Art of Thinking : A Guide to Critical and Creative Thought

by Ruggiero, Vincent R.

• ISBN13: 9780321411280
• ISBN10: 0321411285
• Edition: 9th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-01-01
• Publisher: Longman

Summary

Accessible and engaging, this unique text offers strategies for critical and creative thinking and includes many opportunities for practicing these fundamental skills. It will help readers think "outside the box" and to become more effective writers, speakers, and communicators. Helps readers think "outside the box" and to become more effective writers, speakers, and communicators. "Be Aware," "Be Creative," "Be Critical," and "Communicate Your Ideas."Anyone interested in learning new ways to think.

Table of Contents

To the Instructor	xv
PART I Be Aware	1	(84)
Developing Your Thinking: An Overview	3	(22)
What Is Thinking?	4	(1)
The Importance of Thinking	5	(1)
Brain and Mind at Work	6	(2)
The Production Phase	7	(1)
The Judgment Phase	7	(1)
Good Thinking Is a Habit	8	(1)
The Structure of This Book	8	(1)
Getting the Most from Your Efforts	9	(1)
Using Feelings to Advantage	10	(1)
Learning to Concentrate	11	(1)
Coping with Frustration	12	(1)
Making Discussion Meaningful	12	(3)
Whenever Possible Prepare in Advance	13	(1)
Set Reasonable Expectations	13	(1)
Leave Egotism and Personal Agendas at the Door	13	(1)
Contribute But Don't Dominate	13	(1)
Avoid Distracting Speech Mannerisms	14	(1)
Listen Actively	14	(1)
Judge Ideas Responsibly	14	(1)
Resist the Urge to Shout or Interrupt	14	(1)
Preliminary Thinking Strategies	15	(2)
Sample Exercises and Responses	17	(8)
Warm-Up Exercises	18	(1)
Applications	19	(2)
Issue for Extended Analysis	21	(4)
Establish a Foundation	25	(20)
Free Will versus Determinism	26	(1)
What Is Truth?	27	(1)
What Is Knowing?	28	(2)
Ways of Knowing	30	(2)
Experience	30	(1)
Observation	31	(1)
Report	31	(1)
The Problem of Remembering	32	(1)
What Are Opinions	33	(2)
Expressions of Taste	34	(1)
Expressions of Judgement	34	(1)
Debating Moral Questions	35	(1)
The Basic of Moral Judgment	36	(3)
Dealing with Dilemmas	39	(6)
Warm-Up Exercises	39	(1)
Applications	40	(2)
Issue for Extended Analysis	42	(3)
Broaden Your Perspective	45	(17)
Becoming an Individual	47	(2)
Habits That Hinder Thinking	49	(7)
The Mine-Is-Better Habit	49	(1)
Face Saving	50	(1)
Resistance to Change	51	(2)
Conformity	53	(1)
Stereotyping	54	(1)
Self-Deception	55	(1)
Overcoming Bad Habits	56	(6)
Warm-Up Exercises	57	(1)
Applications	57	(2)
Issue for Extended Analysis	59	(3)
Be a Critical Reader	62	(23)
Critical Reading Defined	63	(1)
Making Important Distinctions	64	(4)
The Distinction Between the Person and the Idea	64	(1)
The Distinction Between Matters of Taste and Matters of Judgments	64	(1)
The Distinction Between Fact and Interpretation	65	(1)
The Distinction Between Literal and Ironic Statements	66	(1)
The Distinction Between an Idea's Validity and the Quality of Its Expression	66	(1)
The Distinction Between Language and Reality	67	(1)
A Strategy for Critical Reading	68	(3)
Step 1: Skim	68	(1)
Step 2: Reflect	69	(1)
Step 3: Read	69	(1)
Step 4: Evaluate	70	(1)
Expressing Your Judgment	71	(1)
A Sample Evaluation	72	(13)
Warm-Up Exercises	74	(1)
Applications	74	(8)
Issue for Extended Analysis	82	(3)
PART II Be Creative	85	(86)
The Creative Process	87	(15)
Key Facts About Creativity	88	(2)
Characteristics of Creative People	90	(2)
Applying Creativity to Problems and Issues	92	(3)
Taking a Novel Approach	92	(1)
Devising or Modifying a Process or System	93	(1)
Inventing a New Product or Service	93	(1)
Finding New Uses for Existing Things	94	(1)
Improving Things	94	(1)
Inventing or Redefining a Concept	94	(1)
Stages in the Creative Process	95	(7)
The First Stage: Searching for Challenges	95	(1)
The Second Stage: Expressing the Problem or Issue	96	(1)
The Third Stage: Investigating the Problem or Issue	96	(1)
The Fourth Stage: Producing Ideas	96	(1)
Warm-Up Exercises	97	(1)
Applications	97	(1)
Issue for Extended Analysis	98	(4)
Search for Challenges	102	(15)
The Importance of Curiosity	103	(2)
How Curiosity Is Lost	105	(1)
Regaining Your Curiosity	105	(1)
Six Helpful Techniques	106	(11)
Be Observant	106	(2)
Look for Imperfections	108	(1)
Note Your Own and Others' Dissatisfactions	108	(1)
Search for Causes	109	(1)
Be Sensitive to Implications	110	(1)
Recognize the Opportunity in Controversy	111	(1)
Warm-Up Exercises	111	(1)
Applications	112	(1)
Issue for Extended Analysis	113	(4)
Express the Problem or Issue	117	(13)
Distinguishing Problems from Issue	118	(1)
Expressing Problems	118	(1)
Expressing Issues	119	(1)
When Problems Become Issues	120	(1)
Guidelines for Expressing Problems and Issues	121	(1)
Benefits of Careful Expression	121	(2)
It Helps You Move Beyond the Familiar and Habitual	121	(1)
It Keeps Your Thinking Flexible	121	(1)
It Opens Many Lines of Thought	122	(1)
A Sample Problem	123	(1)
A Sample Issue	124	(6)
Warm-Up Exercises	125	(1)
Applications	126	(1)
Issue for Extended Analysis	127	(3)
Investigate the Problem or Issue	130	(22)
What to Look For	131	(6)
Eyewitness Testimony	131	(1)
Unpublished Report	132	(1)
Published Report	132	(1)
Expert Opinion	132	(1)
Experiment	133	(1)
Statistics	134	(1)
Survey	134	(1)
Observational Study	134	(1)
Research Review	135	(1)
Your Personal Experience	135	(1)
The Experiences of People You Know	136	(1)
Using the Library	137	(2)
Using the Internet	139	(3)
Maintaining a Questioning Perspective	142	(1)
Managing an Interview	142	(1)
Avoiding Plagiarism	143	(2)
Conducting Your Own Research	145	(1)
Consider Doing a Survey	145	(1)
Consider Doing an Observational Study	146	(1)
Keeping Creativity Alive	146	(6)
Warm-Up Exercises	146	(1)
Applications	147	(2)
Issue for Extended Analysis	149	(3)
Produce Ideas	152	(19)
Stimulating Your Imagination	153	(4)
Force Uncommon Responses	154	(1)
Use Free Association	154	(1)
Use Analogy	154	(1)
Look for Unusual Combinations	155	(1)
Visualize the Solution	155	(1)
Construct Pro and Con Arguments	155	(1)
Construct Relevant Scenarios	156	(1)
Aiming for Originality	157	(1)
Withholding Judgment	158	(1)
Overcoming Obstacles	158	(2)
Thinker's Block	158	(1)
Vagueness and Confusion	159	(1)
Inflexibility	160	(1)
How Insight Occurs	160	(1)
A Sample Problem	161	(2)
A Sample Issue	163	(8)
Warm-Up Exercises	165	(1)
Applications	166	(1)
Issue for Extended Analysis	167	(4)
PART III Be Critical	171	(56)
The Role of Criticism	173	(13)
Why Criticism Is Necessary	173	(1)
Focus on Your Ideas	174	(1)
Overcoming Obstacles to Critical Thinking	175	(1)
Applying Curiosity	175	(1)
Avoiding Assumptions	176	(1)
Refining Your Solutions to Problems	177	(1)
A Sample Problem	177	(1)
Refining Your Positions on Issues	178	(1)
A Sample Issue	179	(7)
Taking Action on the Issue	180	(1)
Warm-Up Exercises	181	(1)
Applications	181	(1)
Issue for Extended Analysis	182	(4)
Refine Your Solution to the Problem	186	(13)
Three Steps in Refining	187	(4)
Step 1: Working Out the Details	187	(1)
Step 2: Finding Imperfections and Complications	188	(1)
Step 3: Making Improvements	189	(2)
Two Sample Problems	191	(8)
The First Problem	191	(1)
The Second Problem	192	(2)
Warm-Up Exercises	194	(1)
Applications	194	(1)
Issue for Extended Analysis	195	(4)
Evaluate Your Argument on the Issue	199	(18)
Errors Affecting Truth	199	(4)
Either/Or Thinking	200	(1)
Avoiding the Issue	200	(1)
Overgeneralizing	201	(1)
Oversimplifying	202	(1)
Double Standard	202	(1)
Shifting the Burden of Proof	202	(1)
Irrational Appeal	203	(1)
Errors Affecting Validity	203	(2)
A Special Problem: The Hidden Premise	205	(2)
Recognizing Complex Arguments	207	(1)
Steps in Evaluating an Argument	208	(1)
The Case of Parents Protesting TV Programs	209	(1)
The Case of the Mentally Impaired Girls	210	(7)
Warm-Up Exercises	211	(1)
Applications	211	(3)
Issue for Extended Analysis	214	(3)
Refine Your Resolution of the Issue	217	(10)
Step 1: Deciding What Action Should Be Taken	218	(1)
Step 2: Recognizing and Overcoming Difficulties	218	(1)
Should Children Pledge Allegiance?	219	(1)
Should the Miranda Rule Be Abolished?	220	(7)
Warm-Up Exercises	221	(1)
Applications	222	(1)
Issue for Extended Analysis	223	(4)
PART IV Communicate Your Ideas	227	(35)
Persuading Others	229	(13)
Understanding Why People Reject Ideas	230	(1)
Knowing Your Audience	231	(2)
Anticipating Your Audience's Objections	233	(2)
The Brainstorming Technique	233	(1)
The Imaginary-Dialogue Technique	233	(2)
Presenting Your Ideas to Advantage	235	(2)
Respect Your Audience	235	(1)
Begin with the Familiar	236	(1)
Select the Most Appropriate Tone	236	(1)
Emphasize the Evidence for Your View	237	(1)
Answer All Significant Objections	237	(1)
The Importance of Timing	237	(5)
Warm-Up Exercises	238	(1)
Applications	239	(1)
Issue for Extended Analysis	239	(3)
Writing and Speaking Effectively	242	(20)
Characteristics of Effective Writing	243	(1)
A Step-by-Step Approach to Composition	244	(3)
Planning	244	(2)
Drafting	246	(1)
Revising	246	(1)
Editing	246	(1)
Developing a Readable Style	247	(1)
A Sample Composition	248	(2)
The Challenge of Effective Speaking	250	(1)
Types of Speeches	251	(1)
Organizing Your Material	251	(2)
Sample Outline and Speech	253	(2)
Practicing the Delivery	255	(7)
Warm-Up Exercises	256	(1)
Applications	256	(2)
Issue for Extended Analysis	258	(4)
Solutions to Sample Problems	262	(2)
The Three Glasses Problem	262	(1)
The Young Girl/Old Woman Problem	262	(1)
The Vase and Faces Problem	263	(1)
Notes	264	(7)
Index	271