Critical Thinking and Logic

The definition of Critical Thinking from dictionary.com is “disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open minded, and informed by evidence.” This to me sounds like the way that someone should think when given a specific task to do. Let’s say in my case, I am given the task to build and design my own website or blog for my Foundations of Inquiry class. I was given the option to pick whatever source or site to use in order to build that website or blog. What would be my first option when I hear about this. That would be an easy answer, I would code my own website/blog from starch without the use of templates that most of these web designing sites have to offer. To most it would be why take that path and my answer to them would be that I am a programmer and I have learned the language that is needed for web design. That goes hand in hand with my logic on why I am not taking the easy path out.

The definition of Logic from dictionary.com there are three definitions of the word logic and the one I see fit for my Critical Thinking is “the system or principles of reasoning applicable to any branch of knowledge or study.” My reason behind this would be my knowledge to design my own website rather than having a site do most of the building for me. To me doing this for my website would be killing the fun I would have had if I coded everything. I have been learning and studying code since my first year of high school. Why would I take what I enjoy away just to take the easy path. Another thing about these sites is that I am limited to what the website offers for the “free users”. For me I understand what the blocks commands that these sites use to help make web designing easier for beginners that just want to design a website.

These block commands that the sites use are pretty simple to understand. All they are the code that programmers would have to type out. To make it easier they have what the command does without the code that programmers would see. An example of this would be "< p > Text < / p >" and this command is for text for your website. This help's beginner from getting scared about learning a new language. I don’t find that at the least bit fun or interesting when I am web designing. To learn new skills and different ways of doing the same thing sounds way more fun. Which is what programmers do when they code anything. I also have a lot of experience is building websites for competitions so why not I say.

“Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you; it means learning to respect and use your own brains and instincts; hence, grappling with hard work.

This quote by Adrienne Rich reminds me of why I took the path I did when it came to programming my own website instead of using these pre-made websites. My choice is to use my skills on how to code to make an website from starch. To me this is me using my own brain and instincts and not being following in the footsteps of others. I also want to be able to use what I learned and put meaning to it when I am able to recall that skill which in turn feels good. Like this skill that I learned came to use no matter when or what I used it for.

In the beginning of the video it starts off talking about how if you give someone a fish they will not be hungry that day. Then if you teach someone to fish they will never go hungry. This to me sounds like it’s talking about how you take the situation that is in front of you and deal with it how you see fit. Like is it better to be handed things or get the skills required to get the same thing that you need or want. For most people they would answer getting things handed to them but is that really the right way. Then the video talks about not using bias when you start thinking about something in a critical way. I feel that this part does not make sense in anyway that I am looking at it. Like if I was asked to answer a question on something no matter how I think about it there is going to be some type of bias in my answer because that’s how I would answer the question. Close to the end of the video there was this part about science and talk about how in science there is no bias. I would have to disagree with that because even in science it’s people who are coming up with the answers and their answers will have something that is bias and this I can say is human error. Even when we try not to be bias there is something in us which turns even a sentence or word into something bias.

This picture is an example of is it better to learn something and be useful or not learn anything and just be ok with it. I feel it’s better to learn something new then to be lost and not have any clue as to what should be done. An example would be having someone support you for a while. I feel as living life like that ends with a bad feeling because what happens when that person supporting you leaves or can't support you anymore. How will you be able to live now that your support in life is gone. What is there to do for you in order to continue living life like you used too. This also puts meaning to your life when you are able to do something.