When we hear someone express an opinion, or read a text on a topic, some degree of logical reasoning is usually involved. Good thinking requires an understanding of how points or arguments are made and how bad logic (fallacies) occur. Contrary to popular opinions, poor logic occurs more commonly than most realised. It can be found in day-to-day advertisements, in supposedly serious discussions or articles published by reputable newspapers. 

Within the academic context, good thinking is of paramount importance. Without clarity of thought, communication and strong scholarly work or thinking skills cannot be realised. Designed to equip one with Higher Order Thinking Skills, such as required at ‘A’ level (Cambridge examinations at Advanced level) and above, Good Thinking! is a critical thinking course par excellence. 

The programme works at focusing on enhancing one’s reasoning skills, self-reflection of one’s thoughts (meta-cognition), and the use of informal logic to assess the truth of a claim, Good Thinking! draws upon frameworks, concepts and techniques use by modern day philosophers. Its applications in the academic context are wide- from facilitating clarity of writing, structuring a point of view to be logically persuasive, to better thought through project work. 

Whether one is preparing for ‘O’ or ‘A’ levels, or University, Good Thinking is a life-skill not to be missed!

Who Should Attend/ Key Benefits 

Students, Teachers and Parents who are looking for new insights, techniques and tools drawn from philosophy to develop clarity in reasoning and comprehension in school related assignments and project work in oneself or one’s charges. 

Designed especially for students studying for ‘O’ level, ‘A’ level or University.

Module 1: Understanding Thinking

• Human Mind (brief)
• Formal vs Informal Logic
• Thinking and Beliefs
• Order of Thinking
• Good Thinking Defined
• Characteristics of Good Thinking

Module 2: Universal Structures of Thinking

• A Framework for Analysing Structures of Thinking
• Implications and Inferences
• Structured Thinking Format
• A Page from History …

Module 3: Arguments

• Nature of an Argument
• Differences between Deductive and Inductive Arguments
• Deductive Arguments
• Distinguishing Deductive Arguments: 4 Tests
• Five Common Patterns of Deductive Reasoning
• Deductive Validity
• Inductive Arguments
• Six Patterns of Inductive Reasoning
• Two Key Differences Between Deductive and Inductive Validity

Module 4: Fallacies

• Nature of Fallacies
• Type 1 Fallacies: 10 Irrelevant Premises
• Type 2 Fallacies: 5 Unacceptable Premises