Chapter 6 Critical Thinking Within a Discipline
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Chapter 6
Critical Thinking
Within a Discipline
Logic of the Discipline
Vocabulary of the Discipline
Fundamental Concepts
Lecture Overview
Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking Within a Discipline Reasoning within a Discipline using
the elements is called the logic of
the Discipline
Reading in the Discipline
Writing in the Discipline
Doing research
Theories, Arguments, Strategies
Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking Within a Discipline
Critical thinking in biology is reasonable, reflective
biological thinking that is focused on deciding
what to believe or do in biology and in the relation
between biology and the world at large
Critical thinking in history is skillful, responsible
thinking that is conducive to good historical
judgment, because it is sensitive both to historical
context and to other contexts related to history
Logic of the Discipline
A discipline embodies a distinctive range
of problems and questions
It involves
A set of purposes
Assumptions about the world
Key concepts
Models
That are used by people
To gather information
To categorize information
To trace out its implications
Logic of the Discipline
A discipline embodies a distinctive range
of problems and questions
1
• Purposes, Assumptions
• Key Concepts, Models
2
• Gather & Categorize info
• Trace out implications
3 • Draw conclusions
Logic of the Discipline
Analysis of the logic of Earth Sciences
Geology and Physical Geography
purpose
• Explain composition of the earth
• Locate natural resources
question
• What is the earth like?
• What can we learn from geology?
ifno
• Observations and tests of natural features
• Observations of composition of rocks
Assumptions
• We can find out what happened to the earth in the past
• Scientific methods help to put natural resources to use
Implications
• The geological processes are still going on
• Natural resources are limited
Concepts
• Plate tectonic theory
• Continental drift, the rock cycle, geological time
Logic of the Discipline
Analysis of the logic of Literature Course
purpose • To think the way a literary reader thinks about her life
question
• How can I think in a deeper way about stories
• About my life in terms of those stories?
ifno
• Actual stories will be read in the course
• Information about the author or the context of historical period
Assumptions
• I can learn about life by reading stories more deeply
• I will learn from seeing them in terms of characters, change
Implications
• My reading will become deeper
• The stories will help me to understand better people and life
Concepts
• Character, conflict
• Plot, theme
Vocabulary
Knowing Vocabulary of a Discipline
Increases your ability
To think clearly
To communicate clearly
To gain insights into fundamentals of
the discipline
Vocabulary Vocabulary of a Discipline is like a web
it is interconnected
It helps you thinking in terms of logical
connections rather than fragments
Fundamental Concepts
If I take a course in a discipline, how can I think
critically within that discipline?
How do I learn to think critically while also
amassing the large amount of information?
Fundamental Concepts
I have ownership of the course’s content when
I understand the course concepts
I can raise relevant questions about them
I can apply them to new situations
Fundamental Concepts
A fundamental and powerful concept is one that
can be used to explain or think out a huge body of
questions, problems, information or situations.
The F&P concepts are the most central and useful
ideas in the discipline.
If you understand F&P concepts in a deep way,
you are in a position to understand a great deal of
the rest of the course.
Fundamental Concepts
Own F&P own the rest of the course
Identify F&P concepts
Learn them in a deep way
Understand how they fit together
Use them in your thinking about every question or
problem
Internalize them – use them to answer questions
that lie beyond the scope of the course
Fundamental Concepts Identify F&P
Fundamental Concepts
INPUT OUTPUT
INPUT OUTPUT
Learn F&P deeply
Fundamental Concepts How F&P fit
Function
Inverse x-Intercepts
P(x) zeros Types
Fundamental Concepts
Why does this work?
Own F&P own the rest of the course
Memories are stronger when they have many
associative connections
It is much harder to recall some procedure if it is
stored as a separate piece of information
Understanding F&P concepts and logic of the
discipline gives you sense of ownership and a
feeling of authenticity
Authenticity correlates with high motivation and
hence gives you a powerful leverage to control your
memories
Group Work
Choose one of the disciplines below and think of
it in terms of
Logic of the discipline, i.e. 8-elements
Fundamental & Powerful concepts
Identify F&P concepts
Use a concept map to show how they fit
together
How can you internalize them in your life?
History, Biology, Philosophy,
Mathematics, Physics
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