Week 5 Discussion 1 Foundations- Deleyna Joseph

• Support or refute your colleague’s explanations.
• Share an example that illustrates your colleague’s
  explanation of the connections between beliefs and common sense and
  their relationship to critical thinking.
• Share an example that illustrates your colleague’s explanation of belief perseverance and how it influences critical thinking.

5 sentences and a question

Common sense,
science, personal beliefs, and critical thinking all go hand in hand
within the practice of scholarship. When conducting research or pursuing
any academic filed, common sense is needed when thinking about and
planning research. A person would not conduct research on pigs flying
because common sense states that pigs do not fly because 1. They are
land animals and 2. Lack the appropriate mechanisms and structures for
flight. Science also comes in to play because anytime a question is
asked, science is used to find the answers. Personal beliefs are what
guide us when we think about subjects within an academic field and also
how we frame our questions. Personal beliefs can also skew the ways
that we interpret data as well. Critical thinking is of the utmost
importance. Critical thinking is the “…reasonable, reflective
thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe and do” (Douglas,
2000). It also helps us by setting aside personal beliefs, look
further in to science, and use common sense tactics to analyze and
interpret the world around us.

Belief perseverance
is when one holds on to their beliefs regardless of what science,
people, society, or anything for that matter, shows differently. This
affects critical thinking because one cannot not critically think about a
topic or about data if they are biased due to their own belief system.
Belief perseverance contradicts critical thinking. There is a tendency
for a person to discard or discredit data that contradicts their own
belief systems. It is impossible to rid one of their belief systems,
however by keeping a continuous self-appraisal it allows for a person to
have insight on how their beliefs impact their decisions and
interpretations. We all have biases, cultural backgrounds, and
experiences that shape the way we interpret and interact with the
world. However, by acknowledging these and having insight on how they
affect us is the best way to keep them in check, especially when dealing
with academia.

Douglas, N. L. (2000). Enemies of Critical Thinking: Lessons from Social Psychology Research. Reading Psychology, 21(2), 129–144. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1080/027…