
• Problem solving
• Analyzing information
• Interpreting information
• Recognizing bias
• Understanding diverse points of view
• Applying information
• Learning!

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Significance of Critical Thinking
(a) Informative
(b) Opens the mind
(c) Activates human’s rational capacity
(d) Challenges mental naivety
(e) Interrogates nature and other disciplines
(f) Nourishes the intellect
(g) Trains the mind to think
(h) Fosters understanding of oneself and others
(i) Encourages good reasoning
(j) Forms and shapes opinions
(k) Facilitates decision making
(l) Helps one to solve problems
(m)Guides ethical and moral values
(n) Fosters openness to truth
(o) Reflects on meaning of life

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Informative

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Opens the mind

71. Interrogates nature and other
disciplines
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Facilitates decision making

73. Nourishes the intellect
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Trains the mind to think

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Encourages good reasoning

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Helps one to
solve problems

78. Guides ethical and moral values
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Fosters openness to truth

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Reflects on meaning of life

81. Argumentative Essay
• Read Philosophical Writing By: A. P. Martinich
• Introduction and Chapter one before the next
class.
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