REASON EMOTION The aim of this tutorial is

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REASON & EMOTION The aim of this tutorial is to help you learn to

REASON & EMOTION The aim of this tutorial is to help you learn to understand the roles of reason and emotion in critical thinking.

2 How do reason and emotion work together in an activity such as skydiving?

2 How do reason and emotion work together in an activity such as skydiving? © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Reason and emotion play important roles in critical thinking 3 Understanding their roles as

Reason and emotion play important roles in critical thinking 3 Understanding their roles as separate and combined influences is a very important aspect of critical thought. Reason is the process of supporting a claim or conclusion based on evidence. It involves both the disciplined use of intelligence and the application of rules for problem solving. In logic, reasoning is presented in a structured form supported by premises. However, everyday uses of reason are broader, and require creative thought and emotional discernment. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

4 Reasoning about problems in a familiar context © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies,

4 Reasoning about problems in a familiar context © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Reason contains a number of important components and strategies 5 These components include the

Reason contains a number of important components and strategies 5 These components include the ability to engage in abstract thinking, logical argumentation, and behavioral modification. Reason also involves the embrace of different cognitive strategies such as deduction, generalization, and imagination. It is also important in spatial-temporal problem solving in fields such as mathematics, engineering, and architecture. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

6 Great Chain of Being © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights

6 Great Chain of Being © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Reason has traditionally been linked with males in Western thought 7 Beginning with Aristotle,

Reason has traditionally been linked with males in Western thought 7 Beginning with Aristotle, Western thought has generally linked men to reason, and women to the realm of nature. This argument has been used not only against women but also against non-Europeans to generate negative and derogatory stereotypes that justify discrimination based on race, gender, and age. In order to be effective critical thinkers, we must be willing to use reason to examine these assumptions regarding race, gender, and age. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Reason can operate at both the conscious and unconscious levels 8 Traditionally seen as

Reason can operate at both the conscious and unconscious levels 8 Traditionally seen as a conscious activity, recent cognitive research suggests much of reasoning is in fact unconscious and automatic. Studies of brain function indicate that dreams involve cerebral activity related to reason and problem solving. Many important knowledge breakthroughs, such as the creation of the periodic table by Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleyev, occurred through dream-inspired guidance. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

9 Temple Grandin © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

9 Temple Grandin © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

10 Your brain on video games © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All

10 Your brain on video games © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Reason is an essential component of critical thinking 11 Reason helps us analyze beliefs

Reason is an essential component of critical thinking 11 Reason helps us analyze beliefs and evidence, to make good life choice decisions, to cope with adversity, and to resolve problems. In critical thinking, reason does not operate alone, but works together with other faculties, such as emotion. Understanding the role emotion plays in critical thinking is essential for the development of strong critical thinking skills. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The role of emotion in critical thinking 12 According to Random House Webster’s College

The role of emotion in critical thinking 12 According to Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, emotion is a “state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, etc. , is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional consciousness. ” In Western culture, emotion has been traditionally viewed as the opposite of reason. In contrast, other cultures have emphasized the importance of positive emotions in the development of critical thinking skills. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

13 Can you identify which emotions are being shown here? © 2012, The Mc.

13 Can you identify which emotions are being shown here? © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hot or Not? 14 Do you think emotion or reason plays a more pivotal

Hot or Not? 14 Do you think emotion or reason plays a more pivotal role in critical thinking? © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The role of emotion in critical thinking 15 As critical thinkers, we need to

The role of emotion in critical thinking 15 As critical thinkers, we need to be aware of the dangers of emotions such as anger and fear as barriers to critical thought, and also of the benefits of using emotions such as empathy and compassion to enhance our critical thinking abilities. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

16 Rosa Parks © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

16 Rosa Parks © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The importance of emotional intelligence 17 Emotional intelligence—the ability to perceive, appraise, express, and

The importance of emotional intelligence 17 Emotional intelligence—the ability to perceive, appraise, express, and regulate emotion—is positively related to abstract reasoning ability. Emotions such as empathy, moral indignation, love, happiness, and even guilt can have a positive effect on our reasoning by influencing us to make better decisions. An empathetic person is more flexible and open to other perspectives. This openness motivates critical analysis of problems and situations and helps formulate appropriate action plans and responses. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Emotions can also work against critical thinking 18 Although emotions can motivate better decision-making,

Emotions can also work against critical thinking 18 Although emotions can motivate better decision-making, they can also hinder it. Examples of the negative role emotions can play include the presence of fear and anger in action plans. Additionally, we are vulnerable to emotional appeals such as those in advertising and political campaigns. These appeals, often devoid of evidence and good reasoning, can distract us from more important issues or encourage regrettable actions. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Integrating reason and emotion… 19 …provides a double-pronged tool for critical thinking. Emotion alerts

Integrating reason and emotion… 19 …provides a double-pronged tool for critical thinking. Emotion alerts us to problems and other people’s perspectives. Emotion also motivates action and problem resolution. Using our emotions in conjunction with reason allows us to make better-informed decisions. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), reasoning, and emotion 20 Artificial intelligence is defined as “the study

Artificial Intelligence (AI), reasoning, and emotion 20 Artificial intelligence is defined as “the study of computations that make it possible to perceive, reason, and act. ” Its goals include the enhancement of human reasoning, the creation of intelligent machines, and the development of sociable, intelligent machines that can cooperate with people. Given recent advances in these endeavors, as critical thinkers we need to move beyond questioning whether AI is capable of reasoning and emotion, and not hold AI to higher standards of proof than we apply to humanity. AI possesses enormous potential to enhance our critical thinking abilities. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

21 The Turing test © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

21 The Turing test © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hot or Not? 22 Do some computers have the ability for rational thought? ©

Hot or Not? 22 Do some computers have the ability for rational thought? © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Faith and reason 23 Faith involves not only belief in God, but also an

Faith and reason 23 Faith involves not only belief in God, but also an act of trust in and obedience to God. Traditionally, faith and reason have been seen as uneasy co-inhabitants of the human mind. Whatever one’s personal beliefs, it is important for us as critical thinkers to connect faith with reason, to balance belief and doubt. Integrating reason into faith allows us to evaluate the competing claims of faith and revelation, and to question faith-based claims that are inconsistent with evidence or reason. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Three approaches to faith and reason 24 Fideism argues that faith transcends reason, and

Three approaches to faith and reason 24 Fideism argues that faith transcends reason, and that the divine is revealed through faith and revelation, not reason or empirical evidence. Rationalism argues that religious beliefs should be consistent with reason and evidence. Critical rationalism argues that divine knowledge can derive from both faith and reason, but that both sources should be compatible with one another. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

25 Abraham making preparations to sacrifice his son Isaac at God’s command © 2012,

25 Abraham making preparations to sacrifice his son Isaac at God’s command © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

26 Mother Teresa © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

26 Mother Teresa © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

27 Albert Schweitzer © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

27 Albert Schweitzer © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Conclusions 28 As the previous slides have shown, effective critical thinking requires exercise of

Conclusions 28 As the previous slides have shown, effective critical thinking requires exercise of both reason and emotion in order to be most effective. Also, reason and faith are compatible. Indeed, applying reason to faith is important, for it protects us from faithbased knowledge and arguments not supported by evidence. © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

29 Perspectives on reason and proofs for the existence of God © 2012, The

29 Perspectives on reason and proofs for the existence of God © 2012, The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.