PHI 1101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1-2: Socratic Dialogue, Socratic Method, Critical Thinking

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHI 1101
• Professor: Dean Lauer

Document Summary

Geography determined the development of golden age greece. Poor agriculture meant that greeks naturally took to the seas for fishing. These questions put explanation systems (mythologies) under erasure. The argument (answers the question why): premiss support, good reasons = undisputed, premiss evidence = undisputed, conclusion disputed, controversial claim. The term critical thinking comes from the greek root, criterion, and means thinking with criteria or standards. However, not just any standards or criteria will do. Critical thinking has come to mean thinking guided by rational standards criteria that have been tested and found to be reliable guides to truth and sound judgment. This is also the meaning of critical that we have in mind when we speak of a critical care nurse or a movie critic. The ancient greek philosopher socrates was the first person in history to devote his life to the task of teaching people the art and practice of critical thinking.