Humanities_2024_IISER

Email and Contact Information

Piyush ParimooEmail: parimoopiyush@iisertvm.ac.inContact No: 7889203904© Dr. Piyush Parimoo, IISER TVM

Course Syllabus

Topics Covered:

  • Historical Development of Critical Thinking

  • Relationships of Critical Thinking

  • The Art of Doing Critical Thinking

  • Concepts of Thinking

  • Beyond Reading Material

Fun Reading Material:

  • Novel: Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder

  • Novel: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

Core Reading Material:

  • Non-Technical: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

  • Semi-Technical: Critical Thinking: The Basics by Stuart Hanscomb

  • Technical: Thought & Knowledge: An Introduction to Critical Thinking by Diane F. Halpern

Optional Reading Material:

  • Philosophy Books:

    • A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell

    • An Introduction to Indian Philosophy by Dutta and Chatterjee

  • Additional Material: Lecture Slides (PPT) available.

Structure of Instructions

Instruction Methods:

  • Content-driven

  • Question-driven

  • Discussion-driven

Tutorial Class Topics:

Questions:

  • Technical questions on content

  • Curiosity questions on general topics

Key Concepts of Critical Thinking

Types of Gaze:

  • Outward Gaze: External stimuli focus

  • Inward Gaze: Reflective thinking

Observation and Attention:

  • Observer-Object Dynamics: Interaction of attention in focus

Attention Types:

  • Endogenous: Voluntary, goal-driven (~300 ms)

  • Exogenous: Involuntary, stimulus-driven (~100 ms)

Levels of Thinking in Indian Tradition

Types of Thinking:

  • Based on Vivek (Rationality)

  • Based on Impulses (Desires)

  • Based on Contemplation (Reflection/Meditation)

Utility of System I Thinking:

  • Heuristics: Reduces cognitive load for efficient decision-making

Concepts Related to Inhibition:

  • Mindfulness: Focused attention on present thoughts and feelings

Critical Thinking in Sciences and Daily Life

Application of Critical Thinking:

  • Differentiate between valid and invalid arguments

  • Develop sound reasoning in academics and everyday life

Types of Heuristics

Major Types:

  • Availability: Decisions based on recalled examples

  • Representativeness: Judging by stereotypes

  • Anchoring: Heavy reliance on initial information

  • Satisficing: Choosing satisfactory over best option

  • Recognition: Preferring recognized options

Consequences of Heuristics:

  • Can lead to cognitive bias and judgment errors

  • Understanding limitations enhances decision-making

Role in Cognitive Science

Influence of Heuristics:

  • Studied in psychology and behavioral economics

Cultural Influence on Heuristics

Heuristic Examples:

  • Indian Proverb: "Haste is the work of the devil"

  • Western Proverb: "Time is money"

Types of Thinking

Key Categories:

  • Concrete: Literal interpretation

  • Abstract: Non-tangible concepts understanding

  • Analogical: Comparisons for new concept understanding

  • Analytical: Breaking down complex problems

  • Synthetic: Integrating ideas for broader understanding

Conclusion on Types of Thinking:

  • Interacting forms of thinking lead to holistic understanding

  • Each contributes uniquely to knowledge advancement

Critical Thinking Methods

Methods Included:

Concrete, Abstract, Analogical, Analytical, Convergent, Divergent, Synthetic, Computational, Creative, Meta, Contemplative

Cognitive Biases

Major Biases:

  • Confirmation Bias

  • Apophenia

  • Survivorship Bias

  • Recognizing biases enhances reasoning and decision-making

Application:

  • Mitigating biases leads to better critical thinking in personal, academic, and professional contexts.