Introduction to critical thinking

How do you react when you receive an email asking you to send your banking details?

• Send banking details and share the email on social media.

• Send banking details but keep the information to myself.

• Delete without even reading message.

• Search the internet for 30 min. to see if the story is true.

Which of these is NOT a definition of critical thinking?

• Clear, rational, disciplined, and systematic thought.

• Always trying to find something to criticise.

• Thinking which is open minded and informed by evidence.

• Reflective thinking aimed at deciding what to believe or do.

Choose the best ending for this statement:

"The other members of Bob's swim team..."

• ...won their races, so Bob will win his race too.

• ...have been swimming for at least ten years, so Bob has too.

• ...prefer outdoor pools, so Bob prefers outdoor pools too.

• ...wear trunks with the school logo on them, so Bob does too.

Which of these is NOT in the top five skills employers expect from university leavers?

• Ability to work in a team.

• Ability to make decisions and solve problems.

• Familiarity with Microsoft Office.

• Ability to find and process information.

When is it better to do research in the library and not on the internet?

When you want to...

• ...know the historical performance of Apple shares.

• ...find out more about old paths in the forest near your town.

• ...compare costs of different credit cards.

• ...write a report about the Swiss Supreme Court.

BERNMOBIL workers will strike tomorrow if they don't get what they want.

This means that...

• ...tram drivers don't get paid much.

• ...ticket prices will increase in the next few weeks.

• ...people who take the bus should find another way to get to work.

• ...employers never like paying more money to workers.

Which is a judgment (Urteilsbildung), not a fact?

That play at the theatre was fantastic...

• ...you'll never see it done better.

• ...it said so in a review in the 20 Minuten.

• ...it won a Tony award on Broadway.

• ...92% of audience members interviewed after the show agreed.

What is wrong with this argument?

You must love your country – or leave it.

• There is nothing wrong with the argument.

• It suggests you hate your country if you vacation overseas.

• It does not tell how to love it.

• It presents only two options when there are many more.

Which is the worst explanation here?

• The steak was overcooked because I cooked it too long.

• She didn't go because her car was in the garage for repairs.

• We don't go to that gym any more because it's too expensive.

• Eva overslept because she was at a party till 03h.

What's wrong with the logic in this statement?

"You can't believe him – he's a criminal!"

• Just because he's a criminal doesn't mean he's lying now.

• Criminals are not allowed to make statements in court.

• The speaker is biased (voreingenommen) against criminals.

• The speaker didn't study law at university.