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Post #10 Critical Thinking Process Responses

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Post #10 Critical Thinking Process Responses

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I have chosen to evaluate the post on horoscopes that I included in Post #6.

Define Problem:
Are horoscopes a real way of predicting our future?

Gather Information:
Horoscopes can be written by anyone, there are no criteria for where they come from. They are based on astrological signs surrounding our birthdates. They aim to read the stars on any given day to tell us things that may happen or warn us to pay more attention to a specific part of our day. They are "predictions" about what a given person who was born on a given date can expect in their life. There is no scientific evidence that they are accurate.

Evaluate Evidence:
Horoscopes have no scientific basis. There is no certification to become someone who can write horoscopes - they can literally come from anywhere, written by anyone. They are based on very old beliefs that the stars can predict our fate. People fall into Confirmation Bias, and the law of large numbers comes into play when people relate to something said in a horoscope.

Recognize Assumptions, Emotions, Biases:
I used to love reading horoscopes when I was younger. It was my favourite part of any magazine I read. But now that I'm better educated, I no longer have the "head in the clouds" type of thinking that a young girl does. I now know that anything I have related to in horoscopes was a coincidence, or something very vague that many people can relate to.

Synthesize Evidence, Identify Alternatives:
Alternative Solution 1: Horoscopes are real and can predict our futures.
Alternative Solution 2: Horoscopes are not real, and are not an accurate way of making "predictions" about our lives.

Select Best Alternative:
I choose the Alternative Solution #2, that horoscopes are not real, not based on any scientific evidence, and are likely written by anyone and everyone who is interested in astrology.

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Post #9 Reason for Belief - Unexplained (video)

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Post #9 Reason for Belief - Unexplained (video)

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Definition:
The reason for belief Unexplained has to do with things that are currently unknown. We do not currently know what is real, so the unexplained becomes a solid reason for people to believe. There is no evidence showing otherwise.

Connection:
This video is a news story about an "alien" caught on a security camera. It looks like someone being silly in a costume, but because we currently have no idea if humans on Earth are the only life forms in our universe, people jump to conclusions and believe it's an alien. There are so many theories and stories about aliens and other forms of extraterrestrial life. The watchlist item here is that the video deliberately creates mystery. The people who own the security camera were probably just goofing around and pretending they don't know what they caught on camera for their "15 minutes of fame".

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Post #8 Reason for Belief - Simplicity (video)

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Post #8 Reason for Belief - Simplicity (video)

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Definition:
The reason for belief Simplicity surrounds when people choose the simple answer for why something happens, rather than believing that things can be random with no meaning behind them.

Connection:
This video is explaining "precognitive dreams" or dreaming about the future. He thinks that some of his dreams "predicted" the future. He himself even says that he can't explain how it happens and that it could be a coincidence. This links to the simplicity reason for belief because it is definitely the simple answer for having a dream and then having a similar event happen in waking life. People automatically want to think "I'm psychic!" when really it is likely just the law of large numbers at work. The watchlist in this article is "deliberately creates mystery". Whether precognition is real or not, we don't know, and it's fun for people to think about the possibility of them having a "sixth sense".

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Precognitive Dreams - Dreaming of the Future [Precognition]

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Post #7 Reason for Belief - Patternicity (image)

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Post #7 Reason for Belief - Patternicity (image)

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Definition:
The reason for belief Patternicity is when people see patterns in everyday life and think that it means something. It is often somebody finding a face or outline of a religious icon and using that as "proof" that their religion is real.

Connection:
This image shows the "face of God" in the clouds. This relates to Patternicity because it is not actually a face of God, it is simply the clouds arranged in a certain way that seems familiar to our brains. People merely seeing familiar patterns and believe that it is a sign from God that their belief in their religion is true. This also links to the watchlist item of convinces by faith and belief, and the Ideology reason for belief, because if people are excited to see "God's face" in the clouds, it is likely because they already believe in their religion and are seeking patterns to confirm their belief.

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Post #4 Red Flag - All-Natural (article)

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Post #4 Red Flag - All-Natural (article)

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Definition:
The All-Natural red flag involves the incorrect idea that "natural" always means "healthy". For instance, there are thousands of plants and chemicals that are "natural" but many of them could kill you due to how poisonous they are.

Connection:
This article explains that "natural" does not always mean "safe" as far as herbal supplements go. It explains that natural herbal supplements can interfere with prescription medications and be extremely dangerous to our health. There are no legalities that say what you can and can't label as natural, so companies are using it as a trick to pull people's attention. The watchlist item for this is that money is involved. Companies know that "all-natural" is trendy and desirable, so they label their herbal supplements that way to get people to spend their money on them. People will waste a lot of money on supplements if they carry hefty claims such as anti-ageing, weight-loss, or decreased stress.

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Have you noticed how many shelves at your local drugstore are taken up these days by vitamins and herbal supplements? Studies show that more than half of Americans take some sort of dietary supplement, including products with unusual names like gingko biloba and valerian.

You wouldn't be the first person to wonder what these herbal products are, and if they are safe or effective. You may also wonder who you can ask about them.

Herbal or "natural" products are extracts of plants or food (the leaves, stems, bark, or flower) that claim to have medicinal value and be beneficial for human health. However, it is important to remember that "natural" doesn't necessarily mean "safe." Because herbal supplements and vitamins are not regulated by the Food & Drug Administration, there is no guarantee about their safety or effectiveness.

These products can act just like prescription medicines, however, in that they can cause side effects, interfere with your other medications, or even worsen your health. In fact, some herbal products have been known to cause serious illnesses, allergies, high blood pressure, or even organ damage. Therefore, it is vital that you tell both your doctor and your pharmacist if you are taking any of these products.

Because pharmacists have extensive education and training in medication use, we can be your best resource for information on these products and how much (if any) is appropriate for your medical situation.

For additional, general information about herbal supplements, check out the National Institute of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements ( http://ods.od.nih.gov ) or the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine ( http://nccam.nih.gov/).

Remember, "natural" doesn't always mean "safe"!
Melissa Ortega, Pharm.D. candidate 2010, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL

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Have you noticed how many shelves at your local drugstore are taken up these days by vitamins and herbal supplements? Studies show that more than half of Americans take some sort of dietary supplement, including products with unusual names like gingko biloba and valerian.

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Post #5 Red Flag - Confusion of Correlation and Causation (image)

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Post #5 Red Flag - Confusion of Correlation and Causation (image)

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Definition:
The red flag Confusion of Correlation and Causation involves the linking of two completely unrelated things together and claiming that one of those things caused the other.

Connection:
The graph below shows the correlation between the marriage rate in Kentucky and the number of people who drowned after falling out of a fishing boat. Of course, being married in Kentucky does not cause people to fall out of a fishing boat and drown. But when looking at a graph like this, some people may argue that one leads to the other because the statistics run so closely together. This links up with the simplicity reason for belief because it is the simple answer to say "they correlate, so they must be linked!".

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Post #6 Red Flag - Confirmation Bias (image)

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Post #6 Red Flag - Confirmation Bias (image)

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Definition:
The Confirmation Bias red flag surrounds the idea of only paying attention to the things that confirm our beliefs and ignoring the many things that disprove it.

Connection:
This image is my daily horoscope for today. It relates to the Confirmation Bias red flag, makes a bunch of claims and suggestions, and if I were only looking for things that confirm horoscopes are real, then I could say that this horoscope "knew" that I had a project to finish today (this assignment). But, despite that, none of the other information in the horoscope really means anything to me. Many people ignore that and choose to believe that horoscopes are real based on only the things that confirm it is. This image, and horoscopes in general, relate to emotion because they usually make "predictions" about peoples' love lives, careers, and friendships. It probably also involves money, as you can see there is a phone number to call for more information. They likely charge money for those phone calls.

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Post #2 Red Flag - Suppression by Authorities (video)

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Post #2 Red Flag - Suppression by Authorities (video)

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Definition:
The Suppression by Authorities red flag involves people who believe strongly in "conspiracies". They believe that authorities such as the government or huge corporations are lying to all of us, or hiding information, for a benefit of their own.

Connection:
This video is a documentary about Doctor Burzynski, who apparently has a cure for cancer that is being suppressed by government institutions. The documentary connects greatly to the Suppression by Authorities red flag, because the entire video is explaining their theory that there is a cure for cancer, but it is being covered up to keep people sick and keep them paying for cancer treatments. The people being interviewed in this documentary fall into the pseudoscience watchlist item of "convinces by faith or belief" because they are putting faith into believing there is a secret cure for cancer that is being hidden, because they cannot accept that their loved ones may die. It also links to the emotional connection reason for belief, because people will be highly emotional about trying to keep their sick loved ones alive and well.

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Burzynski: The "Cancer Cure" Cover-up | Free Documentary

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Made by Brianna Cusson, working individually.

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Post #3 Red Flag - Mystical Energy (video)

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Post #3 Red Flag - Mystical Energy (video)

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Definition:
The Mystical Energy red flag deals with the use of talk about "energy" as though it is something that can have magical effects on our lives and bodies. For example, things like chi, crystal healing, reiki, and the body's energy meridians, all fall under the Mystical Energy red flag. Usually, this talk is not scientific or measurable and is overall nonsense.

Connection:
This video demonstrates the Mystical Energy red flag because the woman in the video is heavily preaching that our bodies have "spiritual energy" that can be used to heal ailments. She talks about how energy healing is becoming very popular because people "don't understand" why they are in such poor health, which connects to the unexplained reason for belief. Doctors and scientists would never refer somebody to an "energy healer" for legitimate medical care. There are a few watchlist items to look out for here. She is using scientific-sounding language in an attempt to explain her "practice" and make it sound legitimate. She also does this for work, as has for years, so it is obvious that money is involved.

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Understanding Energy Healing | How to Work With the Body's Energy Flow in an Energy Healing Session