Vocabulary

pigheaded adj.?頑固的，固執的

infallible adj. 不可能錯的，不會犯錯誤的，永無過失的

mannerism n. 某人特有的說話或動作的習性，習氣，習慣

think:?appreciate consult fancy reason believe contemplate imagine reflect cerebrate deliberate meditate ruminate cogitate digest muse speculate conceive discuss ponder suppose consider dream realize weigh

Expression

Mental indolence is one of the commonest of human traits.

思想懶惰是人最常見的特質之一。

In contrast to feeling, thinking is a conscious mental process performed to solve a problem, make a decision, or gain understanding.

相反，思考是用于解決問題、做出決定或取得理解而進行的有意識的精神過程。

Some cases of plagiarism are attributable to intentional dishonesty,?others to carelessness.

有些抄襲案是故意欺詐，有一些是粗心大意。（這一點說的十分有理，習慣問題，中國人很少能意識到自己是抄襲。）

Summary

What Is Critical Thinking?

Three broad categories of thinking involve reflective thinking, creative thinking, and critical thinking, among which our focus is on critical thinking. The essence of critical thinking is evaluation. Thus, critical thinking can be defined as the process by which we test claims and arguments and determine which have merit and which do not. It is a search for answers, a quest, indicating that one of the most important techniques used in critical thinking is asking probing questions. Another is control of one’s mental activities.

One misconception is that being able to support beliefs with reasons makes one a critical thinker, which rules out the truth that everyone has reasons, weak or strong. The test of critical thinking is whether the reasons are good and sufficient. Another misconception is critical thinkers never imitate others in thought or action. But critical thinking is more about making sound decisions, regardless of how common or uncommon those decisions are. Moreover, critical thinking involves the process of finding answers when they are not so readily available, instead of just having a lot of right answers in one’s head. It can be learned and controlled easily. ?

Excerpt

Critical thinking also employs questions to analyze issues. Consider, for example, the subject of values. When it is being discussed, some people say, “Our country has lost its traditional values” and “There would be less crime, especially violent crime, if parents and teachers emphasized moral values.” Critical thinking would prompt us to ask,

1. What is the relationship between values and beliefs? Between values and convictions?

2. Are all values valuable?

3. How aware is the average person of his or her values? Is it possible that many people deceive themselves about their real values?

4. Where do one’s values originate? Within the individual or outside? In thought or in feeling?

5. Does education change a person’s values? If so, is this change always for the better?

6. Should parents and teachers attempt to shape children’s values?

批判思考的基本活動

Critical Thinking and Discussion

Whenever possible, prepare in advance. 只要可能，提前做準備。

Set reasonable expectations. 設定合理的預期。

Leave egotism and personal agendas at the door. 拋棄自我中心。

Contribute but don’t dominate. 起作用但不主導一切。

Avoid distracting speech mannerisms. 避免分散注意力的講話習慣。

Listen actively. 積極的傾聽。

Judge ideas responsibly. 負責任地判斷思想。

Resist the urge to shout or interrupt. 抵制喊叫或打斷的沖動。

Thought

Your experience may have been similar to Arthur's. In other words, many people may have simply told you to think without ever explaining what thinking is and what qualities a good thinker has that a poor thinker lacks.

反思：我在教學的過程中也會遇到類似問題。有時我鼓勵孩子思考，但他們的確不知道要思考什么。其實思考從本質上來說就是問問題和回答，一個優秀的思考者強在問問題的和回答的質量上，所以教會孩子思考就是教會孩子如何問問題。

I feel and I think are sometimes used interchangeably, but that practice causes confusion. Feeling is a subjective response that reflects emotion, sentiment, or desire; it generally occurs spontaneously rather than through a conscious mental act. We don't have to employ our minds to feel angry when we are insulted, afraid when we are threatened, or compassionate when we see a picture of a starving child. The feelings arise automatically.

“我想”和“我感覺”是兩種不同的腦部活動，一個自動產生，一個有個人意識的增補。這有點像我們常說的“理性”和“感性”。