A fundamental element that brings society together can be summarized in one term: ethics. This concept is deep-rooted in each individual’s interaction with others, and themes such as conscience and righteousness are often taught to children from a young age. In order to promote the proper, humane growth of a person, parents and guardians instill moral guidelines into children and students in their beginning years of education. While discipline and judgemental education continue on through one’s youthful years, the notion tapers off during the adolescent age where most assume that ethical judgement becomes common sense. As adults and supervisors no longer preach the importance of doing the right thing, teens in the high school age may become …show more content…
Once again, the author defines critical thinking as “...evaluation. Critical thinking, therefore, may be defined as the process by which we test claims and arguments and determine which have merit and which do not. In other words, critical thinking is a search for answers, a quest. (19)”. The author defines critical thinking as proposing questions and seeking answers, also inspecting arguments and claims that are tied to the issue. Applied to the school curriculum, the course would entail critical thinking and evaluation of judgements and perceptions of acceptable values and conduct towards others. Employing critical thinking and analysis into the class curriculum, students then also grow to become more mature in their decisions as critical thinkers. Various traits of critical thinkers are listed by Ruggiero, where he states that experienced thinkers are honest with themselves and their own limited knowledge, see problems and issues as intellectual challenges, remain patient yet curious, draw conclusions from logic rather than personal emotion, open-minded, and think before acting (21-22). These listed traits are all extremely beneficial to the development of the student’s personalized conscience and would only broaden their internal horizons for understanding their moral …show more content…
Each individual’s ethics and beliefs are founded on their personal lifestyle and opinions. However, opinions are not always correct and acute scrutiny of such serves to classify opinions as unreliable or viable. Ruggiero once again explains how opinions in moral debates are often far more intricate than they seem: “Questions of right and wrong are presumed to be completely subjective and personal. According to this notion, if you believe a particular behavior is immoral and I believe it is moral, even noble, we are both right. Your view is “right for you” and mine is “right for me.” This popular perspective may seem eminently sensible and broadminded, but it is utterly shallow. Almost every day, situations arise that require reasonable people to violate it. (61-62)”. Following this statement, numerous examples of scenarios are given, such as how pedophilia is against the law, yet the accused may believe that their acts are moral in their own standards. Morality and ethics are a gray area in which standards vary for each individual. Some are more problematic than others, but in a class where ideas among peers are shared and discussed, students will able to make sound judgement and draw their own conclusions in what most believe to be the correct ethical
Rest, J., Narvaez, D., Thoma, S., & Bebeau, M. (1999). DIT2: Devising and testing a revised instrument of moral judgment. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(4), 644-659.
My personal definition of critical thinking is your ability to think using sensible, adequate, and level-headed thinking about things you believe in, the things that you do, and how you ultimately decide what needs to be addressed. This includes your ability to interconnect in independent, reflective, and authentic thinking that helps you recall information and details so that you can better understand them. Critical thinking also entails your ability to make the right choices while boosting your ability to solve problems and arguments while evaluating the evidence. This also includes your thought process in being rational, open-minded, and understanding the connections between thoughts and ideas. Critical
Our ethics and values are shaped from events and decisions dating back as far as we can remember, and in some cases even further back to times we cannot remember. Our heritage and cultural backgrounds can also play a large part in how our ethics are formed. As a society each individual fits into one of the four ethical profiles, and in many cases more than one of the profiles, what can make an individual extraordinary is the ability to learn from others that don’t share their own ethical beliefs and benefit from that shared knowledge to make themselves a better all-around individual. As the saying goes, no one is perfect, but the pursuit of perfection can be quite an experience for those that accept that challenge. Moral and ethical dilemmas will continue to arise in our lives from this moment until the moment we depart this plane of existence, it is what we do with those moments that set us apart from
Whether it is the mainstream media or the online community, cryptocurrencies, the new and emerging digital money transfer system, is gaining interest fast. One of the most popular cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, recently has been the subject to numerous criticism and negative speculation in the mainstream media due to the recent fall of Bitcoin’s largest currency exchange, Mt.Gox. However, despite negative media reports, Investing.com reported that Bitcoin prices have recently surged past $700 dollars, up 41% since the 25th of February of this year (Investing.com, 2014). Bitcoin’s rallying prices has shown that people have true faith in its future, and that cryptocurrencies in general, are here to stay and are the future of money exchange. Cryptocurrencies exist on a decentralized monetary system, meaning that there is no central authority, government, or institution that controls the flow of the currency (Quast, 2014). The main benefit of having a decentralized monetary system is the freedom of dismissing the need to rely upon a third party, such as a bank, for monetary transfers. Cryptocurrencies are stored on a user’s own computer, and uses a peer-to-peer system to verify transactions, allowing for faster and cheaper money transfers all around the world (Clark, 2013). Having a decentralized system also prevents the manipulation of money for political or institutional benefits, as the flow of money will be handled by an online network, as opposed to an institution. In addition, cryptocurrencies are not subject to inflation, as it will have a fixed rate of generation that slows down as quantities increase, and will stop the generation new currency once a capacity limit on the supply has bee...
Every day, living creatures are making decisions. Whether the decisions are big or small, they have to be made. As the decisions are performed, there is a process that one goes through. Different types of thinking styles and thought processes are available. The way one feels, believes, attitudes, and relating ideas can play a big part in their thinking styles. Various methods of thinking and thinking styles are used. In this paper the subject is to discuss is three different types of thinking styles. The three different styles discussed will be creative, pessimistic, and optimistic thinking. Creative, pessimistic, and optimistic thinking are three different ways a person can critically analyze any situation. This paper will compare and contrast the three different styles and discuss how each affects the critical thinking process. It will also include critical thinking in the decision- making process by incorporating the discussion on workplace examples that entails the three different types of thinking styles examined. After reading this paper, one will have a full understanding of these thinking styles and the decision making process. Lastly how one may think and how that contributes to their decision process will also be evident.
It is common to hear that young adults need guidance such as help throughout school, but what is less often heard is about the guidance needed by all humans. This particular guidance is known as ethics which is where the right and wrong of decisions is based upon moral principles. This set of moral principles plays a major role throughout the life of people. Many intellectual figures who has observed the art of being human such as some philosophers, sociologists, psychologists, and more are involved with ethics. Learning from these figures can really help understand the importance of ethics; some will preach the importance of ethics in people individually or in an entire society. Ethics is an aspect of being a modernized human and is a necessity for a magnitude of reasons.
Human beings are confronted with numerous issues throughout his or her lifetime that would require him or her to examine the best action to take to avoid the damaging consequences. In most cases, individuals restrain his or her action to take into consideration the consequences that may lead to the right or wrong behavior. One’s ethical and moral standards are first learned at an early age from his or her culture, how he or she is raised, religious background, and social system. Scientifically, there are various ethical theories, such as the virtue theory, deontological ethics, and utilitarianism (Boylan, 2009). By understanding these theories one can compare, contrast and uncover the reasoning behind his or her ethical and moral standards.
I think critical thinking means looking at a process or object objectively, and through research or experience another outcome can be seen.
The aim of this book is to demonstrate the importance of critical thinking and demonstrate how critical these skills are for students to master. Just like how we learned other skills and mastered them, we also need to learn to think critically. For example, we can master let’s say a problem until we memorize a problem, however if we master critical thinking then we have tools to analyze and provide solutions to other problems. As the authors Elder and Paul (2007) states that not many students have been thought to analyze (p.41).
What is not easily recognized is the fact that the very fabric of life is dependent on the ability to think properly and make good decisions. Improper thinking is costly in the quality of life and monetarily. The result of a critical thinker that has worked to cultivate proper thinking skills includes: the ability to ask vital questions and to identify problems with clarity. A critical thinker also collects relevant information while effectively interpreting it, thinks with an open mind, uses alternative systems of thought, and understands how to communicate while working to formulate a strong solution. In summary, critical thinking is self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. Above all else, the standards of excellence are rigorous, and it entails the prospect of overcoming the challenge of sociocentrism and
Critical thinking is a significant and essential topic in recent education. The strategy of critical thinking skills helps identify areas in one's courses as the suitable place to highlight, expand and use some problems in exams that test students' critical thinking skills.
According to Piaget, adolescents may be at the stage of concrete operations, in transition to formal operations. Some may be fully in formal operational thought and according to Kohlberg, people develop morally as they grow cognitively in their capability to reason. Adolescents are developing morally and although they tend still to be egocentric in some ways, they are able to consider others’ perspectives and are beginning to realize the implications of their moral beliefs, value system, and behavior. Piaget stated, “Younger children base their moral judgments more on consequences, whereas older children base their judgments on intentions.” They are starting to actively question the justice and fairness in issues and care deeply about serious community problems, and are capable of weighing the consequences of their actions on others. During my visit at Jennings Country High School, a student (Ben), had a typical moral development. When I asked him to write out what he would do in situation that required a moral response, his was an atypical answer. The question asked him to describe “why people should do everything they can to keep from breaking the law?” Ben’s response reached the highest category in Piaget and Kohlberg’s stages of intellect and moral development. He wrote, “because if everybody broke the
In his essay Critical Thinking: What Is It Good For? (In Fact, What Is It), Howard Gabennesch explains the importance of critical thinking by drawing attention to how its absence is responsible for societies many ills including, but not limited to, the calamity in Vietnam. Yet, at the end of his essay, Gabennesch also mentions that, despite “the societal benefits of critical thinking, at the individual level, uncritical thinking offers social and psychological rewards of its own.”(14). Similarly, it is these rewards that, like the bait on a fishhook, often make individuals hesitant to engage in critical thinking despite the resulting harm to both them and society.
Everyday we are tested as individuals to make the right choice. How we view ourselves as individuals and how others view us are directly correlated to our moral decision-making. But morals are somewhat misleading. What might be a wrong decision for one person might be a solution to another. So how do we define morals? Do we follow Gods’ moral rules because to do so would increase out likelihood of obtaining salvation in the afterlife? Or is it simpler than that. Is God going to deny our entrance into heaven because we have run a stop sign here and there? No. I believe our moral values are much simpler than that. I believe that our moral decision-making comes from our upbringing of what is right or wrong. Our parents and the people we surround ourselves with, are, I believe, direct causes of how we make decisions. Having more positive family influences as we grow up to adults will better help us come to make the right decisions in tough situations. In this paper, I will take you through a situation where my morals were tested. It takes place in the northern woods of Vermont in a little town called St. Albans where a young boy transforms into a young man by controlling his emotions and making the right decision.
...alues, judging other people’s actions, and questioning the righteousness of our own morals. Though depending on our religion or background we may all have different feelings and opinions about what is right and wrong, it is virtually impossible to go throughout one’s life without taking part in some sort of exploration into one’s own morals. Even though many of us may inherit our morals from our families or cultures, it is important that we explore why we believe what we feel is morally right or wrong, morally good or bad. Are the morals we get from our families truly our own? Have we been through enough life experiences to distinguish our own morals from those that have been pushed on us by our culture and society? Through exploring these feelings, we are able to make the best possible decisions for ourselves that will in turn determine the standards of our lives.