Blog 3: Critical Thinking

Although it is somewhat annoying that many people's primary source of news comes from the comedy laden reports of Rachel Maddow, John Stewart, and the like, it does not take away from these hosts' high level of thinking used to prepare their material and to find their niche in the world of media. They have to constantly find a way to keep the average viewer interested in the "boring" current events of the world while also managing to get a point across. This bridges the gap between entertainment and education and is without a doubt critical thinking as defined by the numerous yet similar definitions found in Alec Fisher's "Critical Thinking: An Introduction." In this piece, critical thinking, through the various definitions, can collectively be defined as an effort at high level thinking in terms that challenge or contradict pre-existing knowledge and evidence. Maddow and Stewart do this by redefining the traditional way one would view news and by using careful thought to entertain and educate simultaneously. The debasement of Barney Frank and John Lewis through the use of epithets on the other hand shows little to know level of critical thinking. The New York Times article describes the most basic and least thoughtful form of argument, insulting one's opponent, and not even in intellectual ways. Although this may be "critical" of the opposition, it is in no way high level thought.