Spring 2010 Critical Thinking First Field Notes

Return to Critical Thinking

After our first class, I asked you to be on the look out for "reflective deliberative contexts" that arise in everyday life. Noticing this will help you understand the basic concepts of the course and see opportunities for applying the skills in the course every day.

On this page, I'd like you to report 1-3 examples from your field observations of reflective deliberative contexts. A simple report could begin, "I was at the COG and people at the table started talk about ...." Then try to focus on the specific reasons or explanations you observed during the discussion. Keep it brief, but feel free to comment on the exchange if something comes to mind after you finish your description. Follow the pattern below on section headings

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(Ally)

Field Observation 1 My dance team captains told us that wearing red tshirts to our dance clinic on Saturday would be the best thing to wear. The reasoning was so the girls who were being taught by us (all wearing blue tshirts) could easily tell us apart.

Field Observation 2 My bottle of body wash says that it gives you the "cleanest, freshest, and healthiest skin." Its reasoning is that it is packed with natural, organic, US-sourced ingredients and hasn't been tested on animals.

Field Observation 3 I just read a fitness article that claimed that running on a trail or another type of uneven ground provides better workout results than running on a flat surface. The reasoning was that running on uneven ground challenges you to use your core more for balance, and that should make your core stronger.

(Samantha)

Field Observation 1 Listening to friends talk about football, one claimed that the Raiders would be much better with a different Quarter Back. His rational was that the current QB is a ball hog and does not work hard.

Field Observation 2 When reading an online news journal,I saw that they claimed that Marijuana should be legalized. They supported their claim saying that it would be financially beneficial for the government.

Field Observation 3 My Sociology book asserted that people with weaker ties to others in their community, also tend to have more ties. This is because weaker ties take less time and effort than strong ties, so you can keep up with more of them.

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(Jordan)

Field Observation 1 My friend was offered $15 a person to drive a group of people from my dorm up to Mt. Spokane. Although he was going to make more than gas would cost, his rational was that he is being paid for his time.

Field Observation 2 My friend thinks that blueberry italian soda's are healthy. He says this because there is a fruit flavoring in it, and everyone knows that fruit is healthy.

Field Observation 3 Last night my friend was complaining about Valentines Day. I realized that some people are not able to let other people be happy if they are not happy.

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(Nick H)

Field Observation 1 - Political commentators are predicting that Democrat Martha Coakley may lose the US Senate election in Massachusetts to her Republican challenger. The explanation for this potential upset is that voters in Massachusetts are displeased with the Democrats' national agenda.

Field Observation 2 - My friends thinks that the movie "Avatar" is an amazing movie. His rational is that the special effects were fantastic.

Field Observation 3 - My friend thinks that Jay Leno shouldn't take The Tonight Show back from Conan O'Brien. His rational is that Jay Leno isn't funny.

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(Caelyn)

Field Observation 1- My mom and dad noticed my horse was acting strangely, meaning he could be ill. My mom panicked and wasn’t sure what the best solution would be in order to prevent it from growing into a larger problem. The formality of the discussion was low, and the parameters were centered on finding a solution to the problem of a sick horse. The levels of intensity varied, my mother had a high intensity level, while I was relatively calm. Reflective styles of the participants were similar in that I made sure to stay calm and try and understand where my mom was coming from in the situation in order to try and mediate it. This is similar in that my mother tried to understand where I was coming from in not being as concerned, and then eventually became calm as she understood where I was coming from.

Field Observation 2- Two of my friends were having a discussion about what movie to rent. I identified one of my friends clearly as a “fact checker” because she wanted to rent a movie that had gotten good reviews from the critics. This particular character trait of hers came in handy because my other friend was clearly a “skeptic,” who needed convincing that this movie was worth the money to rent. The overall situation was clearly informal with a low intensity and was resolved rather quickly due to the balancing of traits between them. The ability of the “fact checker” to be well-informed about the general perception of the movie allowed the “skeptic” to feel relatively well-informed and comfortable about their final decision.

Field Observation 3- The final situation that I was a part of was when my roommate and I had a discussion about the behaviors that we were each expressing. I acted as the “debater,” while my roommate’s role was of a “lurker.” This became frustrating for the both of us when she didn’t feel comfortable expressing to me what the problem was or how to remedy the situation. The parameters of the situation were actually quite strenuous because I wanted a solution to the problem, while she didn’t want to cause conflict. The formality of the discussion was low, while the intensity was high.