Learn more about Critical Thinking through these important works. 

Influence by Robert Cialdini

Critical Thinking by Alec Fisher.

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Use Critical Thinking to Avoid Scams

Avoid scams and false conclusions. Every day people are trying to influence your opinions, generally with arguments that appeal to the emotions. Be like Socrates: Use critical thinking to find bogus arguments and false promises. Try this the next time you are in a meeting or even watching the news. First, examine your own emotions. Most people trying to influence us will attempt to engage our emotions quickly, very often through the mechanism of being likeable. If you feel very attracted to a stranger almost immediately, you should stand back and ask why. A second way of engaging us emotionally is to appeal to the prejudices we have. Try to look objectively at your own bias and set these aside for a moment.  People trying to influence us may also use the threat of imminent danger or loss if we do not act. "Only available this Saturday for 12 hours." Once you have looked at your own emotions, you can look at the speaker and make some determinations using the criteria below.

1. Examine the context. Where and how is the argument made?

2. Examine the source. What expertise is held? What might bias the source.

3. What is the problem? Is the issue vague, ambiguous? Does it need specific examples?

4. Who is the audience? What beliefs do they have?

5. Identify the reason or reasons supporting the conclusion given.  Are the conclusions supported by the facts or by emotional rhetoric?

6. Does the speaker look away from the questioner when asked questions?