The Critical Thinking Chapter In Your Textbook Explains

The critical Thinking chapter In Your Textbook Explains The Core Standar

The Critical Thinking chapter in your textbook explains the core standards of being an effective critical thinker. Think about these core standards as you read the following story. The Blind Men and the Elephant is a famous Indian fable that tells the story of a group of blind men that touch an elephant to learn what it is like. Each one feels a different part, but only one part, such as the side or the tusk. The individual touching the elephant's tusk exclaims, "It's a Spear!" The individual touching the elephant's ear exclaims, "It's a Fan!" The individual touching the elephant's side exclaims, "It's a Wall!" The individual touching the elephant's tail exclaims, "It's a Rope!" The individual touching the elephant's leg exclaims, "It's a Tree!" The individual touching the elephant's trunk exclaims, "It's a Snake!" They then compare notes and learn that they are in complete disagreement.

Read the attached file "The Blind Men and the Elephant." Read the Intellectual Standards. Which of the standards of critical thinking best applies to this story (Clarity, Accuracy, Precision, Relevance, Depth, or Breadth)? Write approximately words (1-2 paragraphs) explaining your answer.

Paper For Above instruction

The story of "The Blind Men and the Elephant" vividly illustrates the importance of applying the standard of Depth in critical thinking. Depth involves exploring all relevant aspects of a situation or argument to avoid superficial judgments and misunderstandings. In the story, each blind man perceives only a part of the elephant, leading to incomplete and conflicting conclusions. Without considering the full scope of the animal, they each draw limited and inaccurate assessments. Applying depth would require the men to acknowledge their limited perspective and seek a comprehensive understanding of the entire elephant, rather than accepting their individual impressions as definitive. This situation exemplifies how a lack of depth can hinder accurate understanding, emphasizing the need in critical thinking to look beyond superficial details and explore issues thoroughly to arrive at well-rounded, meaningful conclusions.

Furthermore, the story underscores the necessity of integrating multiple perspectives to attain a more accurate and complete picture, aligning with the standard of Breadth. Breadth encourages considering different viewpoints and dimensions of an issue to prevent narrow or biased judgments. If the blind men had shared their observations and discussed their perceptions openly, they would have appreciated the different parts of the elephant as a collective whole. This collaborative approach would have prevented their disagreements and led them to a more truthful understanding of the animal. Both Depth and Breadth are crucial in critical thinking as they facilitate comprehensive analysis and appreciation of various viewpoints, helping to avoid incomplete or skewed conclusions.

References

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