The whole idea is to be able to learn Critical Thinking from freely available contents from the internet. One day I received an email about a new course on this topic with 30% discount from a famous online course provider. I thought I will have a look. It was excellent. But the problem was it’s price. Three months course total price was $130. I thought this is too much. Not many people can afford it. I cannot for sure. Then I thought, Critical Thinking is something so important that people should be able to learn it for free. I looked if I can find a free course but I couldn’t find anything that was designed for busy people. So I thought hmmm…. I’ll create one.
Studying is boring. But that’s not the only way you can learn things. You can learn by observation listening and while having fun. Here I have carefully selected the contents to cover the most important areas. The content design is based on Sydney University and University of Victoria.
After completing the three months you will be much like Sherlock in detecting false information. As well as you will become good at debating and arguing. Words will fly from your mouth like a thousand arrows that goes wooosh and pierce your opponents. More than that, you will never ever make poor choices in life again like that guy who chose a wrong life partner. She ruined his life and her life was already ruined.
Topics & Time table
Week 1
Introduction to Critical Thinking
Article: Critical thinking skills – skillsyouneed.com
Facts please: Opinion vs Facts (Wikipedia entry on Fact)
Ideas Origin: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, by David Hume Chapter 2: Of the Origin of Ideas (Link to Text) (pdf of Text)
Ideas and it’s objects (Text 1) (Wikipedia entry on idea)
Week 2
Argument basics
Video
Text on argument Basics
Optional Readings in case if you don’t understand yet (Text 1) (Text 2)
Week 3
Inductive and Deductive reasoning: Introduction
Deductive and Inductive Reasoning (Bacon vs Aristotle – Scientific Revolution) Youtube
Novum Organum by Francis Bacon Book I Aphorisms Concerning the Interpretation of Nature and the Kingdom of Man -Read from I to LI
The Difference between Inductive and Deductive reasoning (Link)
Week 4
Inductive reasoning
Video: Inductive reasoning example
Video: How to Argue – Induction & Abduction: Crash Course Philosophy #3
Reading: Inductive reasoning: an overview Indiana University
Reading: Inductive Reasoning – changingminds.org
Week 5
Inductive Reasoning
Book Reading: Logic: Inductive and Deductive by William Minto > Book II Inductive Logic or The Logic of Science (Gutenberg ebook)
Week 6
Inductive reasoning vs. Deductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning Definition and examples (article)
Deductive Reasoning – changingminds.org
Live science: Deductive Reasoning vs. Inductive Reasoning
Week 7
Argument Evaluation
Long video: 1.4 Evaluating Arguments
Short video: What is a “STRONG” argument?
Week 8
Reading
The art of Questioning: Ion by Plato (MIT classics) (epub Gutenberg)
Or
The Fixation of Belief by CS Pierce (5 part essay- to read one part each day) (Text)
Week 9
Logical Fallacies I
Article: Logical Fallacies
Interactive Website of Logical Fallacies
Video: Top 10 logical Fallacies
Week 10
Logical Fallacies II
Article: 15 Logical Fallacies You Should Know Before Getting Into a Debate
Website: A collection of over 300 logical Fallacies
Week 11
Cognitive Biases I
Wikipedia Entry on Cognitive Bias
Article: How Cognitive Biases Influence How You Think and Act
Interactive website: https://yourbias.is/
Week 12
The Philosophy of Science
Audio: BBC Radio 4 programes (listen to 5 audios, each file duration is about 45 mins)