Critical thinking process Essay Example for Free

Critical thinking process Essay Critical thinking often involves the creation of alternative plans, solutions, approaches, etc. , then comparing original with the alternatives. Creative thinking requires some critical evaluation during and after the creative phase. Critical thinking depends upon that little known and seldom discussed characteristic of the human nervous system—self-reflexiveness. Usually it also depends upon that remarkable human creation and tool—self reflexive language. Humans not only know about their environment, they know that they know; they can think about how they think, evaluate their evaluations. Languages, too, have this self-reflexive characteristic. They enable us to talk about talk, to make statements about statements, to write books about writing books. The self-reflexiveness of language and the human nervous system provide us with an open minded system: we can make statements about statements, indefinitely; we can react to our reactions to our reactions indefinitely. At no point can we say, â€Å"That’s the last word on the subject† or, â€Å"No further reaction is possible† (since, in doing so, we have said more, reacted further). However, believing that we have said the last word may cut of the self-reflexive process. This open ended, self reflexive system makes it possible for us to conduct scientific research, write poetry, plan enterprises, spin out complex tales of fiction—or spread rumours, spin webs of delusion and talk ourselves into insanity or war. Which we will do depends in part upon our motivation, but also upon our understanding of the thinking process and some aspects of the working of the nervous system. General semantics provides a meta-linguistic or ‘second order’ approach to critical thinking. It enables us to use self-reflexiveness systematically to monitor on-going evaluations. The principles and devices it provides call attention to either-or and ‘allness’ statements, to inferences treated as facts, to overgeneralizations, to statements unrestricted in time, to overly-simple statements of causality, etc. The tools work, whatever the order of abstraction, whatever the source of the statement (Johnson, 1991). How language empowers or limits the expression of our thoughts. Along with most of his contemporaries, Blair defines language in terms of a relationship between signs and thoughts: â€Å"Language signifies the expression of our ideas by certain articulate sounds, which are used as the signs of those ideas† (cited 1:98). Elaborating on this interdependence, he asserts that â€Å"when we are employed in the study of composition, we are cultivating reason itself. True rhetoric and sound logic are very nearly allied. The study of arranging and expressing our thoughts with propriety, teaches to think, as well as to speak, accurately so close is the connection between thought and the words in which they are clothed† (Ulman, 1994). Language can empowers and limit the expression of our thoughts. Talking about something that reinforces it, therefore say what you want to be true. Language has power, and by knowing this, you can select words that allow others to hear and understand you. Certain words provide a way of maintaining the focus of what you want. They can assist you to be in the state of mind that you desire. Looking for positive language patterns, gives your brain the opportunity to find alternative ways expressing your experiences to yourself and others. These tools get you off automatic pilot and in control. Having choice means you can regulate how an experience will affect you. You can choose to use your old patterns of expression which produces certain results, or use empowering language to give you different results. Now it can be you who decides. Labels limit is another concept that we’re dealing with here. When we label something or someone, we put a meaning on it that can limit our awareness, experience, and understanding. Labels are a form of beliefs, and like all beliefs, they filter our perceptions. Our beliefs only allow us to be conscious of things that are in agreement with them, and we unconsciously filter everything else. It can be tremendous evidence of the opposite to penetrate the belief filters. But with negative labels, the effects can be very destructive (Kaufman, 1998). The role of critical thinking in persuasion. What is the value of critical thinking? When someone else writes or speaks a peace of reasoning, they are trying to persuade us of something. Persuasion is an attempt to get us to believe something. People want us to believe things so that we will act in certain ways. Action requires some effort. There are choices involved. We could be doing something else. Because of this, it is very useful to be able to evaluate reasoning, for some pieces of reasoning should be accepted while others should not be accepted. If persuasion occurs in advertising, we could be doing many other things with our money. Take buying a car, for example. A lot of money can be involved, so what kind of car to buy can be a pretty big decision. Whether to marry a certain person or which of a couple of job offers to take are still bigger decisions. Almost every reader will eventually get some serious illness. There may be several different treatments available. One’s comfort, health, even ones life may depend on the decision as to which treatment to undertake. To make these decisions well, we will need to gather our own reasons to support various alternative conclusions. At that time, we could make an irrational decision, or a sheep like decision to follow some other person’s advice. The values of critical thinking, specifically how to recognize and evaluate reasoning, are the following: †¢ It help us arrive at true conclusions and therefore †¢ it increases our knowledge. †¢ It should help us make better decisions. †¢ It should help us persuade others and †¢ explain truth to them. †¢ Contribute to a happier life (Cogan, 1998). References Johnson, K. G. (1991). Thinking creatically: a systematic, interdisciplinary approach to creative-critical thinking. Englewood: Institute of General Semantics. Kaufman, R. A. (1998). Anatomy of Success. New York: Ronald A Kaufman. Robert Cogan. (1998). Critical thinking: step by step. Boston: University Press of America. Ulman, H. L. (1994). Things, thoughts, words, and actions: the problem of language in late eighteenth-century British rhetorical theory. New York: SIU Press.

substance and economics :: essays research papers

SUBSTANCE AND ECONOMICS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Culture is a learned reaction, this human survival trait gives us a way to colonize and adapt to our environment. With out this key element, adaptation becomes complicated, and our species will die off. Archeologist have dug and scraped away the dirt, rocks and mud to bring us a glimpse of the past. Their fieldwork has shown us how we, as a whole, have biologically adapted to suit our modern needs in the environment that our ancestors have lived in. In addition, they also tell us how we have changed the natural environment as the population has increased in size. This brings us to substance and economics, a basic foundation in which a culture can survive. The definition of economics is reacting to the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. For the definition of substance I have found two that compliment this cross-cultural comparison. One is ?material possessions, wealth, and property?. The second definition is ?that which gives stability or solidarity, confidence, and ground.? These definitions are not only evident in today?s modern social infrastructures but also evident in cultures of the past and the social order in other countries. We have come to understand that there are four ways to sustain a community that our evolution process has brought us to. These ways are hunting and gathering, fishing and gardening, herding, and agriculture. The longest known survival method is hunting and gathering. This course of action was a main part of the old stone culture known as the Paleolithic period when hominids walked the land. They would gather berries, seeds, wild fruits, vegetables and even hunted wild game in the area. This type of practice is still used today in Africa and other parts of the world. Similarly, the Yiwara, who inhabit the heart of the Gibson Desert, have a lifestyle adapted to this arid environment. In the desert, there is no regular seasonal pattern of food-collecting, because there are no predictable seasons when plants can be expected to ripen. Thus, opportunistic movement towards rainfall and known water catchments spots also known as billabongs characterizes the subsistence of the Yiwara. Large game constitutes only a small part of the Yiwara diet, which is largely vegetarian. Lizards, rabbits provide most of the protein and are collected by everyone. Even these small animals are divided and shared among kin. Individual portions may be barely a mouthful, but nothing is wasted.

Impact of globalization on manufacturing in the U.S

Globalization owes its origin to at least the late 1980s. During this period, new nations were entering into manufacturing, which was in some logic the weakest connection in the U. S. series of science, development, manufacturing, and sale of goods and services. However, for some nations such as Japan, lower wages firstly made it possible to exploit this relative U. S. weakness. Nevertheless, Japan swiftly developed other diverse advantages articulated on improved manufacturing methods (Benjamin & Perry, 2003). Impact on labor market Globalization stimulates extensively differing views and projections, varying from rosy portrayal of a supple, worldwide borderless labor market to awful situations of severe polarization between labor market â€Å"winners† as well as â€Å"losers. † First, let us examine globalization impact on careers (labor) and its subsequent consequences on manufacturing. With reduced trade barriers, new international market crop up as well as advanced information and communication technologies, the job market was tremendously affected. Globalization has had an astonishing effect on working-class citizens in the United States, chiefly through the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs brought about by outsourcing, with limited benefits to society (Benjamin & Perry, 2003). The key motivation for the outsourcing of jobs was to cut the extremely high labor costs that are thought to diminish revenue. Employers are reluctant to hire workers due to high cost of employee benefits, competitive wages, and skyrocketing health-care premiums hence they consider outsourcing the work to be cheap (Bardhan & Kroll, 2003). In essence, it is more economical for an American firm to hire a computer programmer in India who would be eager to perform the work for about one-fifth the pay of an American employee with a degree, whose starting salary would be about $50,000-$70,000 (Benjamin & Perry, 2003). This leads Americans to be more uncertain about their job security since they cannot compete with their foreign counterparts that perform the same quantity of work for considerably less pay. Studies show that an estimated more than 2 million workers in the United States have lost their jobs in the last several years due to business closures in addition to layoffs (Bardhan & Kroll, 2003), (Benjamin and Perry 2003). Whereas higher productivity and new management and hiring practices are associated with loss of jobs, a number of companies are increasingly transferring their businesses to other countries with cheap cost of wages as opposed United States. Manufacturing industry has suffered largely in terms of job losses, involving mostly blue-collar workers. It is however acknowledged that many of white-collar jobs are going to China (for manufacturing) (Benjamin and Perry 2003). In the case of working Americans, they have been negatively affected by the colossal increase in foreign trade. There has been loss of well-paying manufacturing jobs, important downward pressure on wages as well as increased disparity. The doubling of trade as a share of the economy over the last 25 years was accompanied by a substantial trade deficit, directly displacing several million jobs (Benjamin & Perry, 2003). Majority of the jobs were in the manufacturing region, which incorporated millions of union jobs that were well paying compared with average wages (Bardhan & Kroll, 2003). Within a period of five years from 2000 to 2005, there was decline as well as disappearance of more than three million manufacturing jobs. It is estimate that at least 30 percent of the decline was due to the rise in the manufactured goods trade deficit (Bardhan & Kroll, 2003). With U. S. multinational corporations being occupied on both sides of the international trade, almost 50% of all U. S. -owned manufacturing production is now situated in foreign countries, thus an imperative part of the manufacturing job loss has been due to most of U. S. firms exporting back to the U. S. or producing abroad what they once produced locally (Benjamin & Perry, 2003). The loss of manufacturing jobs as result of globalization saw wage losses for displaced workers, majority of whom never regained their former wage levels even after acquiring new employment. Globalization had also the effect of increasing world production capacity, which had had the effect of lowering the prices of traded goods, the consequence of which saw workers pay being reduced to reflect the value of goods produced (Bardhan & Kroll, 2003). Employers to oppose wage increments for the manufacturing employees used the direct foreign threat. Similarly, the flow of investment in plant and equipment and technology oversaw increase in foreign productivity in sectors that used to be U. S. export strongholds, resulting in declining terms of trade and hence declining real income growth. Last but not the least, as foreign trade drove workers out of manufacturing into poorly paid service jobs; the new supply of workers competing for the same jobs orchestrated lowering of wages of similarly skilled service workers. What does it imply? It implies that throwing the American workers into competition with production derived from low-wage countries, both those workers engaged directly in import-competing sectors as well as all employees economy-wide who have similar expertise and qualifications will have their wages squeezed. In fact, whereas trade flows with low-wage nations have increased, the distribution of income and wealth in the U. S. has grown more and more unequal (Benjamin & Perry, 2003). Impact on input versus output International Trade is increasingly imperative in the global economy and to the United States in particular. During the last 15 years, global sells abroad have more than tripled and have accounted for more than a third of global economic growth. In deviation from the previous decades, when industrialized economies dictated global trade flows, there has been an increase in developing economies’ share of global exports by just over a quarter in the late 1990s to 41 percent by 2004 (Bardhan & Kroll, 2003). Increased participation in international trade by the developing world is a crucial force behind what many refer to as â€Å"globalization†. Actually more than 50 percent of US trade presently carried out with developing countries, up from just over a third in the late 1980s. In US economy, manufacturing is the most trade-engaged sector accounting for 60% of the country’s exports and 80% of imports. Globalization has had an important impact on U. S. manufactures, as manufactured products accounts for 75 percent of worldwide trade (Bhagwati & Marvin, 1994). Following vigorous intensification of both U. S. manufactured exports and imports at some stage in the mid 1990s; a noteworthy departure has taken place. Ever since 1998, U. S. sells abroad have grown by just 3 percent per-year (Bardhan & Kroll, 2003). The country’s share of world exports fell from 13 percent in 1998 to just 9 percent in 2004 – the lowly allocation dating 17 years back. Happening correspondingly, imports grew by 8% per-year and the manufactured trade shortfall increased from -240 billion to -603 billion by 2005 (Bhagwati & Marvin, 1994). Whereas a variety of the latest import surge has been as a result of the strong U. S. conomy (especially since mid-2003) the truth remains that today, trade ins account for over a 35 percent of manufactured products consumed in the United States – an increase from 25 percent in 1992 and just 15% a 10 years earlier (Bhagwati & Marvin, 1994). A 66 percent of the increase in manufactured imports since 1998 originated from the developing world, and half of that has came from China alone. This rise in import penetration and loss of export competitiveness has had a sign ificant impact on the current state manufacturing (Bhagwati & Marvin, 1994). While in general, manufacturing production has improved from the 2001 decline, currently positioning at 6 percent above its pre-recession high, in addition to manufacturing employment increasing moderately subsequent to bottoming out earlier in 2004, the present manufacturing resurgence has developed half as fast as the recoveries following the preceding four declines (Bhagwati & Marvin, 1994). Of eminent concern is the loss of market share both at home and abroad in recent years by the Unite States manufacturing. While some articulate this market share loss to be because of the inevitable bad trade policy as well as globalization, to others this serves as a pointer to the fact that in a time of severe global competition, changes in a country’s competitiveness have much larger effects at present than they had in previous decades. Consider dollar value for instance. After sustaining stability for the better part of a decade, its value increased by 28 percent through the period running from 1996 to 2002. Dollar value increase led to imports being competitive in the US market, whereas concurrently it made U. S. exports more costly in markets overseas. It was during this period that, the rise in import penetration as well as the loss of global export share abroad was most significant. In a period of elevated international competition, US manufacturers have crucially been burdened by high structural non-production costs. Over the last decade, U. S. manufacturers have increased their productivity by over half, more than 150 percent the pace of their major trading partners. Conversely, much of these efficiency gains have been offset by rising non-production costs at home. As per a research carried out several years ago by the NAM’s Manufacturing Institute, which compared non-production costs on U. S. manufacturers to their nine major trading competitors: The findings indicated that Corporate Taxes on U. S. manufacturers were 16% high than those of their major trading partners. Benefit costs 36% higher, Regulatory burden 85% higher and Litigation 250% higher. Summed up, these excessive non-production costs add 22% to the cost of manufacturing in the U. S. and put U. S. manufacturers at the same level with Germany as most expensive place to produce in the world (Benjamin & Perry, 2003). Moreover, the recent rise in natural gas prices in US has only exaggerated the problem. If US could exclude those excessive costs, it would actually be a lower-cost place to manufacturer than most of their industrialized competitors (Broda & David, 2006). Outsourcing has seen the elimination of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the United States within the manufacturing industry. Outsourcing not only benefited US corporations, but also minimized the benefit to society (Broda & David, 2006). To offer an anecdote to this observation that outsourcing only benefits corporations while, only minimizing the benefit to society, Tyco Corporation, recently relocated to a location in Texas. Two of the major grounds for their relocation were due to the fact of lower labor costs as well as cheaper manufacturing costs (Broda & David, 2006). This was due to the comparatively close proximity to Mexico. Tyco perhaps took advantage of the great number of immigrants that move to Texas, who can work for comparatively low pay, which would facilitate raise, their bottom line. In so doing the company laid-off more than two hundred employees, some of this had been with the company for almost thirty-five years who had been making close to $22 per hour. The net effect was that these employees had to look for fresh employments, in lower-paying positions that maybe paid half as much, as well as they lost all of their seniority (Broda & David, 2006). Conclusion Even though there has been decline in jobs as well as universal interest within the manufacturing sector, outsourcing has had its benefits within the United States (Mandel, 2004). Sadly, it has been a consequence of just corporate welfare. Outsourcing has absolutely maintained costs low because of cheap input costs, which drips downward to the end user in low-priced products. In addition, with productivity rising from annually, corporations have been capable to raise their bottom lines while avoiding price surges (Mandel, 2004). Regrettably, corporate profits are escalating, save for there are no new jobs being created—jobs relocated to other countries are not being replaced. If blue collar, working-class citizens as well as the jobless workers who experience no job intensification are losing out, in that case who is winning the battle? Fine, additional productivity as well as lesser-input expenses decode to higher wealth. Businesses with their continually increasing profit limits; consumers, who experience near to the ground cost of goods. Furthermore, with no job growth in the current economy, there is really no new job industry to lead the way in creating new jobs. Too many U. S. jobs are being outsourced, and without the innovation of new industries, â€Å"job growth will stay sluggish, demand will eventually sag, and†¦incomes will be driven down under the continued pressure of competition from China, India, and other low-wage countries† (Mandel, 2004). However, with the innovation of new upcoming technologies there can be an explosive surge in employment and enormous potential for the economy.

The Constellations Star Patterns in the Sky

Observing the night sky is one of the oldest pastimes in human cultures. It likely goes back to the earliest human ancestors who began to use the sky for navigation. They noticed the backdrop of stars and charted how they changed over the year. In time, they began to tell tales about them, using the familiar look of some patterns to tell of gods, goddesses, heroes, princesses, and fantastic beasts.   Why Tell Star Tales? In modern times, people have many options for night-time activities that compete with the free stargazing of the past. In those days (and nights), people didnt have books, movies, television, and the Web to entertain themselves. So, they told stories, and the best inspiration was what they saw in the sky.  People also used the sky as a calendar, once they noticed a correlation between the stars in the sky during different times of year and the change of seasons. That led them to build observatories and temples that guided their skygazing for ritual purposes. Early skygazers made use of such places as Stonehenge to chart specific events tied to objects in the sky. Orion Lawlor Viewing and storytelling were the birthplace activities of astronomy. It was a simple beginning; people noticed the stars in the sky. Then, they named the stars. They noticed patterns among the stars. They also saw objects moving across the backdrop of stars from night to night and called them wanderers (which became planets). The science of astronomy grew over the centuries  as scientists figured out what the different objects in the sky are and learned more about them by studying them through telescopes and other instruments. Even today, astronomers at all levels use some of the constellations and star patterns that were seen by the ancients. For professionals, its part of a way to map the sky into regions based on those constellations. For all skygazers, these constellations provide a way to roam the sky. In addition, many star names are based on ancient words, particularly from the Arabic. The Birth of the Constellations Besides stargazing, the ancients put the stars they saw to good use. They played cosmic connect the dots with the stars to create patterns that looked like animals, gods, goddesses, and heroes. Then, they created stories about these stars, which are called  patterns of stars which are also known as constellations  Ã¢â‚¬â€ or constellation outlines. The stories are the basis of many myths that have come down to us through the centuries from the Greeks, Romans, Polynesians, Asian cultures, African tribes, Native Americans, and many more.   A star chart showing three easy-to-spot constellations in April. Carolyn Collins Petersen The constellation patterns and their stories date back thousands of years to the various cultures that existed in those times.  For example, the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Big Bear and the Little Bear, have been used by different populations around the world to identify those stars since the Ice Ages. Other constellations, such as Orion, have been observed around the world and figure in the mythos of many cultures. Orion is best-known from Greek legends. Most of the names we use today  come from ancient Greece or the Middle East, a legacy of the advanced learning those cultures had. They played a huge role in navigation for people who explored the Earths surface and oceans, as well.  In addition, navigators needed and created extensive star charts to help them find their way around the planet. A star chart view of Alpha Centauri, with the Southern Cross for reference. Many parts of the southern sky are not visible from the northern hemisphere. Unless an observer travels south, they may never see these constellations. Carolyn Collins Petersen There are different constellations visible from the northern and southern hemispheres. Some are visible from both. Travelers often find themselves having to learn whole new sets of constellations when they venture north or south from their home skies.   Constellations vs. Asterisms Most people know about the Big Dipper. Its really more of a landmark in the sky. Although many can recognize the Big Dipper, those seven stars are not really a constellation. They form what is what is known as an asterism. The Big Dipper is actually part of the constellation Ursa Major. Likewise, the nearby Little Dipper is a part of Ursa Minor. Use the Big Dipper to help you find two other stars in the sky. Carolyn Collins Petersen On the other hand, our landmark for the south, the Southern Cross is an actual constellation called Crux. Its long bar seems to point toward the actual region of the sky where Earths south pole points (also called the South Celestial Pole).   A star chart showing the southern cross and a nearby star cluster. Carolyn Collins Petersen There are 88 official constellations in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres of our sky. Depending on where people live, they can probably see more than half of them throughout the year. The best way to learn them all is to observe throughout the year  and study the stars in each constellation. That makes it easier to search out deep-sky objects hidden among them.   To figure out which constellations are up at night most observers use star charts (such as those found online at SkyTelescope.com or Astronomy.com or in many astronomy books. Others use planetarium software such as Stellarium (Stellarium.org), or an astronomy app on their portable devices. There are many apps and programs that will help observers make useful star charts for their observing enjoyment. Fast Facts Constellations are groupings of stars into familiar-looking figures.There are 88 officially recognized constellations.Many cultures developed their own constellation figures.Stars in constellations are not usually close to one another. Their arrangement is a trick of perspective from our point of view on Earth. Sources â€Å"International Astronomical Union.†Ã‚  IAU, www.iau.org/public/themes/constellations/.â€Å"The 88 Constellations of the Night Sky  Ã‚  .†Ã‚  The Taurus Constellation | Learning the Night Sky, Go Astronomy, www.go-astronomy.com/constellations.htm.  What are Constellations, www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/extra/constellations.html. Edited and updated by  Carolyn Collins Petersen.