HXCT 301 005 Human Experience/Critical Rea…
In NO MORE THAN A PARAGRAPH, state what your position is. (One of the position statement paragraphs
from your journal would be a good rough draft for this paragraph.) But that is not the real topic or focus of
this paper. For the body of the essay, and the real topic, analyze WHY you think that way and speculate on
some possible impediments in your critical thinking. You will want to base your analysis on categories and
criteria like these:
Family background
Religious background
Your interpretation of justice or fairness
Past experiences
Experiences of others
Influence of media or advertising on your thinking
Foundational or basic beliefs about the way the world works
In other words, the focus of this assignment is first to briefly define your position on the topic and then to
analyze why and how you came to this point of view (not why you are right). As you examine your own thinking,
you should think critically about the processes which led you to your present point of view and the related
influences on your thinking. Remember not to revert back into describing or defending whatever your position
is on the question at hand but to instead focus on an analysis of your thought processes related to that
position.
In addition, you should use any of the “Impediments to Critical Thinking” from Nosich (p. 16-25) that you think
apply. You must use at least one quotation from Nosich and document it clearly. Any idea or concept from
Nosich must also be properly documented. As a conclusion, step back and speculate on what this shows you
about your critical thinking in general and what you might need to do to recognize backgrounds and
impediments that will have an effect on your critical thinking. This paper is not just an exercise, but a very
important tool for you to develop as a critical thinker. Before you write, I would suggest applying the elements
of reasoning from Nosich (Ch. 2) to this assignment.
Again, this paper is about WHY you hold an opinion – not about what that opinion is, or why your opinion is
right. What are the patterns or foundational beliefs or ideas that influence your thinking? How would you
connect these to other ways your own personal system of belief and reasoning influences your thinking?
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