- Describe a situation of public interest in which critical and/or creative thought could have been used for a better outcome. Describe why it is important to think critically and creatively in similar situations.
The NFL has staunchly denied any relationship between the concussions received playing football and brain diseases which impair functioning later in life. Recently, proof has emerged that previous NFL players develop different types of dementias and brain diseases in half the time, and much more frequently than the general population. The PBS affiliation, Frontline, published an article called “76 of 79 Deceased NFL Players Found to Have Brain Disease” in which a conclusive study condemns the NFL’s denial of the risks for players (Breslow). Now the NFL is paying over 900 million dollars to previous players, and they are not being sued for the concussions but for their denial and concealment of how detrimental playing football can be. If the NFL had critically thought about the implications of their denial, and conducted their own studies they would not be in the legal position they are in now. The NFL could have discovered the truth for itself, and dealt with the PR and financial nightmare they are now facing. Creative PR campaigns could have been implemented, and legal actions could have been taken if the NFL had critically thought about what flat out denial would lead to.
- Define free will, truth, knowledge, and opinion. Explain how we use them to form thoughts. What role does each play in critically assessing situations?
Free will is the ability to make one’s own choices in life and decide one’s own fate. We use free will as justification to do what we want rather than what is expected of us. This allows us to assume responsibility for our actions, and think outside the box when confronting dilemmas. A truth is a fact that is dictated by reality, and it cannot be changed by willing it to be different. We rely on truths as constants to base decisions and beliefs on. Knowing truths allow us something to rely on when analyzing situations. Knowledge is information a person has learned in their life through experience, and through what they have read and been taught. Knowledge offers us a solid foundation for thought, and we use knowledge to predict possible outcomes of our decisions. An opinion is a personal judgment about something that is usually based on values and beliefs. Our opinions influence our thoughts in every way such as how we perceive and interpret the world around us. We base our decisions and evaluate situations within the limitations of our opinions about the people and world around us.
- Identify three hindrances to the critical thinking process. Determine methods for overcoming these hindrances. Identify a time in which you experienced a hindrance in critical thinking. Describe a method you could use to overcome the hindrances.
One hindrance to critical thinking is overconfidence in one’s own abilities to the extent that a person does not realistically consider a situation or the most effective course of action. Accurate self-awareness of one’s limitations and strengths from personal experiences can help overcome this hindrance. Another hindrance is the emotional state a person is in when thinking critically which can warp our perceptions of situations. One way to overcome this is to clear one’s state of mind and try to think rationally and objectively about a situation. Another hindrance is a bias toward authority that causes us to accept suggestions and opinions of those in authority without question. To overcome this bias one must view others suggestions with an analytical mindset regardless of their position. I have experienced the first hindrance before, and made time management decisions because I was sure I could accomplish specific school assignments, or sufficiently study for a test, in a certain amount of time. However, if I had critically thought about the time I would need to accomplish these things, and based my decisions on how long similar tasks had taken me in the past I could have made more accurate decisions.
- Identify a message in advertising. Describe how you perceive the message of the advertisement. Try to determine the reality of the advertisement. Distinguish between your perception and the reality of the message.
Home security systems advertise their services by sending the message that homes are not safe, and get broken into frequently. For example, in one of their commercials ADT claimed that when you purchase their product you buy more than just home security; you pay for peace of mind (“ADT TV Spot for Walking in on a Burglary”). I perceived this advertising message as an attempt to frighten and alarm people into buying security. However, many homes are broken into each year, and if someone has many expensive items or children in their home than this message has real relevance. The reality is that many people do want peace of mind that their homes are secure and would like to buy that through home security systems. My perception of alarmist ploys in ADT advertising may have some truth in it, but since so many people have experienced break-ins it can be considered a warning as much as an exploitation of people’s fears.
References
ADT TV Spot for Walking in on a Burglary. (2014). iSpot.tv. Retrieved from http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7LzI/adt-walking-in-on-a-burglary
Breslow, Jason M. (2014). 76 of 79 Deceased NFL Players Found to Have Brain Disease. Frontline. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sports/concussion-watch/76-of-79- deceased-nfl-players-found-to-have-brain-disease/
