Thinking Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

John Butterworth and Geoff Thwaites

Thinking Skills

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Second edition

John Butterworth and Geoff Thwaites

Thinking Skills

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Second edition

cambridge university press

Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, S?o Paulo, Delhi, Mexico City

Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK

Information on this title: 9781107606302

? Cambridge University Press 2005, 2013

This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press.

First published 2005 Second edition 2013

Printed in Italy by L.E.G.O. S.p.A.

A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library

ISBN 978-1-107-60630-2 Paperback

Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. Information regarding prices, travel timetables and other factual information given in this work is correct at the time of first printing but Cambridge University Press does not guarantee the accuracy of such information thereafter.

Contents

Unit 1 Thinking and reasoning

1.1 Thinking as a skill 1.2 An introduction to critical thinking 1.3 Solutions not problems

Unit 2 Critical thinking: the basics

2.1 Claims, assertions, statements 2.2 Judging claims 2.3 Argument 2.4 Identifying arguments 2.5 Analysing arguments 2.6 Complex arguments 2.7 Conclusions 2.8 Reasons 2.9 Assumptions 2.10 Flaws and fallacies

Unit 3 Problem solving: basic skills

3.1 What do we mean by a `problem'? 3.2 How do we solve problems? 3.3 Selecting and using information 3.4 Processing data 3.5 Finding methods of solution 3.6 Solving problems by searching 3.7 Recognising patterns 3.8Hypotheses, reasons, explanations and inference 3.9 Spatial reasoning 3.10 Necessity and sufficiency 3.11 Choosing and using models 3.12 Making choices and decisions

Unit 4 Applied critical thinking

4.1 Inference 4.2 Explanation 4.3 Evidence 4.4 Credibility 4.5 Two case studies 4.6 Critical thinking and science

1 7 13

16 21 28 33 38 43 50 58 63 70

79 82 86 90 93 98 102 106 112 116 119 123

126 137 144 150 156 163

Contentsiii

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download